Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-06-14

turday last the following publication, to which, and
particularly to the passages which we have empha-
sized, we invite the special attention Of our readers
cat meeting Of the UNION DEnocR,rIc ASSOCIATIONS
GEoRoETowN, d. c., held in .OJd-F Saloon June
6th ls45 the following preamble and resolutions
nimousy adopted
Whereas Messrs. Phillips Minor two of the Inspec
Of the Penitenay this District lately appointed by the
Secretary of State whom they had been represented
nchng and sterling Democrats by their conduct in elecing
avowed and known Federal Wing the Office Of Clerk OF
that institution in preference several Democratic candidates.
all Of whom at least equally worthy and qualified, have
forfeited the confidence Of the Democratic citizens Of thstown
rfcrrf5re, be
sResolved That it is with feelings Of deep regret
constrained thus early express decided Misrepresentation
an official acf on the part Of those from whom zoe had
right 10 expect different result and to them,
no. for having proved deec and receant to the
professions of their political faith and the trust reposed in them
as Democrats by Democratic Administration.
Resoed, That the Of conduct pursued by e
ow-townsman, Mr. Richard jones' he other inspecor who
by his vote sustained the application Of meorous and
peent Democrat for said appointment merits and receives
it deserves, our decided and entire appreciation
sResoped That copy Of these proceedings be signed by
the President pro and Secretary of this Association, and
sent the Secretary Of State, and published in the Washing
ton Union and United States Journal.
"CHARLES F. SANGSTER,
g President pro tenn,
Taos. S. KISG, Secretary"
Regarded merely as natural consequence of the
establishment of school of politics having for its
basis the maxim, borrowed from the corrupt age of
Roman history, that ito the victors belong the
spos, this insolent claim of petty Office by the
followers of the lately successful party would excite
merriment or contempt only, according to the dis
position of the reader to derde or to despise the
follies of the day. The persons whose Indignation
it ought most to provoke those in authority in
the Government, Of whom these organized juntos
of the Democracy" undertake to demand even the
most Insignificant empoymens of the Government,
on the penalty of being denounced by public
proclamation for any preference which may be
shown by them qualifications for office over mere
camorous pretensions to it. That the high officers
OF the Government have enough Of self-respect to
treat as they deserve such barefaced attempts at
dictation, officially addressed to them, we are will
ing believe, until it shall appear the contrary.
That is, however, a matter chiefly between them
and those whose continued support is to be pur-
chased only by sacrifice Of honor and indepen-
dence too great to be made, we should suppose, for
so small consideration.
Upon this general subject we meet in the papers
of the day the following remarks, from a source
friendly to the Administration, which may well be
approved by sensible and disinterested men of all
parties:
.The Charleston Mercury thus comments on
the rumors that Mr. VAN NESS is TO be removed
from the Collectorship of New York: We are
sorry hear of such determination, not because
we care more for Mr.. Van Ness than the man in
the moon, but because each new removal is rivet-
ING more strongly upon the country the tyranny
.of party prescription. Both the papers we have
quoted seem to allow that the party, and not the
President is to decide who shall be elected from
office. By the same rule they ought to decide
who is to be appointed and thus the constitutions
al duties of the President of the United States are
devolved upon mob in each town. led on by the
oflice-seekers themselves. We know that none
but the latter would take the trouble to lead in
such work. And who is to be responsible for the
character Of the men thus iegitimately raised to
Office The party, we suppose. And this is
what is called living under Government of law !
II is Lynch law, established not among the rude
unorganized pioneers, but at the seat of Govern
ment, overshadowing the Constitution and disor-
ganizing the first and most sacred principles Of
our system"
But there is more important aspect in which
the above proceeding, as a trait Of the times-a
type Of the daily issues from similar associations
in dieren Partsof the country, but naturally most
obnoxious here, on the very verge and precincts Of
the Court and Cabinet, whom they are intended to
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES very serious consideration
1t is fact, too familiar to our readers for us Ia
more than recall II to their memory that the sangui
nary atrocities and dire prescriptions of the French
revolution, so far from being attributable TO the
mass or any considerable portion of that prea,
people then struggling for freedom, even of those
who represented them in the constituent assemblies,
were exclusively chargeable to the Jacobn Clubs OF
Associations, by whose decisions and actions those
Of the constitutional and even popular assemblies
were dictated, controlled, and finally overruled,
when Paris became scene of horrors which gra-
dually extended itself until it included the whole
country in one wide field of moral desolaton.
II was by these Clubs that prescriptions were
made, followed by arrests, mock trials, and instant
executions, until, maddened with the scent Of blood
and ravenous for slaughter, even these expeditions
forms of law, though begun, concluded, and con-
summated in single hour, became too tedious, and
an ndiscrminate massacre Of all persons arrested
on suspicion of "moral treason superseded all the
mockcry Of law by which single murders wero per.