St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-29
BURCHARD,s BOLD BREAK.
Why the Mint Director Would Not
Let Go of the Official Teat.

Let Go of the Official Teat.
WASHINGTON, June 2s.-The following
is tke text of the letter of Mr.. Burchard de-
clining to resign when requested to do so
by Secretary Manning:
Treasury Department, Bureau of the
Mint, Washington, d. c., June 49,,
1885. Sir: Respectfully acknowledging
your request for my resignation,
communicated to me on the 18th
inst, have the honor to state that after
careful consideration 1 am not satisfied
that duty or propriety require me
at this time to resign my office.
Were any malfeasance or misconduct al
legged or believed l am sure you would have
done me the justice to have had an impair
tial examination and given full oppOrtu-
nifty of defense before demanding my resig-
nation. Nor do understand from you that
the request is made for such reason, but it
is because you deem the
RELATIONS OF MY OFFICE
to be so intimately connected with your ad-
ministration of the treasury department that
you should have the privilege of selecting
the officer to be In charge of this bureau
Were this the case, and the inten-
ton of the law it might be
proper and becoming for me to place
the tenure of my services at your immediate
command or perhaps to have done SO when
you became the head of the department,
but permit me to say that such has not been
my understanding Of the purpose Of the
coinage act in providing that the director of
the mint ''shan hold his Office for the term
of five years unless sooner removed by the
president upon reason to be communicated
by him to the senate" The length of the
term, five years, the conditions upon which
the removal is authorized and the discus
sions and explanations preceding the pass
age of the act indicate the intent that the
office of director of the mint
SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED
on account of change of administration,
or in the head of the department or for per-
sonal or political reasons. Ny predecessor
appointed by President Grant, although of
opposite political views, continued in Office
under five successive secretaries of the
treasury until his death. AS to myself,
having served with acceptance for a full
term, and upon reappointment and confir-
nation part of another, 1 am conscious of
no reason why an exception to the policy
indicated by the law should now be made,
or why ought not to continue the per-
formance Of official duty until the expira-
tiOn of my commission. Very respectfully,
HoRATIo G. BURCHARD. .
To the Hon. Daniel Manning, Secretary
of the Treasury.
Senator Beck Very Mad.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, June Ex-senator Beck
thinks this is the Queerest administration he
ever saw. He discovered this popularity
some time ago, when unknown Ken
tuckians were given diplomatic positions
abroad but his experience yesterday morn
ing makes him wonder more than ever at
the strangeneSs of things. Mr.. Beck took
the papers of a constituent named Hill to
the pOStoffice department at an early hour
and filed them with First Assistant Post
master General Hay, with a request that
the postmaster at GreysOn. KY, be re-
moved and his friend appointed.
''Are there any charges against the
present Incumbent" inquired the first as
sistant.
Charges" echoed the Kentucky senator
in all astonished manner
1.-The man is a Republican, and Senator
Blackburn and / have agreed upon a compe-
tent Democrat for his place. What else is
wanted?"
Nh Hay smiled as he answered, s'That
will not do, Mr.. Beck. We must have
some reason besides that given us for re-
moval."
''Do l understand you to say. then, that
you will not make the change on my rec
Ommendation, queried the Kentuckian,
getting very red in the face.
81 cannot do it," said Gen. Hay, apollo
getically. ''It is against the presidents
policy If were to remove this man the
president would be very apt to remove me. y
well, of all the -" commenced the
senator, who by this time was mad, but
there is no use in arguing the matter" he
added, as he controlled his passion with an
effort. 81 don't want to have you removed,
MI. Hay. l don't want to have you lose
your place, but never heard anything like
this BEFORE" and out he went, leaving a
room full of amused office seekers and a
very nervous assistant postmaster general.
Senator Beck, in speaking of the matter
afterwards, said he would not be party to
the filing of charges against any man when
there was no cause for his removal but
politics. In his opinion that should be
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