Jackson removed an unprecedented number of presidential appointees from office, though Thomas Jefferson had dismissed a smaller but still significant number of Federalists during his own presidency. Jackson believed that a rotation in office (the removal of governmental officials) was actually a democratic reform preventing nepotism, and that it made civil service responsible to the popular will. Reflecting this view, Jackson told Congress in December 1829, 'In a country where offices are created solely for the benefit of the people, no one man has any more intrinsic right to official station than another.' Jackson rotated about 20% of federal office holders during his first term, some for dereliction of duty rather than political purposes. The Post Office was most strongly affected by Jackson's rotation policy, but district attorneys, federal marshals, customs collectors, and other federal employees were also removed from office.
unprecedented number of presidential appointees number of presidential appointees|district attorneys, federal marshals, customs collectors, and other federal employees number of presidential appointees district attorneys, federal marshals, customs collectors, and other federal employees
unprecedented number of presidential appointees number of presidential appointees|district attorneys, federal marshals, customs collectors, and other federal employees number of presidential appointees district attorneys, federal marshals, customs collectors, and other federal employees