Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-06-22
TIE EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATIONS.


appear before the Public in reply to our obsorva-
iuons OF June 9Th, the reorganization of the
Executive Department. We unite with him, in
, requesting an attentive perusal of that reply
TO THE PUBI.IC.
During my recent absence from the seat of Co.
rernmcnt was violently aud unwarrantabv as.
si!ed by the Editor of the whig in an article of
the 18th June-my motives aspcrScd, AMI my con-
Duct held up to public rcpro5aton-fpr par
nc'pa'ion I'm the late appointment OF Clerk of the
Council. While 4 sense OF sclf-respcct fnrbi'ls
ply to the ascrption Of unworthy motives from
Whatever quarter, and difference OF opinion,
WIN that Editor, upon point OF propricty of con.
u"ct, would never engage me i'm controvcrsy--I
yet feel constrained by due regard to the good
opinion OF my fellowc;tizens to the errors
OF fact, stated and insinusted in the piece alluded
Co. ask their attention while brie Nv do that
The contrast that has been So ngeniously drawn
between the modes at transactiny business i'm the
Executive under its former and present clerical
organization, the pubic will be surprised to learn
IS founded on entire Misrepresentation, or igno.
rance, ct the Practice of the DEPARTMENT To
whatever extent it may be Meo, e,icaNy true, that
"'Beiore the passage of this (the hte) act, the ca
@trnor had not in the Executive department sim
gle othcer whose services he could command i'm
the discharge of the business" that ..7H Lad bee
assigned to the Council" that "there was no
known officer of the Executive to whom persons
having business with that Department might ap-
ply tor information, through whom, if ne cessary
to communicate with the Governor."-yct, in
practice, 6cfore the passage nj that Lurv, that so
completely changed the thing and put (i,) upon
a convenient foo,ing," the Clerk of the Council
was Gas the Secretary of the commonwealth now
1s) enlarged with all the clerical business of the
Department''-he was, i'm like manner "bound to
attend to all persons who lappliedl in relation to
business or information either in person or by let
ter-he was then necessarily, now, sin the
Department d,ring the hours of business; and
through him, communicat ions with the Executive
thai (,OyPrnnr- ImUf1 ALI heh ,I Ia,
those who did not choose To call on him i'm pei
son." by him, under his superintend all
commissions, orders, and other matters "requirinr
to pass the seals of the State, tn be
to any Department or officer in the State Iwerel
prepared, and when signed by the Governor des.
patched to their several destinations and flr,h
er, the Governor could, and did always, when he
required them. command his services in the dis.
charge of public business. No practical change
so tar as know, has resulted from the late law in
the clerical arrangements of the Department. save
that the Clerk Of the Council is now charged with
the sole duty OF registering the alvices of Coun-
GU. The Secretary OF the commonw ealth is now
charged with all the clerical duties of the Execu.
tive Department, and with the new duty of keen
ing record of Executive acts-and is no longer
present at the sessions of the Board, who thus
transact business much less conveniently than be-
fore, from the necessity they are under of send
ing to require his attendance whenever reference
10 any record or document belonging TO the De-
parments, Frequently desirable in discharpinp
made -
HOW TAR these notifications of the pre-existinr
practice OF the Government may tend, atlvanta.
geously or injuriously to affect the discharge of
the public business, ! do not propose to discuss
my whole object being to correct the msappre-
tensions into which the article in the Wing is cal.
culated to betray its readers.
Tothe remark that the Council "greatly resent
ed the charge made in (by) the law of the last
session &c. I'm reference doubtless, to the change
made in the mode Of appointing the Clerks,) I
myScIf act Of M nI,,
pressed opinion, that under the new organization
ot the Executive made bv the amended Consttu-
ton, the Council was not the proper body TO pos
sess the exclusive appointing power except of
their own peculiar officer.
lPass on to the graver charge of injustice Gone
Mr. John Is. Richardson, most uniustly preferred
Ut know nysef, 1 have ever studied most aux
honsy to do wlfu injustice to no man. Still less
would be unJust TO one, towards whom | have
iuduiged none but Kindly feelings; and more cs-
pecisily, when that injustice TO be accompan-
cd by consequences embarrassing, or incon, enien
nave done nm no injustice. In filling the vacan
cy IN the Once OF Clerk of the Council occasion
ed by the late Clerks acceptance of that of Sec
rotary OF the Commonwealth, have, in the exer-
else ct clear right, according the best lights of
my Judgment, SIMPLY preferred before him gen
teman whom believed better qualified TO dis
charge Its duties--and whom under tina, belief if
had not preferred, though might have ESCAPED
the denuncstion of Mr. Pleasants [ should still
nave felt hardly requitcd for MY own self:reproot
4. IA
necessary, as it would be inyidiuus and improper.
to detail here the grounds Of choice. 1t was sufi.
cien'ly unwetcome TO discriminate unfayorably to
one who had recently suffered very inconve
ent loss ct the salary of his oficc--whom, under
The belief that nc more competent Dcrson could
be procured at the Inadequate salary of 500 dol
lars, had entertained and expressed the exprc
ta'lon ot voting fOr-and for HON interchanr.
ed cl'ites had excited feelings altogether friend
~. IL rs enough for my justification with every
IuCeDcnue hat in fn
Mr. Swami, voted in accordance with my best
Judgment, uninfuenccd by any other motive I'M
der heaven, than the desire of selecting the filter
OF the two; and will add, trat under like impress
Sons IN respect to the qualifications of these TWO
gentlemen, should have gwen the same ,o'e
equally in the OF reelection, or original cleo
Ltion.
But as in the Of an original appointment, it
was obviously the duty of the Council to select the
most int, without regard to those extu,peous
considerations that sometimes find place in cases
'ot re-electlon--and n denunciation of them for
making an appointment that haply, might not
meet the appreciation of the Editor of the Wbip
could not but be universally regarded az Iudicrous.
'he attempt has been very skilfiIly made bu,
most unfairly, to produce the impression that This
was An instance OF removal fro u Gfice Hence
the expressions, cleft out of experimentation.
ployed in the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which
IL years service in the Dept had given Mr. RI
--"dcpriyng public servant" 30 itarco ,oo
the natural anticipation of the =,
would be set up by "e'ence that
with cunning out" zen unlusty charged
turned mt =, viz: the fact, that he Persons
for md neres' 6ceu in, snd the enGeavor to
esLsI Rive effect Of a defence that gors to the
fnNrh of the ohsrge by calling 1t "Aimsy pre-
text:"
What is an original appointment The phrase
IS not very accurate, but all know it is unlver-
sally used TO distinguish the case when ReRe 9f
abe applicants have ever filed the place applied
for from that where former incumbent is also 2