Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-12-17
Presidents .Mcssare-We Law bee,,. -,

readers to-day, this important document
viii, no doubt, be read with interest by botl
friends and opponents of the President. w,
had purPosed giving few remarks on ,hi,
extraordinary production, but have been an
tcipated by Correspondent, who wields /
rouch ADLER pen. The composition of the
sisssage is tolerable, although verbose, jesu
idctd, and in many respects obscure. We
accord IN opinion with writer in the Nat
Journal, who has reviewed it. "Take the
Message as whole, it 10 indeed small pro-
T, auetion, except ia length 1t is an effort AT DO
,paixHiy--bat 80 clumsily disguised that "be
w.sss-.lsBs may read" Compared to preyio,,
State kapers Of the kind, it falls far behind
the hindmest"
For tie .MorfrlsJng Gasetfs
Mr.. EDIToR:-The Presidents Message il
seems has been made subject of sufficient
interest, not only TO engross the thoughts and
excite the sPecuatons of men of all partie.
but its supreme Importance has been pulled
into nine days wonder, by straining horses
through the country at the rate of twenty-fo
miles an hour, as if the salvation of the coun-
try depended upon its rapid dissemination.
Now that it has been Ieiegsephed, for one
do not see any extraordinary political cure
that it is to effcct-nor any especial excellence
in any part Of its voluminous details, to call
forth my perfect admiration. But | think |
can see, that II is written with a good deal of
art with most felicitous generalizing, upon
subjects where mlnuteness was desired-sucb
as upon the questions of Internal Improve
ment and the Tariff; most ostentatious flour
'shing upon the election of the President; and
happy oblivion Of the causes and conse-
quences Of the cruel SYSTEM of prescription.
which has been the sole characteristic OF Mr.
Jackson's administration, since his elevation
to the presidency.
suppose that we may consider the follow
ms paragraph as containing indirectly the
as, fcation at We may SO speals) Of this
seurse:
seIn country where officers are created
solely Cor the benefit Of the People, no one
man has any more intrinsic right to official
station than another. Offices were not estab-
lshed to give support to particular men, at
the public expense. No individual wrong is
therefore done by removal, since neither APP
pointrnent to, nor continuance in, office, Is
matter of right. The incumbent became an
officer with view to public benefits; and
when these require ms removal, they are not
to be sacrificed to private interests. 1t IS the
People, and they alone, who have night to
complain, when bad officer is substituted
for good one. He who is removed has the
same means Of obtaining living, that are
enjoyed by the millions who never held office.
The proposed Limitation would destroy the
idea OF property, new so generally connected
with official station; and although individual
distress may be sometimes produced, it would,
by promoting that rotation which constitutes
leading principle in the republican creed,
give healthfd action to the system"
Now tus examine this seHtentious section
an detail, and fit it to cases ofsremovals from
office which have been made, and which it is
intended to justify, and see whether its prin-
cples are true as stated, or will bear out the
present administration in the course pursued.
1t begins
'-In country where Offices are created
"solely for the benefit Of the people no enc
"man has any more intrinsic riabt to official
"statien than another"
You viii here remark that the sentiment 10
materially qualified by the term "intrinsic"-
strike that out, and presume the most idOla-
trous admirer of the president would hardly
subscribe to its reading. But leave it in, and
does 1t then In strictness, mean any thing
unless it be truism that it would be useless
to assert or to admit. For example, take
it for granted that every enc Will allow that
Gen. Marshall would have better right to the
office of Chief Justice of the u. States if the
appointment was now to be made, than the
late celebrated Sam Patch, if he were stil
slive-because his talents, his learning, bis
integrity and his services would entitle him to
the office in preference to the other. | use
these terms purposely, because they convey
my meaning, in common parlaace-Ibut says
the Message, Gen. Marshall has no mere IN
traasie right than Sam Patch. Wen, if Gen.
Marshall ought to be appointed and the other
not, what matters it whether the right be an
frlns,c or ectrislsic-unless the President
means to sssert. that a mans requirements an
the art of jumping off precipices, are as well
calculated to fit him for the Office OF Chief
Justice, as the labours Of life time, diligently
spent in legal investigation. Again,
"Offices were not established 10 give sup
port to particular at the public expense.
Mo Individual wrong IS therefore sdone by
removal, since neither appointment to, nor
continuance in, office, is matter OF right
"ylew TO public benefits; and when these re-
E'9uire his removal they are not to be sacri-
"fced to private interests. II is the People.
"and they alone, who have right to com
''plsin, when a bad officer is substituted for
ga good one"
But what are officer. established for-iet us
understand that first and we can then better
understand how farindividuai wrong Is done
how far the officer has right to complain,
his friends, his wife, or his starving children.
Offices should never, in a republican coun-
ageneralFule, are not SO. They neverexDt,ex-