Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-05-28
Mr.. HOLMES spEEcH-Con,;nued

OF the Governments In regard removals and appoint
mems The history,l admit, is very imperfect as to
the ceases But from what shall DISCLOSE | am in
cllned to believe that the public will be astonshed Mt
the result. know full well that this detail vii, he
entirely embarrassing to the Senate. It is always c-
dous and especially so at this late period of the SEES
sion when every one Is worn out with debates Still,
It's not 10 the Senate exclusively to whom address
myself AT this Crisis | have much higher duy
10 perform consider our constitution and liberty
IN danger. fear that the rights of this Senate have
been surrendered Ii Is therefore, due to me and hose
who may come after me, leave behind the reasons
why was not party to this ender, that nv name
may be redeemed from the repruach which fear will
inevitably follow 1t may be matter of history an
abstract and brief chronicle of the times and il is
possible that republicans of future days if any there
should oe might oberve tho rU-k on which we have
been wrecked, and shun the danger 1t is important
to contrast what has been done with what 10 n,yv do
ing ana to point the patriot to the causes which have
produced such effects. Il shall nothing cx,cprate
nor set down aught IN malice The exhibit will as
tonlsh ALL as the result of The research has astonish
cd me. have carefully examined the .yrcut,vc
Journals, and believe am correct have INTENDED
10 give tar and impartial narrative of facts and if
nave erred 1t Is the error of he head and not the
Heart' Inc admnls ration of Washington commen-
chG on the 18th of May 1889, and continued 10 shc
80 OF March, iT97-eight years. During that time
us removals were eleven As this period s SO re-
mole, aud there Is no accurate account of the causes
II 10 not 70 be expected that should give them But
= nave, upon examinaI ion found that one Ia Cnec-
tor IN New York was removed, being dstaulter %
the Government. From the notes which shall sub
}on IL probable that hose who were in active life
IN those days " i'll be able recnlect the reasons
winch led to the removals of the hers. But it is
not to be presumed That Washington ever removed
upon party grounds The duty of first organizing the
government devolved upon him, and in this be- was no
douo, deceived Ia the quail fcatioIs Of some s the
candidates Yet, such was his accurate KNOWLEDGE
at men, that after all, he was Obliged 70 remove hut
eteren Ulcers in eight gears This is "a pretty rood
comment upon your doctrine Of rotation in of.
Mr. Adams admnisl ration commenced on the 4,b
A!ar'h 1877 and during four years his removals were
eleven -Four Of his appointments upon removals
we're annulled by his successor Mr.. Jcffirso, mud I
thK, three OF the four officers removed were resor-
Cd 1. was believed that Tench Coke of Phila jal
phia was removed by Mr.. Adams from the office
oil Supervisor of the Revenue, party grounds and
THIS Single act of supposed prescription produced an
excitement through he whole country So nouch 81
that am told even Virginia, who has never induced
ut all IN exactng political test as a Qualification
ior fce did IN this refuse re cleo, her Spea
ker OF The Assembly, Mr. Larkin Smith on party
grounds. t. show her resentment and to retafae fr
the removal of Coke But the cause Of Mr. Adams
removal of MIR Pickering, his Secretary of State will
VIII be recollected by all BE differed with Mr. Adj
ans on the policy of sending the second mission m
france, persisted in his opposition the me assure; and
as h's per,inaciy of his principal cabinet minister
not to be subdued, the duty of the President ~
remove him Mr. Adams, believe was never blamed
Tor that act, even by his enemies. The prncipal
Plant was that he had not removed him before But
ynEp
seiiProh' or Wsa' may now appear such, these have
nee are only an exception the rule and can he
no !usthcaton for the present course, which we so
oecaediy and emPhaticaly condo mn. fbl
thr. JEFFERSON Administration commenced on the
SIN OF march, 1901, and continued eight years
| IL mas oeeh lnsis ed that ms Is precedent on
W,l'ch the present Administration might safely re-
Pos+. nave examined 1t, and is act OF drt " ma
We'll as Justice to tue memory of that disingnisbeJ
statesman, to redeem him from the parallel which i.
lee asssemp ca Inc cases are SO adverse that 1t is
iess omcu TO perceive where they differ than where
'hey agree lndeed, there Is no resemblance at all
mat was great political revolution. The pay
.res were divided upon principles, they believed
fose IN ohce were chiefly The supporters of the nm
successful candidate ar. Jefferson in his letter to
Tile New Haven merchants gives as The reasons for
removals that II was right to produce something like
eauailty. But that object accomplished his ONLY in
curry thereafter would be- SIS he honest is he capable
~ 10 lalllful To the Constitutions? And when an or
tempt wa made to remove General Huntington, of
the same State, party grounds, he refused deca
ring that be should be governed by NO such cons,de
Eaons. And he has publicly denied that he ever re-
hio'Sd an ir1hcer because be W federaiist Wbe.
ther The Jacf will justify this declaration leave to
DIS more Intimate friends to determine.
IL VIII be recoleced, moreover, that at TINT Tina
rome o! those officers except Msrsjals believe held
sher offices bv tenure limited by law The instan-
ceS were, therefore, few, where he could expect tn
restore an equilibrium, except by removal .Fey die.
ana none resign Besides it was believed that MANY
Offices had been created for the purpose IF being cd
10y sn expiring administration pbe iudicnIv act
giving to this expiring administration an appointment
OF sixteen Judges OF Circuit Courts and with the nro
motions from District Courtf &C. say thr,v pc ma
nent officers opposed to Mr. jefferson and bis policy
was deemed by INN and his friends TO be intended to
throw an influence against his administration It was
beheved that those Ceur,s were unnecessarv md the
9s!ef was strengthened by subsequent experience,
4 bis was not ALL The alien and sedition laws had
been passed and executed as it was insisted vii
unusual rigor 1t was believed that these laws wore
unconstitutional They Were, to say the least, un-
popular and exceedingly odlous. Consequently the
attorneys, the judges AID marsbaIs who prosecuted
decided and executed thrm, became also odious. I
nave heard great complaints against prosecutors FIR
PerSecuttons Sudges for partiaty and narsha!s for
packing jules and vindictivey executing the iudo
Ncnts OF the Courts. Some Of these complaints
might have been groundIess but considering the
iinaoness OF party Others were probably well founded
ouceinents' might be fairly presumed that more re-