The Washington critic., 1886-06-01
TWO KENTUCKIdNS.
Judge Durham of the Treasury Stirs
Up Gov. Duluth Knott.

Up Gov. Duluth Knott.
The First Comptroller of the Treas.
ury, Judge Durham, aud Governor
Knott of Kentucky are just now not
speaking as they pass by, but they are
writing letters to each other by way of
the printing press. Judge Durham, 1t
seems, has been approached to run for
Governor of the Land of Knott, and
he expresses willingness, not TO run
exactly, but to be run if it is the pco-
ple's wish. He expresses himself thus
IN one point:
had rather have the position which
now occupy than to be Governor of Ken
iucky, except that 1t might crafty many OF
my friends to have me Governor. / have
accepted this Office here and entered upon
The discharge of its duties, and have do.
termined to do my best to carry out any
purposes aud plans Of the Administration,
and to make 1t popular, and l shall leave
nothing undone within my power to accom-
pllsh the same. l do not know whether the
President would be willing to give me up
or not. am satisfied in my own mind that
he is pleased with the manner In which am
conducting the Office, while not every one
can discharge the duties of this Office ac-
ceptably, although say 1t myself.
The Judge also says affairs are in a
terrible rut and that the State needs a
financier at its head.
In reply to this and other equally
personal and pertinent or impertinent
suggestions, Governor Knott writes o
long letter to the Comter.Journal,
from which we clip this much:
And II 1t is true that the people of Ken
lucky are in the deplorable condition to
which you say they have been brought by
the imbecility of those in charge of the
various departments of their State Govern
ment, you may expect them to rise en-
masse at any moment and demand that you
eXtricate them from the "terrible rut'' into
| which they had been plunged. You are the
only man on earth who can do 1t aud | am
confident you will. Ah! my dear Judge,
just ink for moment with what rapt en-
thusiasm the future student of history will
contemplate the Immortal trinity of SUBJ
lime but unassuming patriotism -Cincin-
| natus, Washington and yourself.
fully appreciate the enormous sacrifice
| you will have to make, as well as the en-
barrassments with which you will be con-
| fronted. know what fearful descent 1t
| will be from First Comptroller of the Treas
| ury to Governo. of Kentucky. | know that
there are rev people IN THIS world who could
| fill the exalted Office you occupy as accept
ably as you do, although you say 1t yourself.
am aware, too, that you accepted that
| position for the sole purpose Of giving tone
and efficiency to the Administration Of Mr..
Cleveland, and with the grim determination
"to accomplish the same" or perish In the
attempt. l realize, moreover, the terrible
predicament In which the President would
be placed II you should resign. / am
satisfied he would never be able to find
another who could "carry out his purposes
and plans" or make his Administration
'popular,n and feel certain that he would
rather part with the apple of his eye than tc
| give you up. ] see something Of the dilem
ma In which you will be placed, with til,
President on the one,hand, clinging to you
in the agony of despair, implorng you, witt
tears In his eyes, not to leave him-not tC
abandon his Administration to utter oblo
| guy and contempt--and on the other th,
"intelligent people, OF the State of which
| you are "always so proud" in one wild
universal, fren2ied paroxysm Of frantic des
| peratipn, demanding that you shall COM
home and run for Governor. am bount
to admit that you will be somewhat In tn
condition of the fellow who found himsel
"between the devil aud the deep sea-" o
that at least you will be able to realize tn
full force Of the couplet:
"How happy I'd be with either
Were t'other dear charmer away"