Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-05-14
7ttrDtlt6tt0 exaDta.
THURSDAY MORNING, NAY IA. 1879.


have conse to regret their tyrannlcal expulsion of
soie men and able officers The letters of Slade and
Lee are seed sown in ground well prepared by public
discomfort and Indignation and will produce fruit
jackson fnnaticism has already died violent death,
and his popularity is declining more rapidly than it
eeer advanced. We informed upon undoubted
authority, that through all the revolutions in France
from 1879, to 1905, that the four thousand clerks
an the employment OF Government, were. pever pro-
scroed Tor political opinion. In England, the same
RUE Is observed IN regard to subordinate Offices In
those hegai Governments the enquiry is no, what
are mans opinions, but if he is faithful and
yigiaht oficer. Frequent as ministerial revolu-
'ions IN France and England, thei, conseuuences ex
tend no farther than to the Heads of Departments
subordinate officers are not punished for being either
Republicans or lmpernlists, Wing or Tory, Cath
Ole or Anti Catholc in their opinions. In the Z.
statcs-in this Republic only are men prescribed
Tor the freedom of opinion, and punished for the indie
pendent exercise of their elective privileges
IL ~ impossible to characterize the proscrip,jye
policy, otherwise thnn as undisguiscd upui,ioo, cd
tyranny-for which nothing can be pleaded bu, the
tyrants reason, that /. shaH be go.
From &e National HltsiGpeneey
'"es'rs. Editors: You did me the favor, few days
ago, TO publish my among those of nv bonor
ed fellow citizens who have been elected from pubI;c
employment for the sole reason that they preferred
one citizen to another, for the Chief Magisracy of
their country.
repr0ach unprecedented in or OfIicia, popor,
and forbidden by all the proprieties of the elevated
occasion, was pronounced, on the fourth NJ d,rcb a
gaist that truly i!lustirous citizen who lacv presided
over the Republic The terms of this c,rooct =,
simulated. that the reform of his corrupt' admin;
tratlon would require the dismissal from Office of
'uninthful and incompetent" incumbents TLpe
more than half million ofcitizens were insuited by
general charge Of Willingness to support cor
rupt Administration; and the stigma is affixed h.
the act of dismissal, to individuals. owe il 10 self
respect 10 resist TINS implication, BY saying that not
q prelence OF uniathiulness or ncompctency has
peen made by those with whom had hceu officially
Connected and equally TO truth and gratitude 70
vindcate MR. Adams from charge (now publicly \
It had been heretofore privately made) OF using his
Official Influence to place in an office in violation
OF principle and the Just claims of others.
IL was alleged, az ground of remonsirance 20 Tho
present Secretary of War against my appointment
That 1t had been made by his predecessor (at the
request of Mr. Adams in violation OF primcin,r of
equitable advancement, which obtains in the De-
partincnts OF the General Government, tina, whom
place becomes vacant, the next incumbent is ndyan
ccd To 1t, and the recently appointed person i. ,s
signed to the lowest grade of duty and saary; and in
disregard of the claims ofanothcr applicant
IL became my duty to Mr.. Adams, and to the laf @
ublc and upright Secretary of War, by whom I was
appointed, TO present TO his SUCCESSOR statcn,nt
sustain the propricty of the appointment thus made
subject of circumstances, and To acquaint him with
the patriotic considerations which induced his prc,n
cessor t1 make 1t, and which said to lpYc hcen
diSrcgarded IN tile person of another. In that state
rnent showed, conclusivcly, that no such violation
as that alleged had been made by my appointment
1nasmuch as was ndisputablc, that the princip Of
advanccment just mentioned was not uniform in the
several Departments aud had not been invariably OBJ
served even IN those III which haCsobtained: tin, il
hadbeon always customary with the Presidents TO re-
Quest the lieadS OF departments to make appoint
ments precisely similar TO mnc that they had never
been considered violating the rights of Heads of
Subordinate departments who, on The contrary had
always acquIesce in them and that there was rood
reason, as well as courtesy in this acquicsccnce of
the Inads Of Departments aid Sub dcpa ,n,s In
answer to the topic o. the personal claims hf another
gentleman, resulting from his relationship toa Revo
iutonary soldier it urged, that the ate Secretary
iIavug the legal authority To make the appointment
had the right to compare tho claims of applicants and
tho patriotic considerations which induced Mr. Ad
ans to mention my name 10 hin, aud which had dCci.
dcd his mind, were presented TO that OF his successor
by recalling to his historic knowledge, that Richard
Henry Ice (whosc descendant no was told was nd
dressing hin) had devoted his Info To tho cause Of his
country, that he tho mover Of TIC Declaration of
Independence, and had, in the field and in council
throughout the entire Revolutionary contest partic
pated IN the haSnrds and perls of that wunde rfjI
struggle; that brother Of that Patriot had In Lon
don, Willie yet u citizen Of Great Britain and within
the reach of her Ministry, sought unnstructcd and
alone and Obtalned those conferences with the French
Ambassador, which led 20 orr Treaty of Alliance
with France, and had afterwards negotiated secret
alliances with Spain and Prussia; that another bro.
Their hal served his country during the whole war as
oGo Of the Board of War of the glorious old Con
gross" that another brother had negotiated, with
patriotic fidelity, in times NJ deepest distress and ne
ecssity, relieving loans, ia Holland and Germany
and that tho fatbcr Of him whom the present Score
tnry, was asked 10 from tJcn he prIpv stOre
~ Pohe patronage neccr bsOrs asked rocei5ed bVl
my one ~ NE decosdnis Of hcse pntrjois had served
~ The Southern campaign under the great aud good"
Laayette, had bccn made one Of his Aids and had
shared with him IN the dangers and the aorics of tho
siege Of York.
The generous reader will pardon this recurrence
by mo, to this topic They were alluded To- and
arc now repeated, only to vndicato others from, nm
merited reproach.
But whatever Messrs Editors, mi ht have locn tho
truth OF the charge against Mr.. Adams of causing
violation OF principle in my appointment Mr.. Seerc
f1ry Eaton has pioiated me very SANE principle An
.sqFing mat'o has superseded mine! To take from