Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-08-05
TO wM. T. BARRY, ESQ.
Post Master General.

TO WM. T. BARRY, ESQ.
Post. Master General.
SIR; Ina Republic, where sovereignty resides in
the People the highest officer is accountable to each
and ALL FOR the exercise of the power with which he
Is intnstcd.
While amwill;ng to conccdc that the acts of Tho
officers OF Government should be cavossed i'm spirt
oil hberay and candor, 1T Is ut the same time the
duty of every citizen TO guard against the shirt o en-
croachmcnt, and 10 bring the bar of pnl opi,;o,
tho uniaithuasen who perverts purposes ofopprcs
son. the patronage and power Committed 10 INN ne
trust This consideration would afford sufficient
reason for my addressing you through the medium NJ
un pnoiic press But another more Imperative, i'm
pcl5 me- to this course In the exercise or the power
win winch you are invested have been removed
from an office held implicitly by the tenure of rod
behavior After having faithfully devoted The prime
and vgor of my DAYS to the puic service ! am nm
cNpectejIy compelled to look To different .urs,,
iorthc support OF numerous family dauondpni ON my
Efforts: while not single allegation can with tr,ui
DC 'hnc against me, either of oBciai Dscorsitict or
OF mab'hy to discharge the appropriate duties of my
station, have been elected from n place into which
L was invited without solicitation by one of vour
predecessors; have been elected, too IN way which
npprared to be designed 10 affect my character de-
stroy my usefulness, and wantonlv accratc The
fcelngs OF these who never wrongcd you: aud
when asked from your courtesy the sIDunds of nv
removal, as the means of avCTtuo line NJ
mnlevOclicc, my application has been ,r, AT ed with
cor" in'lheronce or c. ''tcnptnous NEGLECT I,ut al.
ttnugh it appears To be the prevailing policy Ia cs m
curious 'puta'ions upon ihose Whourc removed from
oice anu athoHgh yea SIR may possibly desire TO de
Ter or eludc responsibility, by withholding ri;,r,lion
which the Puhc have right 10 demand il shn no ms,
effort to exhibit plain recital OF the measures
which lave been adopted in relation tn myself La
wing Others t" Judge from this single Instance of Tic
nature and tendency OF that system OF Dros, ,p,i.
which has been ent|y ntroduced-a ,vstcnt which
ir'S"'dSHh' tFe7tS u!G"re"ce Of opinion II crane
ana Furnishes innocence suImIariy, ,ct.om even the
form OF trial.
| Upon your arrival at the seat of government vou
'o"na me occupying the situation of Chief Clerk OF
the department over wnich you had bcem CALLED to
preside To that post had been promoted Ivy ca
vernon Meigs, aud had been continued ,I~,,.,i Tho
whole oi the administration of your innednia obte
PFc.cceSs'r' Judge NJ Lean. Having risen from sub
ORDINATE stations III tnr department, | valued this
"'lsoHciHd appointment, not much or account az
IT'S increased tnuluncnts. as Tor the INDICATIONS 4 of
FORCED, that my humble efforts in the nub;c service
had gained the appreciation Of honorable ia n In
you sir, was willing 10 gentleman entitled
to respect by your official station. disposed to look
with favorable eye mefitotion, conduct and in
capable OF acting OpprcssIvtlv towards those whom,
providence had place.: under yoar Official con, ro
these favorable anIclpations appeared 10 be st;ti.f
by your language and department. Wien inform
cd you Of the prorncted Illness nf a GENT cr,n of
| rue department, whose diminished income scarcely
sJthccd FOR the wants Of nature vo. caused pr,v
sion to be made winch soitcned the pressure oil disease
ana rc.nlnatCd the hopes at dcsuoi,,un fl,,,Iy.
when appriscd oil the situation Of another whose cX-
cited dPPrsh'nSio for the loss of his office undrr In,
system OF REFORM, had D;1GvfeG u mental 4. ,,o-
nent which resulted III his dcuth0 yu cyi,,ced nm
PdtenHy, tho keeh"- sensibiiiy ior the ,n,bnpi.,
sufferer, and raised tine hopC in many paInitotin
bosom that you came rs n baneactor, and not as a
sc"urge In addition TO these acts OF dom kind
/ ness, you authorised inform a dlstunt friend
ana postmaster VINO experienced the common Gppte.
hcnslon OF beng r6RtOUcd from office. 'tlI1t on no
Eical grounds except hr had in some vav ahIsod
the trust of his Office, he hal nn,hirr 70 f,or -
While your language thus tended to raise my esteem,
your experiment was calculated to remove apprclirn-
SION IL is not my disposition dislrust the indica.
tons OF Sincerity and cantor and while YOU sir pro
fessed an nbhoence o.. the prnciIr OF political r9
Sc'1ltioa, yielded my confidence To yoilr rcucatcd
declarations, and congratulated my friends and coun.
Try that there was one department, az least which
would be administered according to The spiri, of Tho
constitution. II IS true thgt before mary weeks of
your administration had elapsed. had rrna ked with
eartui forebodIngs. the nuinoous appca for ,c
removal OF old, 'yperienced, and Hi;hful officers
hat these Applications had sometime, u.t with n
!o.uVe reception ana ihat measulcs arpcarcd 60 be
IN progress 10 convert tho Post Ofiro Department
| into "A vast aud dangerous machine. bv which thc
sentiments 81 individuals could mt all times De n seer
tanned, and an influence cxeted inconsistent with the,
rights OF individuals and the safety and wul 70 of the
couutry and have now, sir. the proud sats;action
OF looking back TO that period and rcila;fur that
was hen faithful 10 you and my country for IwarncP
you against making the bold experiment which Won
nave since made, and which is still IN sIch SUCCESS
tu pfogress,ot prostItutIng the department Up1y
purposes. Whist agency that honest advice mi ia,
have had in my removal, is known to- YOU n one
Still SIR, was disposed TO attribute these measures
W l' dDoNC your control, O0u TO lmutp the
apparent inconsistency between your professions aud
Conduct, more 10 the necessity produced by Deepen.
dence upon others, than 10 voluntary adoption OF
principles you mad 50 unequyocally disapprovcd.
You may therefore ui.5C my surprise when informed
by friend. that public rumor had singled me od as
| another victim to the Proscriplvc policy, md that
my situation was designed for Reverend Gentleman
whose convenient and imcly rccolcctious dMrin the
late Presidential contest, mad perhaps given him
claim too strong 10 be resisted.
/ VIII you pardon me for assuring vuu that al
though this Intelligence proceeded from source en-.
tiicdt TO rcspcc'- remained incrcduous contrast
ed the Inflammation with your apparent kindness AMI
believed 1t impossible that high and dgniiicd officer
OF the Government could descend from ms elevated
sphere for the purpose of practising his official as
socales the dsrcputabc acts Of msincerity and de-
! coptlcn Nor could suppose that beng could b.
found within the limits Of civilization, who, while
protesting TO ncucate on others the ptecepis Of
Christian love and Christian fellowship, was him.
sen looking with an cnvous eve urOn tho pittance OF
ih5 neighbour. aud cOncortiag the plans by which
Tor his gmnumcnf IA, All, rht bl;,r tho ,r,s,cct