Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-11-17


which il was impossible for the trainers and a.
dopters ofthe constitution to foresee or to con.
ceiye. Who, at that distant day. for examnl.
ever dreamed Of the specacles which have re-
Gently disguised every honest ciiizen-of pos,.
masters, mail-cOnraclors, ma-ageais, and cen.
sus-iakers covering the land with eovernmen,
pamphlets, handbiIls, and extra gazettes. suGi.
cieni Gf ready to sap the morals, public and
private, Of an entire gencralion?-of the cu,.
iom-house mercenaries in the large cities LIVING
on the public, negleciing every duty for parIv
meetings and the polls, and rendering to Fow.
er The most bribe-worlhy servces?-of District
Attorneys and Collectors, rambling missionaries
defending every abuse of office---lheir own lb,
most udeceni----n order 10 maintain power in
the hands Of their patron All who have re.
flected on the foregoing facts must be ready IN
affirm that Erecuttve Patronage "has increased,
is increasing, and ought 10 be diminished 2"
hope, then, by an early amendment Of The
constitution, to see reduction of the PreSi.
dents veto. The regulation Of patronage would
properly follow.
There can be no good reason why he vein
shonldno be overcome by a bare majority in each
House Of Congress, of all the members elected
10 ii---say, for the benefit Of reflection, at the
end of ten days from the return of the bill. An
amendment TO this effect would still leave Ibe
President-lhe general representative Of every
State and dislrict-armed with the votes of all
The members absent, at the moment, from
The respective Houses, and ;here will always
be some members absent from both.
Rotation IN Office The inquiry under tnis
head, is moi definite in any letter before me. It,
however, is presumed TO refer--l. To governors
and secretaries Of territories and some of tho
judges therein district attorneys, collectors,
surveyors and naval officers Of the customs,
marshalls, post-malers, whose commissions a.
mount 10 thousand dollars per annum; navy
agents registers and receivers Of land offices:
surveyors general of lands, and Indian agents
-aIl of whom are by law, appointed for term
of four years; buI subject by express enact
meni (except The Judges To he removed al plea
sure--2. To high class of civil officers (uext
to the chiefs) in The executive departments at
Washington /; other high functiOnaries---foreign
minister's secretaries Of legation and consuls
post-masiers, whose commissions amount TO
less than thousand dollars per annum super
inendent Of Indian affairs Indian sub-agenIs,
&c. &c.---all appointed without limitation 10
term, yet suhjecl in Practice-not by erpreSS
law-to be also removed al pleasure. and 3. To
The assistants allowed by law to very many Of
the principals included ahove---which assistants
are called clerkS---some of them deputies, ap-
praisers, weighers, guagers, sub-inspectors,
store-keepers, light house keepers, &c. &c.
-all appointed and subject to removal, as under
the second head.
am asked Whether Tin my poor opnion)
all those functionaries (amounting 10 many
thousands) or any Of Them ought to be perodi-
cally superseded by original appointments! II
yes--- When? And if it part only Which!
We have seen that grea, number of offices
are filled for term of years, and more without
any limitation as to term. ], however, can draw
no line Of just distinction between the claims of
The two classes upon the favor of country or
government
Promising that regular periodical changesin in
the subordinate servants Of the country, merely
for the sake of change. would necessarily swell
executive patronage. already TOO much swollen,
am obliged TO add that more than doubt, on
other grounds, the policy and justice of srch
changes. l. Because, for the able and prompt
execution OF public business much official ex-
perienee ina greatnun,her of particular stations,
is known 10 benecessary. q Because many Of
ice-hoders, appointedsunder even reckless adj
mnisirations, (such as We have seen.) will al
ways after line. be found Of tried integrity,
and of equal industry and abilities. 3. Be.
cause, again, some may be found in slate OF
honorable poverty, the result no less of stern
integrity than of Il long and exclusive devotion
to The interests Of the public; and 4. Because,
TO remove such servants. or not to re-appoiuI
them. at the end of term, would not only dis
cONrage Successors in a faithful discharge oE
duty, bul could not fail TO outrage the moral
sense Of entire communities. | speak on this
head from what witnessed in 5000, of Tho
cruel experiment, on large scale, then made
upon the sensibilies of the country. and the
mschieIs 10 the public interests which early
ensued
What | would, therefore humbly advise is
this To turn oui not only change of Pres
ident, but in any and every week Of the year,
all officc-holders known TO be deficient in eli
Their honesty, capacity, or rindusry, and to aP~
point, III their stead, men known 10 possess
these qualities. Without, an anxious attention
TO this rule, government of The people, resting