Buncombe-Rockingham County NcArchives News.....Rather a Small Business April 15, 1847 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carolyn Shank Carolynshank@msn.com February 18, 2008, 3:56 pm April 15, 1847 Charlotte Journal April 15, 1847 A short time ago, MONTRAVILLE PATTON, the Postmaster of Asheville, was removed without any cause, and EZRA McCALL TATE appointed in his place. It appears from the following letter that COL. JOHN H. WHEELER aided in this affair. The Colonel, no doubt, was an applicant for the vacancy in the Mint at this place and being disappointed in his aspirations did all the harm he could to a Whig, by way of an emollient to sooth is own wounded feelings: Washington Feb. 20, 1847 MR. MONT. PATTON: I received your letter concerning the contemplated removal, as you supposed from the Post Office in Ashville (sic). I have been confined to my room for a few days from the prevailing Influenza. This day I went to the Post Office Department. I inquired for the Postmaster General. I was told he would not be in his office this day. I then went to the second Assistant P.M. General, MR. BROWN, who informed me that but a few days since you had been remove and EZRA TATE appointed Post Master at Ashville (sic). I inquired if there were any new evidence on which the action of the Department was predicated? He said very little if any; but that MR. REID, (the Rockingham member) and COL. WHEELER, had been to see the Post Master General, and pressed MR. TATE'S claims so hard, he felt bound to appoint him. I then called for the papers filed in the case, and saw very little new matter more than was there a year ago. I saw no charge against you, except that you were a Whig. Being unwell, I did not look over all the papers. You are proscribed and prohibited from holding office for opinion's sake. "Rewards and punishment are the order of the day by the Party in power." When I can see and learn from CAVE JOHNSON more about this matter I will inform you. Yours Truly, JAMES GRAHAM File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/buncombe/newspapers/ratheras359nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ncfiles/ File size: 2.5 Kb