Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-01-16
die only showed the supposed ,orongs of MIR. Fletcher

r..
tA,m peak ' 10" S S%%S mouths
But. notwithstanding the gen,ienans disclaimer If 1,
had happened that the ,loqu.nce of ,hose az u,ub
mouths" had reused general feeling of Indignation like.
less have been ready to excaim with his grea,
~" Mischief. thou art fol -
bn SIR, What Is the ground assumed and set forth by
,ne menor'ss upon which he claims the nterpo.i,ion
sho", consists 10 his having been appointed
ioaree or iteen years ago. and having ever since
quietly held the Office and enjoyed It's enol0mens: ergo
ne Ell ed 10 1t the remainder Of hs life. This, sir is
me sum AMI substance OF MIR Fi.cher's cl,in-he has
neu e oice SO long. tina, he new believes his title in
ueeasioe. The clainan in this instance however is
e ony one VINO has arrived at the conclusion tina,
se"g ih'o Once, IN this District, gives freehold
me That notion, Mr.. c. believed prevailed extensive.
y-hot only IN reference TO the aud other oi
W '"e ou,s oil Representatives but to all the officers
-, va. se,era' Depai tmens Ii remains to he whe
er Tue House will give sanction 10 the claims of such
tenants. ~
The gentleman from Massachusetts. (Air Davis, bov
as n'' satisfied to rest the claim Of MIR. Fletcher
upon TIC ground set forth in his petition ~ urges the
'ona consideration o the petitioners long residence
.e'.uW!ng which, he has made property
IN 'hs District; aud that he has here contracted the p
vae relations OF husband aud father For all this rood ior
e' "e gentleman would conclude that the PEE
s"o"iu iioid his Office Tor lc. Ii has held
al once many years, il is good claim according to this
new uoc'rine but II he shall have had the good fortune
IN the mean time, 10 get married. and TO get rich forsooI
Il Is much beer-it Is an iudeieasbie reeboJ ~ Las,
WY SIR acqulesce in this docne for few wears more
1 "u we sna, have office claimed here by inheritance
q
ued here, obtained good office, got married been
blessed with children, and has realized a fortune
WIN come forward and claim the place which was held
W ms 'a'hsr. And could he not sustain his claim
YES sir with as much pausbily as the gentleman from
Massachuse''s sustains that Of the father. He would
Say nave 70 add to the family history with which we
mere raised aud educated here perhaps nm in h;s
a'er ONCE and accustomed 10 its duties
any o'her business, and unacquained with the man.
ners and habits OF any other place He nigh, adj r.
all hs by urging the Conclusive objection to his emiera
mon which Is said to have been made by starving
washwoman, OF this other cify-tLat lie could
not 20 TO remote part Of the country (te est perbansl
because there 10 no society there
10 enhance the importance of this grave m.t,e- Al.
gentleman from Massachusetts, told you upon inroJcns
~ a"a. was intimately connected with the freedom
d ,yeay o. me people" The removal, rather the
Juu"e 10 re-oPpotnf Cierk-a subordinate Clerk
e'ddmgers me safety Of the people This is truly touch
ing. what lively sensbiliiy the gentleman from Massa
g. mas 10 me freedom and SAFETY of the peope
eertNn'y ought to enrol him. only with the patriots
but the phlanthropists of the age But sir has he
ned you OF the truth OF the fact assumes. The me
was, (and yet is in some parts of the country when
rotation IN office was supposed TO be intimaieiv n
neced with the freedom aud safety of the people when
ne power ana emoumen!s of office were supposed to be
up"hg IN their tendency; ard when changes
were deemed indispensable the purity of our ns,is
uonP. tistrue, that the party 10 which the gen,Ieman
De,ongs-onee called Federal, ycleped National Re-
puohcah-dld In The early history Of the country insis,
"t some OF The higher officers OF the Government should
DE appointed Tor life, but they did then insist SO far
as an informed, that clerks or any other class ri sh
dinate officers, should be so appointed Tha, I s.no
mas oeen lett for one of the improvements of this more
eenlgh.ened age We must now sanction the doctrine.
