Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-06-01

posed by Congress themselves to the Constitution.
And he hoped it would receive its final condemnation
by the vote Of this House.
from the Boston Morning Post, Nay 81
JEFFERSON AND THE WllIt;s.
"Chersl not the man" exclaimed General Harrl-
ron al DAYTON, September 10 1910, "who under the
guse and name of Democracy, tries TO overthrow the
principles Of Republicanism, as protested and acted
upon by Jefferson and Madison" 81 call upon you
to apply TO this Administration all that body of political
truth which you have learned from Henry, from JEFF
ferson, from Madison, from Wythe,' said Mr.. Web.
ster 10 the Yirginians at Richmond. "Support such
measures as Mr. Jefferson would have supported, I"
said the great expounder to the people of Patchogue
"Nr Jefferson has undoubtedly left for the guidance
of his countrymen the purcSt and soundeSt principles
applicable TO THIS subject, (emoval from ohce) said
John Bell in Congress, April, 1910. We have shown
how gross is the injustice to invoke Jeersons autho-
ty for the enormous tyranny that is marking the foot
steps of the Wing administration. We have shown
that Jefferson characterised the political intolerance
that would remove officers by the Wholesale 'as des-
polic as wicked" Every day bears additional evi-
dence that the Wings, who came into power By max
ing solemn professions of Jeffersonian Democracy,
wanonly disregard its principle they have attained
their object. Let apply the Jetersonlan "touch-
stone once more to Wing principles of removals
We have alluded 10 of Jetferson's acts IN case
Of reno al from nflce cite case where Re-
deralst was retained in Office And this, too during
Of great political excitement We refer to the
case of Major Gibbon, the Collector at Richmond,
Virginia. During Aaron Burr's celebrated trial in
1907, party spirit high; and application was made
to Jefferson for the removal of Gibbon, who a
warm Federast In addition TO his political heresies,
it was alleged that Major Gibbon was in communica-
ton with Burr The following extract from letter
dated July IL, 1907 shows the manner in which JEFF
ferson replied TO the clamors of the ''spoils men,
"With respect TO Major Gibbon, do indeed recol-
lect that in casual conversation, 1t was said that
he icons home
his house, but it made so little impression on me,
that neither the occasion the person is now recall
lected On this subject, l have often expressed the
principles which act, with wish they might be
understood by the Federasts in office. hare necer
remored a merely because he ,eas Federaiist l
hare cShed them 10 girc rote at an election but
ACCORDING TO their o,on ,cishes But government
could discharge its duties TO the best advantage OF It's
citizens if lis agents in regular course Ut thwart-
ing instead of executing all its measures, and were
employing the patronage and influence OF their ocers
against the government and its measures have only
requested they would be quiet and they would ne safe
Major Gbbon retained his Office.
Jefferson afirms that he nerer removed man from
office merely because he 'ees ttderHtss whai lIoei
his memory pretend TO be carrying out his prin-
cple, in relation TO office holders, making hundreds
Of removals from office!
In making removals, too, not one of which would
come under rule similar to the jefferson adopted
and pracsed upon i; and vast ma ority OF which, It
/
official incumben,s interfering in eectionsin cny way.
Scores of inspectors, lighthouse keepers ooatmen,
post-otce clerks, &c, have been deprived OF their
"liring," their "day bread" BY the Executive The
spoiis docrine,' in Wehs,ers language, has been
actsed, thus far "with remorseess hand. Scores
of individuals have been turned out of Office for no
other reason than because they were Democrats Who
can deny this
But the violations of their pledges by the Wings
made soemnly repeatedly, before the people-pedges
that gained them thousands of votes-constItute a
mockery of principle so glazing as TO demand the Sc
verest censure. Will even the Atlas, which, hereto
FORE has shrunk at nothing that would uphold Its party
deny that these pledges were given These very re-
warded parzan oice-hol who now eSercs
ing the power ofremoval with os'remorseless hand,
even went far as 10 deny the right of the Presden
to remove public officers !! Webster argued agans
the existence Of this power Down TO even the meet
ing of the Richmond Convention, Oct 5, 1910, Webste
continually detained against it, After eulogising Ma
olson, who maintained the true doctrine in relation Il
the power of removal, he said am constrained how
ever presumptuous may be considered, to differ II
relation TO Of his (Madisons) interpretations o
that instrument Uhe Consuton) | refer to The
opinion expressed by him, that the power of remova
from office does exist in the Constitution Us an indie
pendent power. This new born Democrat went on t.
defend his view Of the power Of removal as-ssa powe
which in some instances has been exercised most re
morselessly BY whatever party it is exercised, unless
it be called for by the actual exigencies Of The public
service, Virginia, than any State of the Union
has rejected, disowned, dsavowed the power Of reno
val for opinions sake. cloud cheers) | do honor Il
Virginia in this respect That power has been far les
prac,sed in Virginia than in certain States where the
spoils doctrine is known to be more popular Blu
this power fremoval, sanctioned it is by time, doe
exist and have il exercised in every part of this
country where public opinion tolerated it, with mos
remorseess hand"
| "The power Of removal places the hopes and fears
the living, The daily bread of men at the disposal o
the Executive, and does, thereby, cause vast aug
again, from the very nature of things the Executive
power acts constantly it is always in being-alway'
in the citadel and the lookout, and it has, besides
uniformity of purpose. They who are in, have bu
one object, which is to keep all others out; while
those who not in Office, and who desire change
have variety Of different objects they 10 be
found in different parts of the country. One com
plains Of thing, another of another; and ord nary
there is strict unity of object of candidate; ane
therefore it is, that those welding power within The
citadel able to keep the others out though they
more numerous"
But not only did The men who now so tyrannca
profess Jefersonan principles, repudae the spois
tenn, aud deny the very existence of the power of
mova but also gave solemn pledges TO act for par
ty, but for the country. Columns of such pledges
could be quoted We will now quote but one-tha'
made in the {. Declaration of Principles" made by the
thousands of Wings at the September Convention on
Bunker Hill. This Convention again and again alb
jured party-it "solemnly" invoked "al good men and
true patriots throughout the Union, foregoing all
"