The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-07-18
Mr.. Hearnaan's Letter.

/ when he declines to accept the Office o
Assistant District Attorney, for tn,
Western Judicial District of Virginia
rendered him by the Attorney General
Mr.. Heermans was an applicant TO
the office of District Attorney. w. E
Craig, Esq, was his competitor, and re
celved the appointment. Mr.. Heerman
is classed as an "anti Mahone'' MAJ
and Mr.. Craig as a ''Mahonite.n Both O.
them were well endorsed, and either
would efficiently and faithfully discharge
the duties of the office But one OF
them had to be disappointed, and it fel
| to the lot of Mr.. Heermans, accompanied
by no reflection upon him as a gentle
man, as a Republican, or as a lawyer
1t was not his opposition to Gen. Ma
hone, or Mr.. Craig's Identification with
that gentleman, that determined the APP
pointment, whatever newspaper cores
pondents and interviewers may say
about it. The Circuit and District Judges
and large part of the bar of the en-
tire district, besides many personal and
political friends of both wings of the
Republican party, endorsed Mr. Craigs
appointment, many of them not know
ing, no doubt, that Mr.. Heermans was
an applicant at the time. Mr.. Craig is
well known throughout the State as an
able young lawyer, with fourteen years
practice at the bar and with peculiar
qualifications for the position in ques-
ton. Mr., Heermans was not so well
known to the bar or to the people of the
District as lawyer. This fact in no
way questions his ability or qualifica-
lions. He is States Attorney for Mont
gomery county, which is evidence that
he has the confidence as a lawyer of the
people who know him best, but this
knowledge was not as general of him as
it was of Mr.. Craig.
We learn that the Department of
Justice was not hasty in coming to a
conclusion as to which to choose 1t was
a matter of careful consideration, and
was decided with no reference to either
"Mahone" or anti Mahone," but upon
the predOminance of endorsements in
the case, although that was pretty near
ly evenly balanced, except as to the
Judges. When it was determined by the
Attorney General to appoint Mr.. Craig,
it was not at the suggestion of Gen. Ma
hone or any of his especial friends that
Mr.. Heermans was appointed to the sec
ond place. 1t was President Harrison,
himself, who requested Mr. Heerman's
appointment, and in this manifested his
kindly feeling for, as well as confidence
In him. Gen. Malone could do nothing
else than accept the situation, had he
been otherwise disposed 1t is due to all
parties that this statement should be
made as embOdying substantially the
facts of the case. The letter of Mr.
Heerlnans does injustice to the admins
tration, and gives to Gen. Malone an
influence that he did not and could not
have exerted. The appointment of Mr..
Craig was not regarded by the President
OF the Attorney General as a ''Mahone
appointment" The nomination of Mr.
Heermans was not considered from an
anti Malone" standpoint but from his
claims as presented, and as the most prop
er thing to do under the circumstances.
1t certainly was no provocation for the
''open letter. of Mr. Heermans to Mr..
McCaull, as Mr.. Mccall had nothing to
do with his appointment, nor had Gen.
Malone. So far from it, had the latter
1tpI i
never have been rendered. and this may
be true also, of Mr. McCaull, so far as
we know. 1t was the Presidents APP
pointment, as we understand and COM
ing directly as the result of his sugges-
ton, it should have been taken as com
pliment, instead of being treated as an
offense and cause for angry manifesto
lions.
This episode illustrates the difficulties
the President has to encounter in Vir-
GINA appointments. If an appointment
is made that is not in accord with Gen.
Mahone's wishes, it is forthwith her
aided as slap at Gen. Malone, and if
one is made that Gen. Malone approves,
then it is announced that Malone con
trolls the administration, when in Meth
Ell case is the statement correct 1t CON
vinces us that the VIRGINIAN was right
in its suggestion to the administration
in the start. The Republicans of this
State ought to have been treated as the
Republicans of other States were, without
reference to factions. The appointments
ought not to have been delayed, to give
hope to one faction to get the better of
the other, but men chosen ON their mer-
its and their known qualifications for the
positions to be filled. The primary point
should have been to rebuke the unjust
course of Mr.. Cleveland towards Vir-
GINA Republicans and vindicate them
from the imputation upon their charac-
ter, that was made pretext to make this
State an exception to the general rule
that it was alleged was to govern his ad-
The first and important
should have been with
President Harrison, to turn Democratic
'rascals out" There could have been
no great mistake made so far as the pub
lie service was concerned, for we do not
think there is among all the Republican
aspirants, any one of them who would
not have been an improvement on the
Democratic incumbent. This course
would have practically disarmed the
factions and relieved the administration
IF the controversies which have been
going on before it pretty much ever
since the 4th of March last, by which
Democrats have been retained in office
where Republicans ought to be, and dis
caused where otherwise cor
lial support would be extended.
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BRUISES, Sores, Ulcers, Salt Rheum, Fe
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Piles, or no pay required. 1t Is guaran-
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.efunded. 25 cts. per box at Hughes &
Bells Drug store
"Carlton," the estate of the late r. Fl
Brennan, near Charlottesville, was pub
icly sold on last Saturday. The estate
consists OF 400 acres. Mr. r. Fl, Raw
jnpS of charlottesville ,,,,.ot,a.ol .o-