The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-02-23

pscaly seected by the People purity Of az
tion TO the Executive Department.
A. On the other hand II il he conceded, that, unaef
the above mentioned practice, with The aequescence
Of Congress- predicated the inherent night o. the
Executive all inferior officers hod their appointments
at the will Of the President guided by the dictates o.
the public interest does follow, thai the andis
turbed continuance Of any persons in ONCE Is es'
dence of continued Executive appreciation, and u
equivalent 10 re-appointment Of such persons TO OF
fee And consequently l. 1t not equally clear that
want ofsuch continued appreciation, however brought
about should be attended with the removal Of such
persons from Office, for the reasons that would
prevent their reappointment selection for appoint
ment 10 the first instance
s. IL it be also conceded, that in order to insure
the efficiency Of the public service, the paramount
rule Of Executive administration should be, TO adopt
the within lis discretion, its patronage which
best adapted to accomplish the faithful execution
Of the laws is il not desirable somewhat 10 define and
specify those means Among those means, may not
the suitable qualifications Of candidates for appoint
ment or continuance in office be considered the most
essential such capacity, honesty, assida.fy, and
exemption from immoral habits?
g. But as the continued appreciation extended to in
ieror officers by preceding administration, may not
necessarily elicit the appreciation of succeeding adj
min sraon does il require some positive or salts
factory Of the capacity honesty, assduity, and mo-
raj conduct OF such officers, which to base such
appreciation and continuance in Office, equivalent to
re appointment by the new ADMINISTRATOR And Is
there not a ready way ascertain these qualifications
or the of them, by instituting an inquiry into
the condition Of the respective offices of the several
ncumbents, in which enough of unsoundness has al
ready been made known by the developments Of in
vestigating committees to justify the apprehension
that much more yet remains concealed, in consequence
of the impeJiments that were thrown in the way Of
those Investigations
T. Now, therefore, il, according 10 the affirmative
OF these propositions the coming administration shall
find the great mass Of removals and appointments
made by the retiring dynasty under the promptings
of nordinae avdiiy FIR the spos of office, have
been attended with great sacrifices to the public
vice by removing good officers, and supplying their
places with others destitute Of proper qualifications
and il shall consequently, be called upon by sense
Of duty to make great many corresponding removals
and appointments to correct that mischief- must be
obvious that such will be the result of ne
cessy imposed on the new administration to remedy
the evils enailed on by its iustrous predecessors
in which it will have choice between its mpcrious
duty and the graceess the odous, seeming to follow
in their proscrptve footsteps for the sake of the spos
But be left to the good sense of discriminating
public to do justice to the dsinteesed public spirited
WILLIAM HENRY HARRisoN, in the faithful discharge
of his trust under the altered circumstances Of the
case
S.Consequently, public sentiment will decree that
the reform Of spoismen and deaulters, of negectfu
called prescription but the performance of in
dspcnsabe DUTY 10 resuscitafe the PROSTATE public
serrice nor will that sentiment permit the appoint
ment OF capable honest, assiduous and moral citizens
to fill the vacancies necessarily occasioned 10 be
stigmatised with the appeation Of distribution Of
the spoiIs Of Office" hut the awarding just equira
lent for labors to be honestly performed in The public
serrice in lieu of that perversion of it, in those hands
which have brought the country 10 the brink Of ruin.
But in paying due regard TO retributire justice,
while fulfilling the exigencies and the interests of the
public service perhaps does not follow that all those
who have been wrongfuly removed by the preceding
Administrations, fit claimants for restoration,
as time incapacates for renewed service, and
other circumstances render restoration ineligible to
many more-while on the other hand, the coin
cdence of personal merit and exemption from the sin
Of Loco ..s-y redeem few OF those istarred
appointments, and render them eligible for continu-
in the contemplation Of these principles, it may not
be unworthy also take into consideration whether
all persons, of whatever contrariety of political OPT
MONS who have aided in the great work OF reeeming
the country from the imminent dangers that threatened
IT, under continuance and contamination of the des
tructive measures OF semi-bdrbarous Loco.FocolsM,
are not equally entitled To the earnest of public graft
tude for their brilliant in arresting It's progress
Wings, Conservatives, National Republicans, Fede-
raj Republicans, States Rights Republicans, Democra
tic Republicans in fine whoever have set their coun
tenances against this enemy of civilization,
and have contributed their jealous aid in supervising
it. are equally entitled to the earnest Of public graft
tude while there is Loco-Foco in office TO be substi
t1ied by REMOVAL With all other politicians my
motto is E PLURBUs uNuM." But 10 the ioco-focos
say let them now in turn, enjoy the application of
their own favorite maxim
"ROOT HOG OR DIE"
FRIpAY, February 18th, ls4l
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Bostom Correspondence.