The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1841-05-06
From the Iowa Standard

From the Iowa Standard.
prescription for opinions sake,,.-the
ferocious spiritof observation-disclosures
Clarke, Esq. late Secretary ofIowa.
We take the above imposing caption
from the Territorial Gazette of April II.
II one were to Judge of the extent Of in
dlgnation ofthe people by the TrolIopades
flung out by the opposition presses in the
Territory about the removal of this Off
Ger, he would not doubt that revolution
OF the Government were Just at hand
The Gazette particularly, Municipalities
himself in trade of Billingsgate in re-
gard to this removal in amanner, accord
ing to our mode of thinking, that would
make Mr. Clarke exclaim ''save me from
my friends.''
BY what title, we would enquire, does
MIR G. hold the Office Of Secretary of this
Territory -? and how did he acquire title !?
On the death Of Mr. Conway petition
was hastily drawn up for the present in.
,cumbent and signed by the few and sent
of with equal haste. We say nothing of
its publicity. The few that signed that
petition. did not then even hint at found
ing his Claims to the appointment upon
the circumstance of his ill health, nor his
want of letters Of recommendation on his
leaving Pennsylvania, nor upon his hav-
ing been journeyman printer. No such
recommendation was used nor needed to
procure the office; why put forth these
qualifications now to show his right to re-
tain it and why an appeal to the peo-
pie through the columns of a newspaper
to arouse their passions and excite their
preiudices to retnin an Office when such
an appeal, to say the least Of it, would
have been hazardous, if it had been made
with view to procure it!
But we say nothing Of the procuring of
the appointment, other than the emergen-
cy was pressing and under the circum-
stances perhaps haste was excusable.-
The appointment was made BY Martin
Van Buren, on recommendations that no
doubt satisfied him. A commission was
given to Mr. G. for four years unless SOON
er removed by the President Of the United
States. Mr. Van Buren's term of Office
expired by Limitation. Gen. Harrison
subsequently, coming into the executive
chair of the United States with political
views and opinions diame,rically opposed
to those of his predecessor who made the
appointment, finding Mr. Clarke's recon-
mendations of qualification for office ex
actly the reverse of what in his opinion
should be the highest with him. removes
the incumbent, as by the terms Of the COM
mission now in the hands Of Mr. Clarke
he had reserved right to do. Yet as
much ado is made about this removal as
if the incumbent held the office in fee sim
pie s'to himself and heirs forever
There is another reason which might
have weighed in the mind Of the Presi-
dent in making this removal. 1t is admit
ted on all hands that Mr. Van Buren, had
no idea of renewing the commission of
Gov. Lucas. 1t will not be denied that
Gen. Harrison was the last man from
whom the friends of Gov. l.. had right
to expect commission for him 10 fill a
post of honor. Let who would be Presi-
dent, then, change in the chief execu-
tive of Iowa was expected by every body
as soon as the fourth of July next; and it
not being expected that the President
would appoint to that station one OF diff
ferent political school from his own, how
could the friends of Mr. Clarke expect
him to be continued in an Office, by this
administration. the duties Of which require
him to be associated almost constantly in
the closest business relations with one
protesting a different political creed from
his own7 II however, as is hardly rea--
sonable to suppose. his thirst for Office
were such as to submit 10 that humiliation,
no governor having sense enough TO ap
preciate the dignity of his station and
spirit enoughto defend it would submit
to so unholy an alliance.
AIlusion is made to secret letters which
may have been sent to Washington rep
resenting the Secretary in an unfavorable
light and that an order for his removal
may have been predicted upon such rep
resentation. Tits difficult TO tell what the
Gazette means by secret letters. We do
not deny that letters were sent; but If an
idea is intended to be conveyed that let
tiers Of application fol. the removal were
despatched with more secrecy than those
forwarded for the appointment OF Mr. =.
we are we'll assured the Gazette lies I'M
der misapprehension. We do not
know that any representations of the kind
were made; but it is possible she Presl-
dent may have been informed tina, Mr.
Clarke's pecuniary relation with the Ga
zette Office stands, in the same attitude
that it did sprevious to the date OF his
commission; and that instead of writing
for lis columns with his own hand he
EMPLOYS an amanuensis atthree hundred
dollars per annum. Sea saa.s4a,
The Gazette inquiries "upon what
ground is it, we demand, that this remov-
al has been made This is precisely
the iesuitical way ofpropounding aques'
ton which has characterized chat party
ever since thas party was known. why
we ASK says the same party, ''shonld
NOT Martin Van Buren, be President -
Thousands of People have been contoud-
In. ,b;s oues,ion simply from the man.