Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-16
ESTABLISHED 1910.

with its imputed vileness % speech-in-
spired by the Vetiom of cobra-vas a
fabrication in the whole and in all its
parts. Mr.. Thompson says "the appoint
ment hung fire for several weeks, which is
necessarily an averment that, Several
weeks" elapsed after this pretended Cabi-.
net meeting before my appointment was
made-the object of this being to dis
parage me as far as possible by conveying
the impression that the President hest
tated thus long before he could Bring
himself to confer the Office Upon me.
This statement Is important to be noted,
since it will prove a light to guide
us 10 Tie truth we are seeking.
1t Is only in the field Of vague
generalities that the triumphs of fabrica-
tors are achieved. They come speedily to
grief when they allow themselves 10 be
specific, and Mr.. Thompson's fate will not
be different, in this respect, from that of
the class to which he belongs. BY yield
ing to the temptation to defame me, and
so saying that this long period intervened
between the Cabinet meeting and my APP
pointment, he unwittingly has supplied
means, at once easy and sure, of exposing
the deception which he is attempting to
impose upon the public.
It appears from the National hatelligencer,
of the 9th of March, 1859, that Postmaster
General Brown died on the dag preceding at
about 8 o'clock in the morning, from a Sc
we're attack of pneumonia, and in the same
journal of Thursday, the 10th of March, /
find thir editorial paragraph:
The Hon. Joseph Holt, for some time past Com
missioner of Patents, was yesterday nominated by
the President, and forthwith unanimously con-
frmed by the Senate to the vacant Office Of Post
master-Genoral. This is admitted all hands
and in all respects to be an excellent appoint
ment
The National IntelIigencer, of the 18th of
March, gives a detailed account OF the
funeral services Of Postmaster-General
Brown, which are represented to have
taken place at the White House the day
before, and from the account make the
following extract:
About II o'clock the President.of the United
States, accompanied by Secretaries Cass, Floyd,
TOucey, Cobb, Black, and the new Postmaster
General, Holt, entered the room through the re-
ception parlors and took their seats near the
clergy. The Rev; DR.. Hall, of the g Street Epis-
copal church, and the Rev. I. G.. Cranberry. the
officiating clergymen, then took ther position at
small table in front of the coffin.
1t is evident, then, from contemporary
and unquestionable testimony, that Post
master-General Brown having died on the
Sth of March, / was on the 9th nominated
by the President to succeed him, and at
! once unanimously confirmed; that on the
10th / attended his funeral services with
the other members of the Cabinet, and
that finally, as the record shows, on the
18th OF March, with my commission in my
hand, went to the department, was quail
flied and entered upon my duties as Post
master-General. What reception is due
from the public to man capable, in the
interests of the foulest defamation, of thus
misleading them? | look in vain for even
the thread of circumstance that can
hide the hideous nakedness of the falsifica-
ton of history which this simple narrative
brings to light. The case, then, stands
thus: 1t is proved that l was appointed on
the 9th of March, and that the Postmas-
ter-General died. only one day before
(the Sth). Mr.. Thompson SAYS the
Cabinet meeting IN achich Postmaster Gen
erdl Broacn's death being recognized, the ques-
ton Of his successor lCds considered, was held
several weeks before my appointment,
and and so necessarily the same "seUerdi lCeekS" +"
less a single day, before the Postmaster General
actually died! Could anything be added
to the completeness of this exposure
Should he, thus pressed to the wall, strive
to escape by suggesting that he was mis-
taken as to the time of the Cabinet meet
ing, and that it must have taken place be-
tween the day of the death--the Sth-and
that of the appointment-the 9th-the
shallow suDterfuge would be driven to
commit hari-kari, in presence OF the un-
qualified declaration that the appoint
ment hung fire for several weeksn Par
don me for again entreating that the rule
of law quoted be still held in remem-
brance, since it will be helpful in estimat-
ing Alright other statements yet to be ex-
amined. 1t was my fortune while Com
missioner of Patents to render to President
Buchanan certain services-net at all in
the line of my duty-which were impor-
tant and relieved him of much personal
labor, and for which received his
thanks. From the character of these
services and the close and cordial rela-
tions into which they brought us, he had
the best opportunity of judging for him
self of my capabilities and of my fitness
for official advancement. That he did so
judge and make the appointment on that
judgment, without suggestion from Mr..
Thompson or anybody else, l, from the
promptitude of his action, have never
doubted. The fact that the appointment
was made and confirmed the day after The
death of Postmaster-GeneralB Brown, would
seem to indicate that there was little time
or opportunity for intervention from with
in or without.