Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-26
GRESHAM'S NEW OFFICE.
THE JUDGE TUMBLED OUT OF
BED AT MIDNIGHT.

Unexpectedly Upon Him Because One
of Arthur's CrOnies Could Not Make
Up His Mind Whether He Wanted the
Place-The Future all Uncertainty.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 25.-Judge w. @,
Gresham, Postmaster General, received
telegram from the President after II
O'Clock last night informing him of his
appointment to the Secretaryship of the
treasury. He Immediately qualified and
sent 10 the President his resignation as
postmaster General. At 10 O'Clock this
morning MIR. Gresham went to the Treas
ury Department with Secretary Chandler.
The acceptance of his resignation by the
President was given to HIM by Mr.. O. L.
Pfuden, assistant private secretary of the
| PRESIDENT, and his commission by Third
Assistant Secretary of State A. A. Adee.
The two Assistant Secretaries of the
treasury, Messrs French and Coon, were
! present and rendered their congratula-
tlons. The new Secretary left here this
evening to consult with the President.
| Under the law First Assistant Postmas-
ter General HattOn becomes Acting Post
master General for ten days.
CALLING ON MR.. GRESHAM.
The President to-day designated Assist
| ant secretary Coon to act as Secretary Of
the Treasury during the absence or sick
! ness at any time of Secretary Gresham.
| Mr.. Coon was also authorized by the Sec
retary to sign in his stead all warrants
for the payment of money into the public
| Treasury, and all warrants for disburse-
ment from the public Treasury of money
certified by the proper accounting officers
/ of the Treasury. Similar authority to
/ sign warrants during the absence or
! sickness of Assistant Secretary Coon was
| delegated to Assistant Secretary French.
/ All the bureau and division officers of the
| department called on the new Secretary
| about noon and were presented by Mr..
| Coon.
The Secretary Of the Treasury was to-
day asked for instructions in regard to
some assisted emigrants brought to Gal
| weston, Texas, from Bremen on the steam
er Wesser. He telegraphed to the proper
authorities to require the steamer COM
! pany to give bond for the return of the
emIgrants if found to be paupers within
the meaning OF the law, and also to pro-
vide for their maintenance till that ques-
! tiOn is settled.
AN ODD STATE OF AFFAIRS.
A great great deal Of speculation and
comment has been OccasiOned by the state
of affairs in the Treasury Department
much of which has been condensed in an
article in the Star this evening, from
which the following extracts are made:
'Ihe fact Of the appointment of Judge
Gresham was not generally known till
this morning and it caused great surprise
among the members of the Cabinet. 1t
| has been the subject of talk for several days |
past, and Judge Gresham has known that
he might be called upon to take the place
| IN certain contingency. The contingency
| was inability to obtain an answer from a
| gentleman whom the President
had intended for the portfolio.
This gentleman is believed to be
Hugh Mccullough. Judge Gresham ac-
| cepted the position as a matter of accom-
mOdation to the President, and his friends
say that it is only temporary. The dura-
| tICn OF the appointment is commonly fixed /
| till about Oct. when, it is believed, Judge
| Gresham will resign and accept the
Judgeship on the Illinois circuit.
HUSTLED OUT OF BED.
Late last night, after he had retired
| Judge Gresham was visited by Assistant
| Secretary of State Adee, who told him
| that he had received commission from
| the President for his appointment as
| Secretary of the Treasury. This was an
entire surprise to the Postmaster General
and the only intimation he had OF such a
! possibility was telegram from the Presi-
dent couple of days ago asking if he
/ would be in town on the oath. Secretary
| Chandler, who resides near Judge Gres-
| ham, was at once summoned and Judge
| Gresham rendered his resignation as Post
| master General, which was accepted by
| Secretary Chandler for the President.
! The letter of resignation simply consisted
| of its address, and the form of words, 81
| hereby resign the office of Postmaster
| General of the United States"
| QUALIFYING JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
| Assistant Secretary of State Adee in
! formed Judge Gresham that it was neces-
| sary for him to qualify as Secretary of
| the Treasury before midnight. There
| upon the three officials proceeded to the
| residence of Judge WyliG, at the corner of
Fourteenth street and Massachusetts
avenue, and the oath of Office was aG-
ministered. This morning Judge Gresham
/ occupied the desk of the Secretary of the
| Treasury. He is not well, and has gone
| to New York to confer with the Presi-
| dent, and it is doubtful if he will return
| to his new duties at once. Mr.. Coon Will
act.as Secretary during his absence. The
circumstances attending the appointment
| of the new secretary are very peculiar in
view of the fact that Judge Gresham was
| offered the Treasury portfolio soon
| after the death of Secretary Folger, but
declined soon after the designation of Mr..
! Coon to act as Secretary.
ONE OF THE sURNIISES.
The delay in making the appointment
/ until within an hour of the limited time
| leads to the belief that the President was
/
| had been rendered the Office, and it is the
! impression that the response was not re-
| ceived in time. or that it was in the shape
] of a declinatiOn; hence the sudden ap
pontment of Judge Gresham. There
/ seems to be no doubt about the truth of
| the rep0"t that Judge Gresham's appoint
! lnent will be but temporary. The belief
| that the President intended to give the
| Treasury portfolio to an eX-Secretary OF
| the Treasury is still entertained, and both
| ex-Secretaries Boutwell, and MCCULLOUGH
are mentioned in that connection. 1he
| resignation of Judge Gresham from the
| POstmaster-(5e (5eneralship leaves that
\ that Judge Greshams commlssiOn as
| Secretary of the Treasury would be ac,
| cOmpapied by one appointing Frank Hat
| ton as Postmaster General, but there was
/ no communication from the President on
the subject. Mr.. HattOn will act as
| Postmaster General, however, and it is
| generally thought that he will receive a
permanent appointment before the ex-
piratiOn of 10 days.
GRESHAM NONPLUSsED.
| Postmaster General Gresham said just
| before he left for New York this evening:
Il do not understand my appointment to
! be Secretary of the Treasury at all. 1t
! was a complete surprise to me. The day
/ alter Secretary Folger's funeral the Pres
]
that he did not desire to introduce d new
man into his administration at this late
| day [ told him that l was reluctant to
| leave the Post Office Department until
should have completed certain
reforms that had begun, /
| and asked a day for consideration.
| The next day refused it for the reason
! indicated. | heard nothing more about it
| until lasi night, although on Saturday last
| l received a Telegram from the President
| asking me TO be in Washington on sept.
| "a. | heard nothing more from him until
| last night. when / was informed after
having retired that he had appointed me
| Secretary of the Treasury.
NO INTENTION or REsIGNING.
s'Of course / complied with what
i amounted to a positive command, al
| though did not understand it, but did
not accept the appointment as
| a temporary one. So far as l now know !
will remain in the Cabinet until March 4
EeXt. did not say, as is reported, that
J / considered the appointment temporary.
/ / dId nol. Nor is it true, as reported, that
! [ have determined 10 accept Judge Drum
| mond's place on the Circuit bench If it
| should be offered to me. On the contrary,
| | expect 10 remain in the Presidents
| Cabinet until the end of his administra-
| ton. This morning / received a
| telegram from the President in
/ viting me to confer with him and
| am going to New York for that pur-
! nose. 1t will all be explained there"
In regard TO the silly report that Gen.
/ H~aahan has his eve on the seat in the