Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-30
URGING A FLORIDA MAN.
HITCH IN THE HULLs' INSPEC-
TORSHIP APPOINTMENT.

Secretary Manning Refuses to Approve
the Action of the Advisory Board
His Letter to Supervising Inspector
Curran Suggesting Florida Man
Judge speer on the Stu atiOn-Mr. Cur
ran Declines to Talk.
Another meeting of the Advisory Board
was held yesterday morning to fill the
vacant Inspectorship OF Hulls for the Sa-
vannah district, Judge Speer, Collector
Wheaton and Supervising Inspector Cur
ran, who constitute the board, were all
present. At a previous meeting held
three weeks ago Judge Speer and Collec-
tor Wheaton voted for Capt. Thomas Ii.
Laird, and Mr.. Curran concurred, but
the boards action was never approved
by the Secretary of the Treasury.
Yesterdays meeting was called by
Mr.. Curran and after the board got to-
gether he read q letter signed with Sec
lretary Manning's little stamp. Up in the
lett hand corner were the cabalistic let
ters 'E. H." which being interpreted
stood for Eugene Higgins, appointment
clerk. The letter which was addressed
TO Mr.. Curran read as follows:
SECRETARY MANNING's LETTER.
Referring TO your letter of the 9th inst,
submitting Inc designation OF 10Omhb IL.
Laird to be Inspector of Hulls for the district
Of Savannah, you are advised that Inasmuch
rs three-f of the inspections made by the
local board at Savannah are vessels plying In
the waters of Florida, the department de-
Eres the appointee to be q resident of that
State. The approval of the designation of
Mr.. Lard is therefore withheld. If the board
will designate a citizen of Florida the same
will receive consideration.
Mr.. Curran explained that be called the
meeting on the strength of the above, and
then Judge Speer asked If any objection
was made to the character or qualitica-
tons of Mr.. Laird, Mr.. Curran re-
piled that none had been made and that
the Cnief Supervising Inspector said there
were none.
The matter was Informally talked over
but no ballot was taken, and the board
adjourned, leaving the situation I'M
changed.
WHAT JUDGE sPEER SAYS.
Judge Speer afterwards said in regard
TO his position that he supported Mr..
Laird because he believed him, from the
evidence submitted to the board, better
fitted for the place than Mr.. Brewer, the
Florida candidate. Capt. Laird was
strongly Endorsed for the position by many
OF the first people of the State and by the
highest sort of testimonials to his skill in
seataring matters, and the Supervising
inspector General took no exceptions to
his qualifications.
'The letter of the Secretary places a
restriction upon the board which is not
contemplated by the law" His Honor re-
marked. 81 have acted in this matter as
In any other judicial capacity"
"The Secretary OF the Treasury has no
authority under the law to say whom the
board shall appoint or of what State the
appointee shall be a citizen. He has
simply the power to approve or to disap-
~0r.. H., AE IL "A
quite sure he could not have read the
letter to which his signature is affixed.
certainly not in connection with the
statute fixing his powers and the powers
OF the board in The premises"
THE LAW OF APPOINTMENT.
Section AIS OF the Revised Statutes,
which provides for the filling OF a vacant
jnspectorship, says expressly that the
Advisory Board shall meet and fill the va
cancy, and that such board, or the major
part thereof, when designating an Inspec-
tor of Hulls, shall select a person of good
character and suitable qualifications and
attachments. The law goes on to say:
"No appointment OF an Inspector of Hulls
shall be made without the concurrence of
the Supervising Inspector. The Inspector
loI Hulls, and the Inspector of Boilers
thus designated, when approved by the
Secretary OF the Treasury, shall from the
date of designation constitute board Of
local Inspectors
The Secretary can whnhold his ap-
lproval but it is the duty of the board TO
select the man. In this case there are
but two applicants, and ii Capt. Laird is
mot appointed there is no other to desig-
nate except Mr.. Brewer, unless another
examination is held.
MR.. CURRAN WILL NOT TALK.
Mr.. Curran, when asked how the mat
ter stood, replied that it was unchanged.
More than that he would not say.
EX-Inspector Peter Jones said in an in
terview with a Jacksonville reporter a
few days ago that the hitch rests with the
Secretary or Assistant Secretary OF the
Treasury, whom he believed to have
made promise to the Florida Congress
men to appoint a man from that State.