The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-05-07
ROTATION IN oFFIcE-REMovALs.

ROTATION IN oFFIcE-REMovALs.
Our attention has been called 10 the following
letter by Thomas JEFFERsoS, published in one
of the volumes of his writings. Very few, we
presume, will deny the soundness OF its views,
and all probably will respect the authority The
Republication Of the letter, at this time, Is
thought appropriate. The rule Of action il lays
down in regard to removals from Office could,
doubtless, be very safely adopted by the present
Administration
To Elias ShiPman snd others, committee Of The
merchants If Ner Haren
WAsnsoros, July ~ 1901.
GENTLEMEN,
have received the circumstances you were pleased
10 address to me- the appointment OF Samuel Bishop
10 the Office Of collector oil New Haven, lately vacated
by the death of David Aue4in. The right OF our
fellow represent 70 the public fundionaries
their opinion ON proceedings interesting TO them, u
unauestionably constitutional right, Often useful,
sometimes necessary and will always be respectfully
acknowledged by me.
OF the various executive duties, no one excites
more xous concern than that Of placing the nte-
rests of our fellow-citizens in the hands # honest
men, with rsiandings sufficient for their stations
No duty the same time, Is more dfhcu.t TO fulhl
The knowledge of characters possessed by single
individual H. Of necessity, limited. To seek out the
best through the whole Union, must resort 10 other
information which, from the best OF men, actng dis-
interesedy and with the purest motives ~ sometimes
incorrect In the Of Samuel Bishop However,
the subject of your remonstrance time was tken m
formation was sought, and such obtained could
leave no room for doubt OF his fitness From private
sources it was learned that his understanding was
| sound, HIS inessSy P.sa he character untaineu.
Anu The Offices confded him within his State
nuhlic a the which he "
held by the State in general, and the city ADD town
ship particularly in which he lives. He is aid to Ne
the town clerk, justice Of the peace, mayor OF the
city of New Haven, office held at the vail of the
legislature chief judge of the court of common pleas
for New Haven county, court Of high criminal and
civil jurisdiction, wherein most causes IRE decided
without the right of appeal or review andsoe Judge
Of the OF probaes wherein he sing decides all
questions of wills, settlement of estates, estate and
intestate appoints guardians, settles Their accounts,
and in fact has under his jurisdiction and care all the
property, real and personal of persons dung The
two last Offices in the annual gin OF the legislature,
were given to him in May last Is it possible that
the man TO whom the legislature of Connecticut has
| so recently committed trusts of such dlhcuhy and
magnitude is unfit to be the collector ofthe district
| OF New Haven though acknowledged the same
writing To have obtained all this confidence by along
life OF usefulness II is objected, indee in the
monstrance that he is seventy seven YEARS OF ngei
but at much more advanced age, our Rankin was
the ornament of human nature. He ma, not be able
to perform in person all the details of his ce but If
he gives the benefit of his understanding his in
tegry his watchfulness and takes care that all the
details well reformed by himself lis ssary
assistants all public purposes will be answered The
renionstrance, indeed does not allege that the Office
has been lily conducted, but only appreends that it
nil be 50. Should this happen in event be assured
will do in it what shall be just and necessary for the
public service. In the time, he should be tried
without being prejudged.
The removal it is called Of Mr.. Goodrich forms
has s,f. i.,r
self in favor Of political tolerance, celebrations
harmony and affection in social intercourse and to
respect Tor the equal rights of the Minority, have,
certain occasions, been quoted and miaonstrucd into
assurances that the tenure Of offices be unds
turbed. But could candor apply such construction
II is not indeed in the remonstrance That find il
but it leads TO the explanations which that calls for.
When il is considered, that during the late admins
raton, those who not of particular sect of poll
tics were excluded from all office when, by a steady
pursuit Of this MEASURE nearly the whoe offices Of the
United States were monopoised by that sect when
the public sentiment at length declared itself, and
burst open the doors of honor and confidence those
whose opinions they approved, was it TO be
imagined that this monopoly OF office was still to be
continued In the hands of the mnoriyl Does it yo-
late their equal rights to assert some rights in tho
orty also Is it political intolerance to claim pro-
9ri'nnate share in The direction of the public Affairs
Gan tney not hdrmonise In society unless they nave
every thing in their hands II the will OF the
nation manifested by their various elections calls Tor
an administration OF government acroIois with the
opinions OF those elected IT, for the fulhlnent OF that
will, displacements necessary with whom
they so justly begin with persons appointed in the
last moments of administr ration for its aid
but TO begin Mt the time with their
cessors, by whom they had been approved, and
who could scarcely expect from them cordial co-ope-
ration !! MIR. Goodrich was one of these. Was
proper for him to place himself office without know
ing whether those whose agent he to be would
have confidence in his agencyl Can the preference
nf tharo tbaa har Ilu
called removal of Mr. Goodrich Ii due partici-
patton of office is a matter of right, how vacancies
TO be obtained? Those by death few by resg
nation none. Can any other mode than that of reno
val be proposed This is painful office, But it is
made my duty, and meet it such. proceed in
the operation with elaboration and inquiry, that
may ure the best men least and effect the purposes
Of justice and public utility with the least private dis
ress that it may be thrown, much possible, on
delinquency, on oppression, intolerance, on ante
revolutionary adherence to enemies.
The remembrance laments that change in the
administration must produce change in the subord-
nate officers in other words, that should be deem
ed necessary for all officers 10 think with their princ
pal But whom does this imputation bear Z On
those who have excluded from office every shade of
opinion which was not theirs Or on those who
have been excuded2 lament sincerely that unes
sental differences of opinion should have been
deemed insufficient to interJct half the society from
the rights and the blessings OF self government TO
prescribe them unworthy Of every trust 1t would
have been to me circumstance of great relief had
found moderate participation of Office in the hands OF
the majority. would gladly have left TO time and
accident to raise them to their just share Bot their
total exclusion calls for prompter corrections shall
correct the procedure but that DONE return with JOY
to that state Of things when the only questions con
corning candidate shall be, Is he honest Is he ca
pabe Is he faithful to the constitution
tender you the homage of my high respect.
TIL: JEFFERSON
We publish the following from the Portsmouth co.
Tribune, at the request of correspondent. Our
respondent says The Madisonian, is paper highly