The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-05-08
ROTATION IN oFFIcE-REMovALs.

4 ROTATION In OrriChr-nrspuS'N 49,
! Our attention has been called to the following
letter by THOMAS JEFFERSON, published in one
of the volumes Of his writings. Very few, we
presume, will deny the soundness of its views,
and all probably will respect the authority. The
republication of the letter, at this time, is
thought appropriate. The rule Of action il lays
down in regard to removals from Office could,
doubtless, be very safely adopted by the present
Administration
To Elias Shipman and Others, committee Of the
| merchants Of Nsp Hapen.
WAsHNoroN, July 10, 1901.
GENTLEMEN,
have received the remonstrance you were pleased
TO address me- the appointment of Samuel Bishop
to the Office of collector OF New Haven lately vacated
by the death of David Austin. The right OF our
to represent to the public unctionares
their opinion proceedings Interesting TO them, -
una uestionably constitutional right often useful,
sometimes necessary, and will always be respectfully
acknowledged by me.
OF the various executive duties, no one exctes
more anxious than that of placing the inte-
rests of our felow-citzens in the hands of honest
men, with understandings sufficient for their stations
No duty, at the same time, Is more diicult to fulfil
The knowledge of characters possessed by single
individual is, Of necessity, limited To seek out the
best through the whole Union, we must resort to other
information which, from the best Of men, acting dis
interestedly and with the purest moves is sometimes
| incorrect. In the OF Samuel Bishop, however
the subject Of your remonstrance time was taken, IN
/ formation was sought, and such obtained as could
leave no room for doubt of his fitness From private
| sources il was learned that his understanding was
sound, his integrity pure, his character unstalned
And the offices conided To him within his State
are public evidences of the estimation in which he is
held by the State in general and the city and town
/ .h; ha Ia IA be
1 the tassn cork j.ssivo the peace, mayor of the
city Of New Haven, an Office held at the will Of the
Legislature, chief judge of the court Of common pleas
for New Haven county, court Of high criminal and
civil jurisdiction, wherein most causes are decided
without the right of appeal review and sole judge
of the court OF probates wherein he singy decides all
questions Of wills, settlement Of estates, testae and
intestate appoints guardians settles their accounts
and in fact has under his jurisdiction and care all the
property real and personal, of persons dying The
two last Offices the annual gift of the Legislature,
were given to him in May last. Is it possible that
the man to whom the legislature of Connecticut has
SO recently committed trusts Of such difficulty and
magnitude unfit to be the collector Of the district
u Of New Haven though acknowledged in the same
writing to have obtained all this confidence by along
life of usefuness2 II is objected, indeed, in thu re-
monstrance, that he is seventy years OF age
but at much more advanced age, our Franklin was
the ornament Of human nature. He may not be able
TO perform in person all the details of his Office; but il
he gives the benefit of his understanding his in
details are well performed by himself his ssary
assistants, all public purposes will be answered. The
renonstrance, indeed does not acge that the office
has been lily conducted, but only apprehends that
toi be SO. Should this happen in event. be assured
will do in it what shall be just and necessary for The
public service. In the mean time he should be tired
without being prejudged E MI
The removal as it is called, of Mr.. Goodrich, forms
another subject Of complaint. Declarations by ny
self in favor of political tolerance, exhortatons
harmony and affection in social intercourse, and IL
respect for the equal rights of the minority, have
certain occasions been quoted and misconstrued INTO
assurances that the tenure of offices to be undis-
turbed But could candOr apply such c0nstructiDni
II is not indeed in the circumstances that find it
but it leads to the explanations which that calls TOR.
When il IL considered, that during the late admins
tration those who not of particular sect of pO
tics were excluded from all Office; when, by steady
pursuit Of this MEASURE nearly the whole offices of the
| United States were monopolised by that sect; when
the public sentiment at length declared itself, and
burst open the doors of honor and confidence to those
whose opinions they more approved; was it to be
imagined that this monopoly Of Office was still to be
continued IN the hands of the minority Does il vio
late their equal rights 70 assert some rights in tho ma
jcrty also Is it political intolerance to claim pro-
port0nate share in the direction of the public affairs
Can they not harmonise in society unless they have
every thing in their hands If the will Of the
nation manifested by their various elections calls fol-
administration Of government according with the
opinions Of those elected it, for the fulflment Of thai
they Justly begin with persons appointed in ths
last moments Of an administration, not for it's own aid
but TO begin at the time with their sue
cessors by whom they had never been approved, and
who could scarcely expect from them cordial coope
. rationa Mr.. Goodrich was of these. Was il
proper for him place himsefin office without know
ing whether those whose agent he to be would
have confidence in his agencyl Can the preference
Of another the TO Mr. Austin be candidy
called removal of Mr.. Goodrich If due partici
patton of office is matter of right how vacancies
] 10 be obtained Those by death few by resig
nation none. Can any other mode than that Of reno
val be proposed} This is painful office. But It il
made my duty, and meet it as such. proceed in
the operation with elaboration and inquiry, that il
may inure the best least, and effect the purposes
of justice and public utility with the least private dis
tress that it may be thrown, much possible,
delinquency, oppression, on intolerance, ante
! revolutionary adherence to our enemies.
]; The remembrance laments that change in the
administration must produce change in the subordi
nate Ulcers; in other words that il should be deem
ed necessary for all officers to think with their princ
pal But on whom does this imputation bear2 On
those who have excluded fiom office every shade Of
opinion which was not theirs2 Or on those who
have been excluded lament sincerely that unes-
sential differences of opinion should ever have been
deemed insufficient to nterdct half the society from
the rights and the blessings OF selfgovernment, to
prescribe them unworthy of every trust 1t would
have been to me circumstances of great relief had
found moderate participation of office in the hands OF
INC MuJUIy' Wouu gauy haNe ioit W si'he anu
accident TO rinse them to their just share. But their
total exclusion calls for prompter corrections. shall
correct the procedure but that done, return with JOY
tothat state Of things when the only questions con-
corning candidate shall be, Is he honest Is he
/ pahle Is he faithful to the constitution
tender you the homage of my high respect
j Msf, 's TIL: JEFFERSON.
/ We publish the following from the Portsmouth CO.,
Tribune, at the request of correspondent Our cor
respondent says. /" The Madsonian, is paper highly