The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-05-23
MIR. DANCRoFrs REPLY
To Secretary nlaino's Letter Charging
Him with Incompctrnoy.

AZ ooeEe"Fy hHaihos Letter charging
Him with 1ncompctcncy.
WAsnISGroy, D. G., May 2o.-Mr.
Frederick Bancroft has addressed n lot
ter to Secretary Blaine in answer to tho
statements made by tho secretary in his
letter to the President recommending
the withdrawal OF Mr.. Bancrofts nom
ination rs United States consul to
Brunswick, Germany. After citing
some remarks madc by the secretary,
the letter reads: isa
1T is q we'll known fact in tho dc.
partment that 1t was not until several
days after you had resolved upon my
removal and commissioned my success.
sor, that you began an inquiry for the
purpose Of finding justification for your
action which might perhaps also sorve
as u reply TO resolution OF the house
OF representatives. Although the
charges now made are plainly trumped
up and are due to an unexpected nctes-
sity on your part. l shall not shun
them. t.s s..
Before entering into direct reply to
your statements, permit mo 10 remind
you OF the important fact that in deter.
miting upon your action you did not
consult the officer who alone has IN IN.
timnte and personal knowledge OF tho
work OF my bureau, and which has been
prosecuted under his immediate direc-
ton. and from whom you had never re.
ceived any complaint respecting my ef.
ficioncy or the performance OF my du.
ties. You not only left him in absolute
ignorance OF your intention to remove
me, but you choose time when he was
absent from tho city.
"a man whose life has been devoted
to literary and historical work is not
promo 20 rush into personalities and
newspaper notoriety which politicians
sometimes covet. | quietly sought.
simple justice within the department
and too kecnly appreciated the differ.
cnce between your power and mine to
make any threats whatever. ] regret
that you should have drawn others into
this controversy.
From your misapprchensions OF fore.
going facts you fail into the complaint
that am lacking in tact That is a
question which | cannot discuss. lis
possible that many will wonder how
you expected a tactlcss librarian to
provo a tactful consul. Librarians OF
experience will smile Mt your complaint
that the one who has tho custody and
selection OF one OF the best libraries in
the world in international law and
diplomacy, and who is also custodian OF
the vast historical records of tho de-
partment, is not qualified for the place
unless he Is also practical printer.
"Some may share my amazement that
it should have taken you three years
to discover my ineiliciency. But per-
haps you will find an explanation for
this in the fact that it is only recently
that it has become necessary for you to
make a permanent place for your pro-
tege in the department over which you
preside, and where, according to your
own declaration, in competency may
flourish, and want OF ability and merit
are not causes for immediate removal
considering these indisputablc facts,
il it be expected that civil service re.
formers and fair minded people in gen.
.eral will really believe that the depart
lnent Of state never changes its SUBJ
ordinate officers except for good and
sufficient cause" sf% +;