The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-04-18
from attempting, in any manner whatever,

lEotn attempting, IN any manner whatever,
to influence any officer In regard to the
peniing political canvass, that to-day l do
not know the Presidential preferences Of a
dozen collectors In tho United Statea.
Where l have any information on the
subject It has come from voluntary aud
merely informal disclosure on tho part Of
the officer himself. In fact, otthe i, $50
persons In the revenue service, do not
know the preferences OF iorty.two OF them
not one In hundred, and this state.
ment includes even my own Revenue
Agents. I have felt that this was the proper
course for me to pursue, whatever my own
personal feelings might be, and must be
permitted to say that while l feel this way
10 regard to myself and my own conduct,
| haye had an equally clear conviction as
10 whst should be the course oil other In.
ternal Rsvonue officers.
To the surprise Of this eillce, on the 3lst
ultimo, you telegraphed, desiring the as.
slgnment OF ofanother gaug.r to the Haunis
Dstillery, at Martiusburg, West Va. I
answered your telegram, and also wrote,
very fully, my views upon the subject In
letter Of that date. Thinking It very
curious manifestation, directed Revenue
Agent Donelsou TO- look into the subject,
and he reported verbally, In effect, that he
thought 1t was purely a political movement
on your pat. A day or two after this you
favored me with voluntary visit to my
Office, and the subject OF the assignment Of
the gauger at Martinsburg came up, though
| only saw you for few moments, being
in q great hurry to meet my appointment
with House Committee on Appropriations.
l told you then that had not dictated,
and did not, in the slightest degree, intend
to dictate nor Influence the political con.
duct oil any revenue officer; that had no
right to do it, and claimed no such right,
but while this WAS 80, this office did not
intend to allow the revenue service 10 be
run, anywhere, on q political basis but
that it should, emphatically, bs run upon
business principles.
also led You to understand, very clear
ly, that my object in talking to you in this |
way was not for the purpose OF In ntluencing
your conduct with reference to the Pfesi- |
DENTAL question, but that 1t was 10 detiue
nv position and your duty as revenue
official, and with direct reference to the a.
aignment Of that gauger. You could not |
have misunderstood this, unless your mind |
had been previously or subsequently sway
ed by some influence in the direction Of the |
COURSE indicated in your letter. DuriHg
your visit you made some statement as to |
your own loyalty to the administration, or
something upon that subject, and the
Presidents kindness TO you at tho time of |
the consolidation, and may have casual.
ly remarked that | agreed with you and.
that 30 far as was concerned, 80 long as I
hello the commission Of an administration
would not be disloyal to 1t, sentiment
which You must have known was not in
Iended to have any such bearing ss is given
It in your letter, but which was merely a |
private sentiment Of my own,
and which. eycn to prevent your resigna.
lion, ! shall not nov for one moment dis
avnw.
Besides. while I do not know that I |
took the pains to explain it to you, it was
a fact that the appropriation for gaugers
and store-keepers had run 50 low that this |
office intended to enforce the stricteat |
economy, as stated in my letter Of the 3lsl
ultimo.
OF COURSE you will understand that this |
is not written for the porpcso Of throwing
any obstacle in the way Of your resignation,
the acceptance Of which !s a question en-
tirely with the President.
write to place upon record my EN-.
phatic denial Of your imputations upon
putations, may remark, which
my entire official lie will dieprove.
Very Respectfully,
0E r WALTER EVANS,
Commissioner.