The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-22
THE ADMINISTRATIONS APPOINTEES.
Interested Gentlemen Who Claim to Know
Nothing OF the Charges Against Them.

The announcement in the Journal of yester-
day that Senator Voorhees, admitted that there
was likely 20 be serious objections to the con-
firmation of the recent Democratic appointees in
Indiana, created considerable excitement among
the members of the party in this city. None of
them. however, seemed to know wherein the
trouble lay nor of what the charges consisted.
Governor Gray was asked by a Journal reporter
last evening as to what information
ne had relative to the charges against
Lamb, Henderson, Hawkins and others.
Il tell you candidly, he replied. 81 know moth
ing at all, personally, about the charges, or how
they, if any there are. were brought before the
Senate. l am like yourself, the only informa-
ton 1 have being the dispatches in this morn
ing's papers. 1t is my opinion, though, there is
very little in the matter. Had President Cleve-
land made his appointments purely upon the fact
that the men were Democrats, of course consid-
ering competency and character, and as rapidly
as he could without doing violence to the serv
ice. l do not think the Senate would have OBJ
Jected to any of them. Had it done so, a bad
precedent would have been established for a
time when there is a Republican President and
Democratic Senate"
Mr.. j. 0. Henderson, the internal revenue col
lector for the Kokomo district. whose appoint
ment Is included among the number that Sena-
tor Voorhees, says will not be confirmed, was in
the city last night. He stated to a Journal re-
porter that he knew little regarding the basis of
Senator Voorhees, statement that the Indiana
appointments would rot be confirmed. He was
aware that charges of offensive partisanship had
been preferred against him by Messrs. Kirk
patrick and Tate, Of Kokomo. and it was
his opinion that these charges were
based upon articles which had appeared in the
kokomo Dispatch. ''The principal objection to
me, l think" .said Mr.. Henderson, 'is that l
was not a soldier. That / cannot help, as | was
not old enough to be one. l do not think the
Senate will make it a rule to refuse to confirm
the Appointment of all persons who were not SOL
dIers, because there is no principle in such a
rule. 1t Is simply a sentiment. There has been
no such practice heretofore. / am willing that
any charges should be preferred against
to offer evidence in answer, and if
l cannot clear myself of any charges of reason
able force, / shall willingly stand aside. l my
self prepared no charges against Mr.. Kirkpat-
rick, my predecessor. He was not removed from
office, but was simply suspended. There is no
definite tenure, any more than there is in a
mans employment In private business. Mr..
Tate Is a Democrat who was an applicant for the
Office, and would now like to administer on the
estate. He is a very clever gentleman. His in
terest in the matter, however, is to get me out
of the way, with the hope that he will be bene-
flied by it. l am not at all alarmed, however"
Mr.. Henderson's appointment has been made
by the President twice. On the 18th of last
March his name Was sent to the Senate, but he
was among the number who were hung up,"
and it became necessary for the President to
send in his name the second time.
Charles l.. Holstein said he knew nothing
about any charges being filed against MIR. Lamb,
or any of the other appointees. The removed
officers personally had no interest in the non
confirmation Of the new appointees. Their re-
lection by the Senate would not ~reinstate those
removed, or in any way benefit them. The
President will simply nominate other Democrats
in place of those rejected by the Senate. The
removal of the old officers was final.
Concerning the case OF Postmaster Wadsworth
at LaPorte. the following special telegram to
the Journal is of interest:
Senator Voorhees'spublished statement that
the appointment Of Henry E. Wadswortb, editor
of the LaPorte Argus, as postmaster OF this
city, would probably not be confirmed by the
United States Senate, caused deep agitation
among the appointee's supporters and the local
Democratic ring. A meeting was Immediately
called and Mr.. Wadsworth was advised to at
once present his commission, which is dated
Dec. 3, and demand the Office of Postmaster Bag
ley. and it will be turned over to him to- night on
only six hours notice. 1t was understood tina.
Bagley was to retain bis position till the end of
his term, Jan. 8, but the news caused such a
fright that the old saying, Possession is nine
points of the law" was taken advantage of.