Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-04-20

thus account, they obtain favor from many who ale
disposed 10 help them in their mslorunes. Now, ex-
pediency, if not justice, seems 10 require that such
men should not be employed in the service OF the TO-
vernment and especially in the management OF money
lis it not reasonable TO infer, that men VINO nave
been unable TO husband their resources VIII, IKE
wlse manage badly, when portion of the funds OF
the nation is committed 10 their charge II Is sao,
that Edicdrd Curtis, the new collector OF Tue port VI
New York, goes into office with unsatished Judgments
against him, from court OF record, amounting "
than one hundred thousand dollars ne 100 -
have the collection of half OF our Nai'onai revenue:
The place could not have been gwen nun o" account
of his merit-ior there were many aPpe"n's who pos
sessed double the bus ness talent, u'a 1o"'e Tue PPu
l,r;,v with the citizens 1t bestowed npon HIM
h,, ba ,;uhi mend his fortune. This IS but single
instance others there are, perhaps stll more striking
Will the people sanction such appointments ohaN
the offices in the Governments gut be looked upon as
mere sta for uuarerng needy parlzans and men who
have not the industry and energy OF character to work
for nm honest livelihood: The practice OF every Ad
ministraton appointing its friends TO ONCE mas seldom
been objected to- because, IN most cases. men enough
are to be found in every party who are capable OF puo
lie duties This admission however, does not sanction
the doctrine that opponents should be removed to make
way for partisan friends. Ii we establish 1t as rule
that every President must turn out hls political
no one could tell of the consequences likely TO result to
the country from the degeneration Of public morality
and the subversion of all principle in party contests
Ii the Federal officers given to understand that
change of the Administration must bring them certain
dismisson what will prevent them from neglectlng their
proper and interfering electons' lthey
nav the same attention to the details Of business and the
ACQUISITION of experience, if they know that their en-
poy ments are last but seaSon-hat they are liable
10 removal not for neglect of duty but for political OPT
MONS Who will be the chief actors in our Presi-
dental contests if such 10 be the OF the Ike
cutve: The plain is, the ofceholder and the
seekers. 1t is, then, vain to attempt to sustain
the doctrine that must be turned out OF Office Tor
opinions sake. The intelligent portion OF the COM
mun;ty needless of facton will frown down the prin-
cple and seek 10 know which party has done most TO
| countenance its practice.
Ii not purpose to go BACK 10 the hrst accession
of Gen Jackson to the Presidency, when many reno.
walls were made. Now, when those Gays are iohs past
and We look ut their incidents with an imprisoned spl-
ri we are compelled 10 dissent from some Of the acts
then performed. Gen. Jacksoms warmest friends ad-
NIT that, with the best of motives he made some I'M
proper removals. And yet how seldom were they made
without cause assigned il is said, too, that more men
have been ousted during the short period the new
Wing Administration came into power, than were dur
ing jackson entire term
The administration of MARTIN VAS BrKES, in re-
5 laon 10 removals from office, has been indeed most
exemplary It's opponents cannot prove single case
of prescription They cannot bring forward an IN
stance where he removed incumbent, unless the
cause and that good one was apparent to every DIS
corning mind OF the few individuals removed, near
important Burcaux in Washington occupied by
Wings without The least dspos ton being manifested
by the President them and Is notorious,
that about one half of The Clerks III the Departments
have always been opposed the Administration under
which they held their Offices. In various parts OF the
country post Offices and colectorshps have been con-
tinually held BY Wing partizans-Mr. v B. having al
WAYS rebuked such Of his friends as spoke TO nun OF re-
moving political opponents Now that he mas iala down
his public honors and cannot be advanced by the con-
tentons of parties Wing magnantm,tg should at least
do hir the Justice wipe from his cscutcheon the sin OF
prescription We all remember the vehement, not to
, say eloquent and just, Ph,ppes poured iorth against
this heresy precious The Presidential election Every
man of the party that carried the Administration
into power was ready denounce the doctrine, and
declare his willingness TO break off from any party at
tempting 10 put II in practice he Wings, great ana
small leaders and log cabin boys all in one mass, vowed
never to submit to prescription. Even JAMES LYoss,
The DISTINGUISHED Senator from Richmond declared on
the floor the Senate, late February last, that he
was opposed TO all removals for difference Of opinion
How has this party, eplete with pledges and
promises 10 do good, complied with the obligations
contracted to performs: Where is the fufment Of those
blessed hopes under which many OF the honest yeo-
manry of the country were induced to cast their sui
frages in favor of our present rulers:
> Ii may suit the purposes OF those wretched hacks
and tools Of party whose conscences are worn thread
bare to deny, that prescription has been practiscd by
Messrs Webster u Co. since their accession but, 10
their credit be it said many Of the Wings have not been
have been perpcraed under the constitutional name Of
; Reform Officers who have held their places without
complaint from any one, have been elected without
ceremony and without cause. Nor have the removals
been confined 10 important revenue officers merely but
clerks and sub. clerks inspectors and lighthouse keep
ers have been struck at BY dozens Men have been
er6ced against whom the suspicion OF fault had never
been raised
i In considering the removals already decreed,
naturally led TO inquire into the motives which most
'Inroh brouC
least, attempt 10 find some preext tor acts apparently
wrong The only grounds on which the friends OF
"change in the officers of the Government have en-
deavored to justify such acts are incaPasy the prac-
lice Of interfering in eeetions and being appointed al
the expense of a prescribed predecessor. Now let US
see whether those whose Offices have been taken away
can be generally charged with any Of these objections
ls As to ineapaey and neglect OF Duty 1t IS noto-
rious that the removals already made have not been
on this score Indeed, this reason has seldom II ever
been urged in any individual case-or, with all their
hardihood of assertion and accusation the prosecutors
could not deny that many Of their victims were able
aud efficient officers, attentive 10 business, and
admirably suited to their places by their skill and
experience. Their seems to have been TO get
rid of the best officers, whilst The gulllotine was
in full sweep, and leaving the less noted for
future day, when charge can be brought
against them. 2dly. As to Interference in clecOns:
This reason was plainly not acted on. Many Demo
Gratis have been turned out who have not attended
political meeting or written party essay for years
Men who have claimed the privilege Of citizens by CIV
ing simple votes at elections, without exertng them.
selves for any party whatever, have been cashiered
upon the charge OF interfering in politics. In Wash.
ngton, too, where there no elections to NEEDLE
with, numerous clerks have been dismisscd-clerks
who even if they had the disposition, unable to in
dite tolerable newspaper paragraph And of the nu
merous Wings who have all along been in Office, and
who have not scrupled TO exert all their influence in the
cause Of their party, who has heard Of solitary
val among them for violating this regulation Is this
complying with the golden rulc2 We suppose, how
ever il is not to be considered fault for Wing office
holders electioneer Democrats and Wings not one
peuple with the same common country, and governed
by the same laws One rule needed for them, and ano
Their for the Wings What poor devils the Loco Focos
must be- 3dly Appointsenfto The place of prescribed
predecessor 1t is remarkable fact that of the officers
alleged 10 have been appointed by Jackson and Van Bu
rem 10 ill the places Of others whom they prescribed,
very few, mere HANDFUL, have been removed, and in
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