The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-12-28


which led to this policy is illustrated by the
fact, that it was applied principally in
States where the majority Of the people
were opposed to the Administration while
IN the others there were comparatively few
removals. Such was the practical COM
ment on the text Of the Inaugural Address
which denounced the preceding Admins
ration as having brought the patronage OF
tie government into conflict with the puri-
ty of elections The foreign ministers were
abnptly recalled at large expense 10 the
couMry, in some instances before they
reached their destination, and in all, with
out observation of the common forms of CT
Witty towards them, or the Governments
near which they were accredited. Among
the victims of prescription at home were
some OF NE most respectable and interest
ing Dersofs in the community-veterans
who, AFTER lighting the battles of the WAR
OF s,ndepend'nce, had Seen employed by
the justice StF Government in the Offices
they heSe, and were now -.n,ieIy thrust ouv
of them 10 endure, at an advaRc co. are. The
mssriss of actual want. rs a reward for tnu
deansion of their whole res 10 the public.
service. This was NOT I'll This UNIVERSAL
taken in Connection with the:
tenor Of the Inaugural Address, amounted
to a charge OF universal corruption. Com
mon Justice required that the individuals;
against whom such charge was brought
should have opportunity to defend them
selves. None was given. No inquiry was
ordered. No specifications were made.
No examination was had. When a public
servant of unblemisheG character, new a
member of Congress, demanded of the late
Secretary of State an explanation of this
implied charge Of corruption, under which
he had been removed from his place as
Clerk in the Department Of State, he was
cooly Informed that no harm was meant,
and that no explanation would be giveE.-
Even this was not the worst. Atten pts
were made in more than one instance, I'M
der pretext Of stricter control of the pub
lie accounts, to deprive these victims of per-
secution OF the scanty remnant OF tier
means of subsistence. public servant of
most respectable character and venerable
years, was not only removed and thrown
upon the world, at the advanced age of
more than eighty, but actually had his fur
niture seized, under Treasury warrant Of
distress, upon a false pretence of pecula
ton, at time when. as appears from sub
sequent decree Of the competent tribunal,
the United States owed him more than
twelve thousand dollars. Other cases oc-
Cured Of precisely similar character. Can
there possibly be any thing behind more re-
voting than this? There is. In the case
Of the Assistant Postmaster General, there
is too much reason to fear that there occur
red in the Post Office Department an actual
ali IS ha Nh a
purpose of fixing, upon that most merltoii-
GUS public servant, the blame OF some sup
posed malversaton in office, which had re-
ally been committed by his successor. We
cannet but hope, for the honor of our coun-
try, that some explanation will yet be given
of this transaction, consistent with the pro-
bity of the individuals at the head of the
Post Office.
The history of the administration of civ
LIKED Governments presents no parallel to
his scene. Many of the partizans of Gen.
Jackson have shrunk from the task of de-
ending it, and taken refuge ina bold den ial
If the fact. Public writers of some respt &C.
ability did not scruple to affirm that the re
lad been no removals on account of politi, cal
pinions, as if-to use the indignant Iangua ge
t Roman historian-they thought th ey
ould blot out the record of their doiI igs
rom the memory of the human race. At
er while, the charge of corruption Sc, ems
D have been abandoned. and in his irst
lessage to Congress the President iustii led
lmself on the principle of rotation in off ce !;
ffecting to suppose that the public wo uld
srive an advantage from employing ew
gents as fast rs old ones acquired, by iex-
erlence, the capacity for performing tn cir
utIes with ability and success. THIS de- &C.
rlne, which if applied to practice in p III
ate.life, would he thought to argue degr ee
I lmprudence equivalent, in its effects, to-
1santy, and would Immediately ruin she
lost prosperous establishments--was gra, E..
Y announced as an acknowledged truth. II:
'as affirmed that the natural effect of p, )s.-
esslng an Office was to create neglgen ce.
md corruption in the person holding it II rat
he public lost more in this way than as
FAMED by the additional experience 4 nd
iexterity resulting from the same cause =
requent changes in office were highly EXP e.
tient--that all Offices should 0e held Tor
short terms, and, in particular, that Il.
ought TO he so amended, tia {
no person should lie eligible a second tinre
tor that of the President of the Unite d
States.
These principles, whether true or false, n,
irrelevant to the subject, because the removals
from office by Gen Jackson were not made
either really or professedly, for the purpose fof
change or rotation, but, professedly, because th
incumbents were incapable or corrupt, and, re-.
ally, Tor the purpose Of "rewarding his frien, Is
and Furnishing his enemies" No dspositio n
has been shewn to apply this wholesome prime i.
pie OF rotation to the Presidents partizans, d
the best Illustration Of the real meaning of tb
language used on this occasion, is TO be four d
IN letter written ffcm the Presidents hous q.
under the Presidents frank, to a member
OF the fennsylvan'a Legislature, requestiI q
MN 10 use his influence 10 procure fro m
tina: Legislature a nomination of the Presi.
dent for reelection. The doctrine of rotation in
office had, therefore, nothing to do with the
matter. The motive assigned, in the first in.
stance, by the President, VIZ the incapacitv
and corruption OF the incumbent, would have
been sufficient had they been founded in fact
but ii was felt that no removal for such reasons
would be tolerated by the public, unless the
supposed incapable or corrupt func,ionsrv was
first put upon his trial, and allowed an opDortu.
nifty Of defending himself against the specific
charges, what ever they might be, which had
been preferred against him. 1t was, therefore.
found necessary to abandon this ground, and
for want Of better, resort was had by the Presi.
dents councillors to the stale sophs,ry of rota.
ton in Office.
On the appointments which were made
to fill the numerous vacancies occasioned
ly these removals, we shall not enlarge.
Among them are to he found the names of
some persons very honorably known to the
public; but they were made, in general, al
most avowedly for no conside ration hut tba,