Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-08-07
To WM. t. BARRY, ESQ.
Post .NGSfe1. Ee,c;y,Y

I'ost .HGSteY General.
SIR; iua Republic, where suvcrci my resides !,
the People the highes, officer is accountable to cacl
and all, for the exercise OF TIL power with which he
Is ntrustcj
| While unwilling to coucedc that the acts of the
officers OF Government should he canyasscd in shirt
OF hberaliy and candor. is at the same time the
duty OF every citizen to guard against the spri, of en-
croachinent and To bring TO the bar of public oninon
the uniaithin agent who pcrvets purposes oopprcs
sion the patronage and power cominted;o him as
trust. This consideration would afford : Sufficient
reason for my addressing you through tic medium of
the puhic press But another, norcimpcraIivr, i'm
peia nc 20 this course. In the exercise of the rower
with which you invested have been removed
from an office held impicdly H. the tenur,, of rood
behavior After having faithfully devoted the prime
ana Vgor OF my days to the pale service am un-
expected lily compelled to look different pursuit
forte support ola numerous family dsrendant on INV
efforts: white not sngie allegation can with truth
DC made against me, either of Pci misconduct. or
of immunity to discharge the appropriate duties of my
station, have been elected from place into which
L was invited without solicitation by one OF your
predecessors; have hcen elected, too III a way whic
appeared to be designed to affect my character de-
strny my usefulness, and Wantouv lacerlte the
rec ingS OF thnse who never wroncred vou and
when asked from your courtesy the g!,0ui.!s of nv
removal, as the means OF avcrting the suggestions Of
malevo!emce, my application has been treated with
cod indifference or contcmptuous ne lect. Bot al
though appears to he the prevailing policy to Gust in
furious impn atoms upon those wfoarc removed from,
oihce ana although you SIR may possibly desire to de-
which the pnc have right 10 demand il shall be my
effort to exhibit plain recital OF the measures
which have been adopted in relation to ruvsclf: lea
wing others to Judge, from this single ire nee OF the
irature and tendency of that system of 1,osr;yt;g,
which has been recently introduced-a system which
regards ma treats dgfeTence Of opinio, criDe
and Furnishes innocence slImuariIv militant oven tho
form of trial.
Upon Your arrival nj the seat of government Won
found me occupying the situation of Chief Clerk of
the department over which yor had been called to
preside. 10 that post had been promoted by Go
vernon McIgs, and had been continued throu1h the
whole of the administration of vour Immediate able
predecessor, Judge N Lean. Hnvnr risen from sub
ordinate stations IN the Department. I valued thu,
"nsof'e'ied appoln ment, not 40 much account of
IT'S increased emolinents as for the inca ton. n at
torded that my humble efforts in he plitii, service
had gained the appreciation of honorab'e mon. In
Eou sir, was Willing to meet gentleman. entitled
to respect by your official station, disposed Ia look
with favorable eye ON merltorious conduct and in.
capable OF acting oppresslvely towards those whom
providence had placed under your oicial control:
these favorable an'icipations appeared o be justified
ny your language ana department. When inform
cd yon of the protraced illness Of gentleman OF
the department, whose diminished income scarcely
sailced Tor The wants OF nature you canseda prov-
sion to be made which seiteued the pressure Of dsenec
and reanmated the hopes OF despoEdjng f,mjlv.
when apprSed of the situation of anot,er whose o.
cited nppreenson Tor the lozs of his office under the
system of ''l<eorn, had p,oduced mental derang.
ment (Which resulted in his deatli) Won cviuccd IN
i'nJenty, the krenest senslbility for the unbapnv
sufferer, and raised the hope in MANY palpta,no
bosom that you came as benefactor, and not as a
scourge In addition to these acts of domestic kind.
ness, you authorlseH me To inform distant friend
and Postmaster who experienced the common aDnra
henson of being remored from Office s.thai on no.
htical grounds, except he had in some wav abused
the trnst OF his office, he had nothing To fcar"
While your language thus ende to raise NV esteem
your dee rtmcnt was calculated TO remove apprchen
slon 1t is not my disposition 10 distrus the indca-
t'ons of sincerity and cando and while you, pro
fesSed adherence Of the principle of pOktic1i nm
Scription yielded my confidence to your repeat ed
declarations and congratulated my friends au, coun-
try that there department. at least which
would be administered according to the spirit of the
constitution Ii - true that before many weeks of
your administration had elapsed had remarked with
fearful torebodiUgs, the numerous applications for the
removal of old experienced, and faithful officers
that these applications had sometimes with ia
vorable reception and that measures appeared to be
in progress to convert the Post Office Department
INTO a vast and dangerous machine by which the
sentiments OF individuals could all times be ascer-
tanned, and an influence exerted inconsistent with the
rights of individuals and the safety and welfare of the
countrv and have now, sir, the proud satisfaction
of looking back to that period, and rejecting that
was then iuitul TO you and my country, for warned
you against making the bold experiment which Won
have since made, and which is still in such success
fui progress, uf pr,stitunp the dcpa rtment 10 ,,
purposes. What agency that homes! advice might
have had IN my removal, is known TO you one
still SIR, was disposed to attribute these measures
to an influence above your CONTROL aud TO mputc the
apparent inconsistency between your professions and
conduct, more to the necessity produced by Deepen
dencc upon others, than o Il voluntary adoption of
principles you had so mcquivocay dsapproved.
Ton may therefore Judge my surprise, when informed
by friend that public had singled me ont as
another victim TO the proscriPtivc policy, and that
my situation was designed for Reverend Gentleman
whose convenient and timely recolections daring the
late Presidential contest. had perhaps given him
claim too strong TO be resisted.
VIII you pardon me for assuring you that al
though this intelligence proceeded from source en-
titled to respect. remained incredulous contrast
cd the niormaoI with yourapparen kindness and
believed impossible that high md dgui6ed officer
Of the Government Could descend from his elevated
sphere for the purpose OF practising on his official
socrates the discputabc acts of insincerty and de-
ccptlon. Nor could suppose that being could be
found within the limits of civilization, who while
protesting TO ncucate others the precepts of
( 't,r,-t 49, 4 n