Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-04-24


To Rob,rf T. puulson, Governor oJ nc Common.
irtHth "f P'nHUiuGHtd
DEAR SIR-IOur letter requesting my re.
signation OF the office of uperintcndent of
soldiers orphan schools has been received
and now, after due consideration, | decline
10 aCCede thereto.
The reasons alleged for said request are
hrst you desire tho opportunity OF appoint
lug in my place some one who VIII assist
YOU III II reorganization of the schools, whose
views may be more In harmony with your
own, and more IN accord with your views oi
duty and the requirements of tho law, ~ To
which, YOU allego, we radically diiieT ana,
secondly, you hold me responsible for alleged
abuses mismanagement aud neglect, which
have taken place during my inCumheucy as
superIutendent.
In regard to the iirst, must remind yen
that during your whole administration you
have HCuCr been ~ my office you have
never made, until this ttIno, a single com.
plant tn me IN reference to my policy, which
has been that Of the law from tho beginning,
interpreted by previous governors aud
my predecessor IN Office you have never
indicated to mo any policy OF your OVID, nr
any plan OF organization or reorganization IN
behalf of which you wished my cooperation.
On the contrary until within the last few
months, you have given me every reason tu
believe that l had your entire confidence
the saue indeed as when, without my solicit
tatiun, you gave me the honor of reappOint.
ment III April last How, then, can know
what your plans oi reorganization are, OF
what policy you have III view How can |
assure myself OF any disharmuny Os any rad
zeal difference between us
CHARGING iNJUsriCE.
In regard to the second, you virtually
charge me with responsibility ior alleged
abuses, encouragement aud neglect, Ia
which YOU have never hitherto called my
attention. You have entered upon an in
vestlgation without giving mo any notice
whatever you have not sought my aid or
cooperation, although offered to you in u
respectful letter to which you deIgnet no
reply; you have allowed Witnesses to tes-
uiy against me, whom ] have never had
opportunity to confront whose names even
/ know not, and whose testimony | san
only CLEAN in fragments from newspaper
reports (; you have employed, by invitation,
the newspaper reporter who made accusa-
tion against me- allowing him to examine
whatever witnesses he chose and IN Whatever
manner he pleased, never giving me notice
or knowledge thereof, and wholly ignoring
my Official position you have bad all the
accounts OF my office promptly surrendered
at your request, IN your possession for weeks,
never seeking any explanation Of the same
either from me or my clerks, hut giving
them over to the prTrCTttTG scrutiny (as |
shall presently show of this same sensation
reporter, and over your own signature have
sent these perNersions broadcast through the
state and now, without any Spcctdcd charges,
that | can have access to except through
vourtsey even of Justice, you say "rlrrHHi-
stances appear ~ dcWond' my resignation
From a quasi-trial thus Conducted and
conclusions derived thereirom, ] most en-
phatcally dissent and, as an officer OF the
state appeal to tho legislature, and II,
through It's inv cstigatlOn, | AIN found guilty
"i the iucompotency, neglect and maIad-
ininistratiOn OF which you accuse me, most
promptly will | surrender the Office which
hold.
You very properly say that the supern.
tendent of public instruction Is not 'suh.
lect to summary removal 10y me" No better
evidence Of the wisdom OF this constitutional
provision could be found than what We have
now before us The legislature placed the
soldiers orphans schools under the general
management oi the superintendent OF public
instruction. The same authority alone eau
separate them. The resignation of the one
office of necessity involves that of the other
without an act of the Legislature and, there.
tore, fail TO see much difference between
the power OF summary removal on your part
and a forced resignation. The difference
appears 10 me only formal, not real
Now, in regard to the evidence against
me, so Tar as my responsibility is involved ::
PAUL's RETENTION.
First In reference to the retention ot Mr.
Paul in office from May to the close OF the
year, after your demand for his dismissal.
Notwithstanding the assaults OF the press
IN reference thereto, which | do not CON
ton of my warmest personal friends, !
should never have said one word unless you
public, and, l think, cruel reference TO it
over your own signature had at last broken
the seal OF confidence, SO as to make my
present utterance necessity.
Mr.. Paul assured me the last week OF
March, 1885, that could have his resigna-
lion any day l desired. Immediately alter
my confirmation by the Senate, | went TO
your office and announced this tact to you,
and stated that the public examination of
soldiers orphan schools during May, and
the examinations of the State Normal
schools during June, would keep me from
the office at its most pressing period, when
all the accounts for the close of the year
must be examined and tue statistics for
my annual report be tabulated aud | sug-
gested the eXpediency OF retaining him III
Office, on this account, until July. To this
you very promptly assented, AS due to Mr..
Paul aud myself When July came, at
once went to you, aud said l was ready
to reorganiLe my clerical force, by
Paups place, in accordance with my post
tive promise and my sense OF the require
ments OF properly organized civil service,
as he had been very faithful clerk aud was
iully acquainted with the whole business of
the office, and that would be pleased TO have
you suggest for the vacancy thus created
some competent person of your own choice,
with the Grand Army OF the Republic. You
said, why not put Mr.. - in Paurs place,
| said / had no personal objection 10 the
gentleman named, but that | could not run
the risk OF having, as my chief clerk, a
stranger to the office and TO myself You
then asked me TO Wdit and let the office CON
tiHHe as IL tods uRtl I thought further OUeT
the matter. l consented to do so ior a very
short time, and then saw you again, because
l was anxious promptly 10 reorganize my
clerical force, and had said TO many OF my
friends, az early as the opening week OF A pril
lsso, that IL was clearly understood that MIR