The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1841-05-20
Communicated.

Communicated.
Permit me. Mr.. Editor, to say word
or two in reply to the bread and butte,
rawlings which seem to have engrossed
the columns of The Gazette for the las
few weeks. ! mean, sir, the rawlings d
those gentlemen and their friends, who
have so lately been invited 10 occupy The
honorable post of priuate citizens, ant
which, | may add, they are eminently
qualified to fill, with honor to themselves
and benefit TO the communities in which
they may live.
look upon the cry that is raised abou
removals as altogether without foundation
and ridiculous. Most, if not all, the re-
movals that have been made here, have
been Of officers who had violated the JEFF
farsoaian rule "of non.interference in cleo,
TONS" rule which stood forth during all
the Presidential canvass, in the fore front
of the promised reforms which the people
deemed necessary. For interference in
elections they deserved to be removed,
and the Administration have but fulfilled
a solemn promise to the people in return.
ing all such to their ranks.
But again, sir, when Mr.. Jefferson
came into power he found the Offices from
Maine to Georgia filled by Federalists,
who during twelve years preceding had
seemed to find most favor with the ap-
pointing power. He looked upon this
as wrong,-he felt that there should be j
balance of power between the two parties
a: least-,ha, he could not give efficiency
to his administration while mainly sus-
tanned only by the waveing fidelity OF
political opponents. Accordingly at the
first Cabinet meeting, as appears from MI
Jefferson's letters, they determined to re.
move until the balance of power between
the two parties was restored; latter
which," says Mr.. Jefferson, sour only
inquiry will be, Is he honest!-is he ca
pable?-is he fai,hfnl!'
How similar the state of things now to
what it was then! The difference in
principle between the two parties is quite
as broad. The proscriptive policy OF
the last twelve yea,s certainly is not
forgotten; and no man can deny that a
large, very large majority of the impor-
tant Offices in the gift Of the Presiden.
are yet in the hands of the recently de.
posed party. The removals here, then,
might all have been made upon good and
sufficient grounds, without specific char.
ges; but, alas! there has been cause enough
aside from political opinions; for one, a,
least, who de clares in substance, that in
or out of Office, he will electioneer-it is
his right. Let him exercise 1.-THE inter-
ests of the Wing party cannot suffer
by it. ...... s--
As to another of these officers, if am
not misinformed, his appointment was
made after the result Of the late election
was known; and all such appointments
were treated by Jefferson as utilities.
1t was indelicate and unmanly in Van
Buren,, TO say the least Of it, to appoint a
leading partisan to an important Office
after he knew his political sentiments had
been pointedly condemned by large ma.
jority of the American people. This
cry. however, of removal! renaoval!
comes with exceeding bad grace from
men whose party. and some Of them
selves, TOO. have been pulling Justify a,
the public crib for years. 1t is hard,
gentlemen, to be thrown again upon your
resources for an honorable livelihood.
Blu. still its fair. Is it no.:
l observe, also, in the columns of the
Gazette, an article signed "A Whig,"
though Whig never wrote it, whatever
may be his pretensions; or if one did, he
ought to be ashamed of it. The burden
Of his complaint seems 10 be, that the ap.
pointments have been made from abroad,
and that 1t was a great oversight in the
administration not TO discover the glitter.
ing talents and great capacity Of those of
US, away here, Who wanted some of the
loaves and fishes. What pretended Wing,
or disappointed office-seeker has drawn
his own portrait so faithfully, we will
not now point out, but will inquire how
stands the burden Of his complaint!
Fiat the Offices of this Territory might
have been respectfully filled from among
US, my Territorial pride will not allow
me to deny; but would invite the Wing
to inform us wha. man could have been
selected for the office of Governor, from
among those who were well known to be
seeking after it, or from the whole Ter
ritory, whom the Wing party would
recommend for that post, or whose ap-
pointment would not have produced diyi-
sion and great dissatisfaction. aver
that the man does not live in the Terri.
tory who would have met the general
appreciation of its citizens for that ap.
pointment.
Again, is it an evil, or ground Of
complaint with the citizens of young
and thrifty Territory, tha. strangers