It was given to
Gwinn by Jackson, who was then President.
When the nomination was sent to the Senate, opposition was made to its
confirmation by George Poindexter, a senator from Mississippi. It had
always been the practice of all preceding Presidents, when suitable
persons could be had, to nominate them from the State in which the
United States office to be filled was located. Poindexter insisted that
this custom, from long usage, had become law; and to send a citizen
from one State into another, there to fill a national office, was an
indignity to her citizens, and a manifestation, to say the least of it,
of distrust and suspicion as to the capacity or honesty of the people
of the State. This opposition was successful, and Gwinn was rejected.
The nomination was renewed, and again rejected. Jackson wrote to Gwinn,
who was already by executive appointment discharging the duties of the
office, to continue to do so. I was present when the letter was
received, and permitted to read it. "Poindexter has deserted me," he
said, "and his opposition to your nomination is to render, as far as he
can, my Administration unpopular with the people of Mississippi; and a
majority of the Senate are more than willing to aid him in this.
Pages:
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314