a' when man once gets into office he is 10 hold 4, Co
hie or during his will and pleasure y wi
put sir how long has this been favorite pnncip,e
WIN the gentleman from Massachusetts,, or his poIilcs
onds Dd they entertain it during the late adninislra
ton! Did they raise the cry them that .tbe fire. aJ
se.y Of the people" was in dangerl The Secretary Of
a s administration thought proper to change the
Puosmers OF The laws throughout parts of the Union
as well as recoilect. Did the gentleman or his fianI
then consider the "reedom and safety Of the people in
uange DID they then tell you that the hber,v M a
press had been assaled that the freedom of the peon
Identified with that great palladium their liberties and
.na. one were cloven down, the other must, fall like
wise! No sir. Not one Of those watchtuI sen,nas =,
liberty then sounded the tocsin' was all the fires,
ehng In the world Why, sir, the principle of roa,;on
~ ONCE mas been carried to the utmost extremity by the
party 10 "hich the gentleman belongs. When did thew
ever have power, and not exercise il. When did ,bey
ever have patronage and bestow on those who
s"tSSr O' ca a S with them in Opinoos II newspaper
no less than JHy-eight Wachmen of Philadepba
S;m because they Were not of the true politica
,dn. am correctly informed, the city administrator
mas iafeiy changed hands. Mayor frendv 10 The
bahk ana believer in its claims perpetuity has
eiec'ed-and this is among the first fruits hi; admnis,r
uon Where was the sympathy of the
when this done! ~
The late printer TO this House had been in Office four
and SO lar as regarded the discharge OF his echan
fcdt dy am not aware that there as any well ground
ell complaint Other considerations than the mere b"s;
ness pruning Tor Inc House, operated upon his elec.
w. a,", oeieve, Justly operated. Did the gentleman
or ms men political friends, for him! presume he
VIII answer no. But, Sir, il is useless 10 waste ,ne il;
ehumerauDg instances in which similar acts have been
done, even by these who belong TO the orhodox school
national repubcanism. The Omissions to exercise nowar
when hey have II, will be found TO be mere
from their general rule oil action. Their whole bisto
proves mat they act upon the assumption that no man
qua'ifeh Tor oicc, is worthy trust or
u ne IS OF me true faith according their creed: il
Is nnaterai what may be the grade character of The
"anon' from the Chief hdgisfrdcy down TO uafchunn
put Sir, looking to the real object of the resoution
,aer man 70 me question properly involved had near
IL. SCI finn f he G.ot
Consi'uton declares that each House of
sna nave The power 10 choose their Spe aker and OH
oihcers That the Clerk of the late House ,vas NO,
Cerk OF s has been demonstrated by the ee con of our
present Clerk his successor. Can 1, be naina;nd
that subordinate Clerk, who derives his annoin,,
anu ms powers, from his principal has bet,er
Who directs his labors Who superintends the ne rro
.ce oi ms du'y who is responsible TO the House for
me performance OF them? All must agree that The nr;n
ciPal Clerk is the of his power and an,j,o,
superintendent oil his performance, and IN Nh
rouse III VIII be found by examination of all Tho
anu resolutions oil The House, in relation TO the subord
nate Clerks that every one of them bv the au,b;,
the House, has been employed bv The nri,cinaI ~ "
me rouse mas never appointed of them had in
.ehueu 10 nave gone into minute examination or
!e subjects but as the gentleman has not thought
10 say any mng upon what would TO be- properlv
me man ground OF his motion, deem il UNNECESSARY -
MIR. e. concluded by saying that he hoped The Ho,so
was saisHeu mat The removal more properIv tho fail,
ure TO reappont Mr. Fletcher was not fra,gbt viii o
awful consequences to the freedom of the people and e
,ey o. 'he country as the gentleman from Massachu-
sets had supposed-aDd, Commemorative tev yyonJd ,
adopt the resolution he had proposed. ~
Mr. vi ann moved to lay the resolution on the fable b,
subsequently withdrew the motion 1900 "'
Sn'on theh advocated the necessity Of inquiry as
means OF justilyng the Clerk there could Inc
shown that the petitioner had his du,v No
son. Whatever was his political creed would
naI uoe wrong IN removing him. Itwoud appear that