Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-19

order of dismissal, Judge Edgerton says TO
the president: You rejected it, and differed
by so doing with the majority of the commits
sion, but agreed with me;" and for this, he
adds, the president has been severely GEN.
sured by the same newspapers which have de-
manded his removal
In some general criticisms Of the president
and his administration, Judge Edgerton says:
you had declared to the country that
public Office was public trust The Dem
ocratic party, great and Just, had declared
that you should be its trustee, and you held
the great public trust OF president for it, and
for the whole country. You came to your
high Office In the confidence of your party,
and with the respect of your opponents, all
wishing you honorable success But it was
soon disclosed that you did not know the
party which had made you its trustee. You
believes you had will, and, therefore, a
destiny that would enable you to rise above
your party and to disregard the opinion and
advice Of its most eminent men, This you
attempted, and, therefore, disregsrded your
obligations as your partys trustee. You for
got that there was such a thing as political
gratitude, and that it was neither vice nor
crime. In the belief that you were false to
your trust to both parties, you were removed
by the action of both. Your own party had
the power to retain you, but united with it's
opponents to make certain your defeat You
have been taught that great Wen with des-
TIMES are not always wise, except In their
own conceit"
Judge Edgerton then def ends his action as
commissioner, In opposing custom house and
postoffice Investigations, none of which, be
says, were productive Of beneficial results,
and were never heard of after being placed
in the presidents hands; although the ex.
pense OF making, and of printing, and re-
printing these reports, with other extiava-
gances, absorbed the appropriation for print
ing Tor The commission, to the great embar-
rassment Of its legitimate business, compel
ing 1t to postpone examinations, 10 the detri-
ment Of the public service He opposed
these Investigations to protect the presidents
appointees against injustice, unless distinct
charges by responsible persons were made Of
violations of the law and rules, and this op-
position to investigations, he says, was pro.
nounced violation of the letter and spirit
of the law, and every censure upon bis posi-
ton by the Mugwump press was magnified
by other members of the commission into
hostility or unwillingness to aid i'll enforcing
the law"
In concluding his letter, Judge Edgerton
says: considering the nature of the attacks
made upon me by members of the commits
sion-for attacks have gone to the press
which it was impossible could have been in
spired In any other quarter-I am justified
in stating one single fact Of mischievous dis
trust and wrongdoing on the part of a COM
missioner in charge Collector Magone,
of New York, addressed to me a per
sonal letter, thus marked on the envelope,
the postage paid, no indication that it could
be official, on the inside also marked
personal, and this letter WAS opened and read
by the commissioner in charge, and for
waried to tue other commissioner then in
Boston, and by him answered before the let
ter was sent to me, then at home in the west
From such sources as this has come nearly
all OF the attacks upon me, and, / doubt not,
most of the misrepresentation OF my opin-
ions made to you; whether they had any In
auence is questionable
This Mr.. President, believe to lie tenn
perate statement of the case"