Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-08-18


the blind. The object ofall reformation
should be improvement. Has the public
service been promoted by the changes
which have been made in the officers o.
government Are the new incumbent'
possessed of more capacity, experience
and integrity than their predecessors p
An opinion may be formed as to othe,
parts ofthc union from the removals made
in Kentucky, which in almost every in.
stance have been better men for worse
Already several cases of defalcation anC
of crime have occurred among those
who have been recently appointed in
other states, and it will be wonderful il
we do not hear gilmore. Without enquir-
ing into to the expediency of applying the
principle of rotation to ministerial offices,
it is sufficient to remark that to be just i,
should be impartial. But what incum-
bent who supported the election Of the
present chief magistrate in Kentucky or
elsewhere, no matter how long he has
been in Office, has been removed
Every attempt in congress to call upon
the president to furnish the nation with
the reasons for his removals has been
pertinaciously resisted. If they were
good, can it be doubtful that the presi-
dent would have desired to present them
to the public No member has stood
up in congress to justify removals from
office, for opinion sake. Whilst all must
believe that in nine cases out of ten that
has been done, no one has been found
in the Legislative councils Of the nation
hardy enough to approve the practice.
So persevering has the president been
in the pursuit or the object Of rewarding
his friends, that after the rejection by the
senate of individuals nominated by him,
the same individuals have been again
nominated. And in one instance of re-
lection by full senate, the same person
was again nominated, in the absence OF
two of the members who had voted a
gainst him, and he was approved by the
casting vote ofthe vice president. Where
was the respect of the president for the
senate in taking advantage OF casualties
in the body and pressing upon it an OBJ
noxious individual whom it had before
rejected ? Where was the respect which
the senate owed itself in tolcrating such
a proceeding And how did the vice
president redeem his pledge, made when
he was first installed, that he would in
that Office, regard only the senate and
his duties, and would strive, with feel
ING of pride, 'to preserve the high char
acter already attained by the senate for
dignity and wisdom, and to eieroie it, if
possible, still higher in the public es-
TEEN -
A comparison of the removals made
by the various presidents of the United
States, during their respective admins
trations, will show to what an UNI
common length of abuse the power has
been carried by the present president ;
and it will serve at the same time, to vim
dicate the memory of one of his illus
trious predecessors from the calumny OF
having by his example, justified the pre-
sent course. Mr.. Jefferson has moreover
asserted under his own hand, that in no
instance did he cause any officer
to be removed in consequence Of his
exercise of the elective franchise. This
comparison is taken from speech made
by senator of the u. States in his place,
and was uncontradictcd by any of the
friends of the president in that body. II
is moreover sustained by official evidenc.
1t is therefore to be presumed accurate.
Under the administration of general
Washington of eight years, there were
eleven removals.
Under that of Mr.. John Adams OF
four years, there were eleven also.
| Under that of Mr.. Jefferson of eight
years, thirty-six.
Under Mr.. Madison's of eight years,5.
Under Mr.. Monroe's of the same pc
riod, nine.
/ Under Mr.. j. q. Adams ofiour years,
two.
! Under general Jackson's during the
FIRST year of his administration, hco
thousand
During the forty-fve- years existence
Of the present constitution, prior to the
present administration, removals, (and
they were almost invariably for cause, }
were Mt the rate of not quite ono in
six months. Under the administration
of general Jackson, they have been at
the rate of nearly five per day.
| How the president has fulfilled the
promises made, in regard to internal i'm,
provements and the tariff, which brought
him into power, will be seen in the scqucI
of this address. Instead oi' cndeavorine
to preserve the purity of congress, alb.
staining from the appointment OF mem.
bers to offices within the gilt of the exc
cutive, he has appointed in one yea
more than any previous president eve
did in eight-a number nearly equal tc
what were ever appointed by all his pre-.