Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-05-24

= Il was believed that rench Coke OF phadel
I phis. was removed by MIR. J. Adams from the
office oil Supervisor Of tie Revenue, on party
! grounds. and this single act of supposed pro
! scriprion produced an ezoi,emrni through the
whole country. So much 80, that nm told
) ven Virginia. who has never indulged NJ all N
eEnotng political test as n qualification for
office did. in this case. refuse 10 re elect her
Speaker ofihe Assembly Mr.. Larkin Smith.
on party grounds. 10 show her resentment, aud
to reialime for the removal Of Coke. But the
cause OF Mr. Adams's removal OF Mr.. Pick.
eriug, his Secretary ni State, viii be reoollec-
ted by all lie differed with Mr.. Adams on
the policy OF sending the second mission 10
France, persisted IN his opposition TO the
measure and ms this periinacity Of his ptinoI
pal cabinet minister was not TO be subdued, 1t
was belve, was never blamed for that act,
even by his enemies. The principle com.
plant WIS, thai he had not removed
i'm before. But il ihera have been Instances
during our history nf prescription, or whit
may now appear SUCH these have bfsu few,
are only an exception to the rule, aud can he
40 Justification Tor the preseni course. which
We So decidedly and cmphaticaily con
demo. Oh
Mr.. j. Persons Administration commenced
on the flh March ls0l. and continued eight
years. | know it has been insisted TINT his is a
precedent on which the prtSent Adminisira-
ton might safely repose. have examined IT,,
aud II is an act of duty as well rs justice 10
the memorv OF thar distinguished statesman, 10
Tedcem him from The parallel winch Is here
attemuted. The cases are so adverse that II
il less difficult To perceive whrfe they dIfrr
than where they agree. Indeed ,heIe Is 40
resemblance nj all, Tina, was great political
revolution. The parties were divided upon
principles, as they believed. Those IN office
,were chiefly the supporters Of the Unsuccessful
| Candidate. Mr.. Jefferson, IN his letter To the
| New Haven merchants, g,ves, as the ichson
70, removals. that il WAS ight 10 produce some
thing like equality. But that Oh rct accom-
pll,hed his only inquiry thereafter would be
Is he honest is he capable, rs he ihihinl 10 the
Constitution p And when an attempt wasnade
to remove General huntingdon, of the same
State, on party grounds, he refused, declaring
that he should be governed by no such COnsid-
crntions. And he has publicly denied that he
ever removed an officer because he was n fed
eralist. Whether thc facts will insiil, this dec
laraiion leave TO his more intimate friends 10
determine.
IL will be recollected, moreover, that At tine
none of those officers, except Ma,shals be.
leve, held their Offices by tenure limited by
law. The instances We're, therefore, few,
whore he could expect to restore an cquI-
brium. except by rtmordL Lew die aud
none resign Besides, II was believed that
many Offices Ind been created for the pur-
pose OF being filled by an expiring admins.
ration. The judiciary act giving 10 tins eS.
pirinc administration an appointment OF six
teen Judges of Circuit Courts, and with the
promotions from District Courts, &c. say their
prominent officers, opposed to Mr.. Jefferson
and his policy was deemed by him aud his
| friends 10 he intended 10 throw an influence
| against his administration. II was believed
that those Courts were unnecessary, and the
belief WINS strene thened by subsequent cSpe
| rieuce Thi, was aoi all The alien aud 80.
| dition laws had been passed aud executed as
il was insisted, with unusual rigor. II was he
| Iieved TINT these laws we're unconstitutional.
They were 10 say the least unpopular and ex-
ceedingly odious. Consequently, the attorneys.
| The Judges and marshas, who prosecuted de-
cided and executed them, becarue hso odioUs.
| have heard Of great complaints against
prosecutors for prosecutions, }udge'ior paf'auy,
| and marshals Tor packing Jufies aud vIndict'vr-
| " executing the Judgments Of the Courts.
Some OF these complaints might have been
| groundIess but, considering the madness Of
party, others were probably well founded.
Now in this state Of things, aud with all these
inducements, II might be fairly presumed that
more removals would be made al this than AT
any other period Of our history. Nj. Jeifer-
son aud his friends saw. though, they saw.
u policy to strengthen md give weight aud in
flnence to the oppopilon. aud 10 cast n nliHst0ne
about the neck of his administration, which
! would SINK IL.
But great complaints were made AT ms re.
movnls. Prescription aud persecution were
the cry every where, and we. most of us, be-
lirycd that they were cruel and, vlndlctyc,
Aud were now 10 aslt any Senator here who
has not examined the journals, what was the
number of removals during his eight years,
few would place them AT less than three hun
drri frwer still nj irO, and mono 10 low MS one.
am sure they will he astonIshed when III
form them that. after diligcnt search I hare
found but Miriy-Hr Sir, quite hs much 9th.
cial patronage was thrown Into the hands Of
President Jackson, by posIponing the nomins.
tons OF his predecessor 10 the fourth Of March
last as Mr. Jefferson had by removals during
his eight years As much did say Yes, more
nv far; for upon examinhiion,l hnd that four OF
Mr. Jeferson's were Of officers TO I'LL vacancies
created by his predecessor, which he himself
had made. sic were delauters 10 the Govern
ment, aud one was removal OF his own APP
Monument. There were, moreover, one DIS
irct attorney and seven Marshals, and these
were chiefly in those districts where the com
nIaints were that the sedtion law had been
prosecuted most vigorously aud vindctvely.
The district attorney and marshal oil Vernon,
were removed. You all recolecl that me m
Der of Congress that State, (Mr Lyon had
been prosecuted. tried and punished there for
"A libel under this ACT. Complaints were loud
and strong, that in the prosecution. trial and
punishment, he Was treated oppreS5yely. The
charges might be gronndless. but they we've
believed to be true aud, since have been a
! m REMOVALS DURING THE ADMINS
TRATiON OF JOHN ADAMS.
l0lh May. l797.-Joshua Sands, Collector
a, New Yolh. vice Ohm Lamb, dismissed dcjdut
ter.
| 24,h Nov. l797.-Ebenezer Siorer, Mass
;,o,ec,or. vice Leonard Jarvies, disEiS,ed.
3Oth Nov. 1877. -Chancery Witlesey. Col
lsctor a, Midletown, Conn. vice George Phillips
superseded.
| An nrc. l11z.-Ihnmns Crals. Mass Con.