The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-05
REMOVALS FROM OFFICE.


ardor of his patriotism.
REMOVALS FROM OFFICE.
We are aware that it is most difficult for in
dividuals who are removed from office, not
re.appointed at the expiration Of term, to ap
preciate fully in all cases the propriety of the act
to ascrbe it to the true motives that influence
the appointing power in it. 1t is almost as diff
cult for the devoted and Jealous friends of such
individuals, as for these individuals themselves,
to do the Executive justice in such cases. Ne
vertheless, it ought to be understood, at least SO
far as President TYLER's administration is con-
cerned, that every removal from Office does not
imply defalcaton of official duty on the part of
the removed, and much less does it partake Of
prescription for opinions sake. Cases occur
where men of the highest official fidelity, COM
bned, too, with a most friendly regard for the
well being of the Administration, have held
their stations for long series OF years. and also
cases where the incumbents either have accu-
mulated, or have enjoyed the opportunity of &C
cumulatng, in the public service reasonable
competency of this worlds goods wherewth to
bar the approach of adversely in private life and
is it singular, oppressive, or prescription, that
a necessity is felt by the appointing power for
their retirement in order to admit of the gratf-
cation of laudable ambition in others (not their
superiors and claiming only to be their equals,)
to partake the honors and share the emoluments
of such trusts?
Surely reflection must satisfy every mind
that, in community like the American
people, where industry enlarges capacity so
undoubtedly, and where capacity is left free
to struggle for and obtain its merited exatation,
regardless Of the gradations from which 1t start
ed, or through which it has assembled, nothing
would be more at war with the genius of our in
situations, or more dscouraging to honorable
ambition, than to allow official fidelity alone to
be made the apology for monopoly OF public
trusts by the few who are at any particular
juncture in the enjoyment of them.
1t should be borne in mind by the nation, that
official fidelity among an intelligent and patriotic
people is not so quality, or much Of an
anomaly, as to deserve to be signalized by
perpetual reward of Office, and implying that
those thereby excluded are of less certain merit
On the contrary, the sentiment should prevail
that every man who has held office long enough
to establish, on firm basis, reputation for Off
cial integrity and capability, has already partak-
en- of the public patronage more largely and for,
tunately than the generality Of his countrymen,
however deserving, will ever have the opportu
nifty of doing, and regardless of the fact whe-
Their he has made much or little otherwise from
the emoluments of his station. Such one
suffers in fact, no personal injustice if required,
at any time, to give way to some other compe-
tent citizen to enjoy like privilege.
If the removal be for crime, or a dereliclion of
duty, then certainly no cause of complaint exists,
except in the nature of sef-reproaches. To feel
that there can be a necessity for excusing the
ejectment Of such from office, would be to insult
the moral sense of the nation; and yet there
will be such in Office at all times, rendering the
most vigilant efforts Of the experimenting au-
thority necessary to ferret them out, and effect
their expulsion. Honor attaches to the retire
ment of the honest, capable and faithful man
from office, whether that retirement be volunta-
ry, or involuntary Shame attaches only to the
retirement of him who is displaced for incompe
tency, infdelity, or abuse of his station. The
former seldom card to complain of personal
injustice, or prescription, IN the change. The
latter are the class who are the noisy beligerent
dealers of invectlve against the power that has
caused their removals and they generally act
under the impulse of covering up their own loss
of character and of public confidence by clouds of
detraction against those who have been nstru-
mental in bringing them to justice. There is
enough good sense among the people to mark
well and appreciate the distinction here define
ated and the principles we have advanced on
the subject of removals, cannot fail to commend
themselves to the rejecting portions of all par
ties.
To ask the Executive of popular Govern
ment to uphold and strengthen the influence for
evil by continuance in office of men who are |
daily poisoning the minds of their fellow citi
zens with suspicious, reproaches, nvective, and
SANDER against himself or the men and mea.
sures of his Administration, is to ask human