The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-09-22
-REEOENI. MTrn 4 VENGEANCE.

Robert NJ. Hooper Tells His St0ry-A VlcO-
Consul. General Removed without Cause
To Make Room for n Democrat.
New YoRK, Sept. 2l.-The removal Of
Robert NJ. Hooper from the position of
Vice. ConsuI-General ofthe United States
at Paris has added another one to the
long list Of violations OF the Civil Service
rules by this reform" Administration
His experience and well known ability
Ind always rendered him a valuable
officer OF that Consulate, and to that fact
the present Consul General, rs well Us
lis predecessors, has frequently testified.
General Hooper arrived in this city on
the steamship La Bourgogne on Sunday,
and TO u Tribune reporter he gave the
history OF his removal us follows:
Consul.GcnCral Walker remained in
Office until October 5, 1887, when he was
succeeded by j. S. Rathbone. He, on
that date, according to Civil Service and
Consular regulations, renominated me ;
hut on October % he received message
by cable from Judge Edward Curtis, u
Washington lobbyist and an intimate
friend OF the President, ordering him to
withdraw my name aud to appoint to
the position A. ]. lie Breton, OF San
Francisco, Cal, which he did at once.
Curtis says that bargain had been
made, in the presence OF the President,
that lie Breton should be appointed to
the place when Rathbohe was nomina-
ted TO the Consul l-Generalship. lie Bre-
ton refused to serve under Rathhone,
but Democrat had to be found some
how to take the place of Republican.
At the end OF three months Mr.. Rath-
bone was forced to appoint Mr.. Preston,
u nephew Of Curtis, who does not speak
French, and who knows nothing OF the
service; all Of which was against CIVIL
Service and Consular regulations, blt
the end aimed at was gained, and o
Democrat now has the position.
Continuing, Mr.. Hooper said: There
is good deal OF anxiety expressed in
American circles in Paris respecting the
social standing OF our officials during the
Exhibition. Minister McLane and his
wife are both old, and the latter is in
feeble health, so that they never enter
tain, being in this respect complete
contrast to General Dix, General Noyes
and Levi p. Morton, whose houses were
always open to Americans. Even il
Cleveland is reelected, new United
States Minister ut Paris is imperatively
needed, us all the foreign Ministers in
Paris are invited to the numerous and
splendid fetes given by the Government,
and are expected to entertain in return.
Mr.. Mcl.ane never gives even a Fourth
Of July or 22d OF February reception"
This statement was not made as a
mere lpatter OF complaint for the sake OF
restoration, as Mr.. Hooper has said that
he could not under any circumstances
be induced to rc-enter Government ser,
vice; and he has already accepted Il
much better position us Paris repre-.
sentative of the well known law firm OF
Coudert Brothers, Of this city. His
hosts Of. friends in Paris, where
lie guinCd popularity, and in this
country feel that lie has been
brutalIy treated, aud are extremely
indignant about his summary election
from an office in which he had given
years of faithful scrvicG-and this, too,
In direct violation Of Civil Service and
Consular regulations, and in spite OF the
prctcnsons llong since proven false oi
This Civil Service Reform Association.