Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-10-07
TO THE HON. S. X. HOBBlE.
Acting Postmaster General.

! masic
TO THE HON. s. r. HOBBlE,
| Acdng Postmaster General.
Sfn-Informstioo having been received in a form
enrnled 10 attention that the Poslmaslers al s'''s'
s"s PENNSYLVANIA and ssss-sss'.s, Ohio, have 81
ia, violated the obi ATOMS which they Impedly
sumed on taking ntfce under my AdmIn,slfa ZION,
OF absa,nlng from any active partisanship, or 10
any way connecting their Offices with party politics,
using them for party purposes have 10 request that
inquiries shall be instantly instituted into then con
duct, and that II The charges against them be found
10 be true, they be Immediately turned out Of Office
& cnzens appointed in their place who will otherwise
conduct themselves. The Post Office Department.
in all its operations, should be conducted for the sin
gle purpose Of accomplishing the important object
Tor winch IL was established. 1t should, in espe-
cal manner as Ear as IL practicable, be discOnnec
ted from pay poliics. Ii was established for spe-
CITED purposes OF equal importance 10 every Citizen
To convert II into engine of party. 10 be used Tor
party urI oses, make ii the fruIfu source Of
the most alarming evils Ramlfied as II is, and
tendedlo every neighborhood, The purity oits admin
isiation, and necessarily Of lis agents. should be par
,,cuary guarded. For a Deputy Postmaster TO
use his ranking privilege "a privilege be slowed
upon him for the sole purpose Of exoneraiIDg him
from oppressive charges in the necessary oorrespon-
dente of his oficel 10 scattering over The C unity
pamphlets, newspapers. and proceedings, 10 IN
fluence elections Is 10 outrage all propriey,
aud must not ioi day be tolerated Let ihis be
or two examples should be found sufficient 10 corr
rect tvll which has so extensively prevailed.
will take this occasion, also, TO add, for your in
sructon, that The appointing to, and continuance IN
the office Of postmaster Of any editing political
newspaper IL in the highest degree Objectionable. 1t
involves most of The consequences above stated
introduces politics into the post oGice--dmmishes
The revenue-and conic,s privileges one editor
which Others cannot enjoy. In a word, IS my fix
ed purpose, as lar as ~ me lies, to separate the Post
fx...
that reform which the country has so loudly den,an
dcd. JOHN TYLER.
September %, 164l.
The principle laid down in this letter is correct;
and II II be ,'nparaiiy carried out, there can be no
objection to II. 1t is in accordance with the Wing
doctrine, (and the forgotten Jackson doctrine too,
though not the practice either Of Jacksous admin
isiralion his immediate successor's) that "the
patronage of'he federal government should 20, be
brought into conflict with the freedom Of elections -
We confess, however. that are not entirely ire e
from apprehension on this subject. A recen, letter
from Washington. apparently written by one famil-
lar with the Presidents views, and addressed to
, his bro,her-in-law, the Editor of Columbus
paper, even while ii disc alms speaking by aut1ori-
ty induces us 10 fear that Mr.. TYLER will fall INTO the
great error Of his in mediate predecessors--and thai
while he viii deem the Interference of Office h. ldet.
against his views, Just of dismissal from office
he will look with tolerant if an approvng eye
upon the active and Jealous efforts OF those who
are known To be favorable those views. The letel
referred o,aiier mentioning The fact thai hat
reached Washington that several government off
cals 10 Ohio, who held their appointments al The
pleasure OF The presen, President, have recently beer
50 reckless OF The peculiar delicacy of their posi-
iions as to iptepose their authority in ordert pre-
vent the loliIlca friends OF Mr.. Tyler from expires
sing their admiration Of his course IN relation TO the
veto Of the Fiscal Agent" lays down this as certain
that NH. Tyler considers his political opinions
"of sufficient importance 10 warrant him in taking
"every proper pretauion to have them safely car
"ried out. He ,oH therefore neither bestotp his pat
"rondee upon, suffer IL 10 abide wih any ind,uid
"uai, ,eho shall feel himself at liberty 10 employ In
3 "popers conferred by hat patronage IN OPPOS
ling The riews and principles Of The present I'D
administrations" The inference is. that If the officrr
OF the government " Il, employ the patronage of the
,fices SUSTAINING those views Il principles
then they will be ecognlzed good and faithful
wants. Now fit be intended that his rule shall wo,l
thus partially, is directly the teeth of the WINS
docirIoe-lndeed, one of he counts of the Wing bill
oil Indictment against Mr.. an Buren, was that his
flee holders an organized electioneering
corps actively engaged IN carrying out" his "prin
cples and views by endeavoting secure his re
election We hope the Pre- sidenl's intentions have
been fairly represented; and that, the applica-
ton OF his rule TO federal office holders, he will
move as well those who eleclionecr actively in his
behalf hose who eie c,ioueer against him. II he
does so, no one will have right 10 complain. The
rule while il will secure perfect freedom to the Of
fcer give his vote, will put end TO the shameful
spectacle, long exhibited, Of officers. in the pay
OF an administration actively lighting Tor the re-clec
ton OF their pay masters.
Herein, too. is the advantage Of re One Term
principle, applied to the Office of President stri-
kingy exemplfed. 1t furnishes the best possible
guarantee for the strict and impartial exc
. culion Of rule, which is obiy just and pro pc,
when il is 50 executed-and shows the applicability
OF the argument against the re-elgbll,y Of the Pre-
sidsnt as well TO one who succeeds to the office by
the death of the inc umb ent one who fills il b,
election. The argument is that if President be eli
gbc only FOR single term, all motive is destroy cd
for abusing the power and patronage with which he
is invested for the purpose Of securing his ie. cleo
ton, aud II is manifest that IL applies forclby to
President yler as il did To Gen. Harrison. We tear,
! however, that, although in S ptember, 1889, Mr..
Tyler, in toast given at the Southampton dinner
to Gen Pegram. came out openly 70, zone Term and