The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-29
Com M UNIC ALTON s.
REPLY FROM A CoRREsPoNDENT.

REPLY FROM A. CORRESPONDENT.
Our readers who have seen the two cards Of MIR.
Seaton in the columns of the "Union," will no
doubt do our correspondent the justice TO peruse
the following reply from his pen. OF the facts TO
which he refers we have, of course, no personal
knowledge But the wing administration of the
metropolis must have been inspired by a modera-
ton very unusual to of the wing cities in the
United States, il they have not been affected by
spirit Of favoritism to their own political friends
and spirit of prescription towards their opponents
[EDrroR.
WAsHMsroN CITY, July %, lo45.
To the Editor Of the Union:
The notes Of COL w. w. Seaton, mayor OF this
city, published in the Union Of the Oath and 25th
inst, compel me to trouble you again, IN order that
the public mind may be relieved from any wrong inn
pressions made by the dgnifed and truly eloquent
assertions Of that gentleman upon the points in issue
between us. IL may here be well TO assure him that
commented upon his administration Of the official
patronage of this city with great reluctance because
from early infancy to the present time, have al
ways had reason TO regard him with respect and es-
TEEN, as one among the best friends Of those who
were nearest and dearest to me. The provocaton,
however, to hold him. as a politician up to the public
what believed to be the path Of duty, and my pri-
waite personal predictions found him. as an edi-
tor Of the National Intelligencer diligently laborng
to asperse not only the acts but the motives OF the
administration, by series of esucal misrepresen-
tatons, calculated to create want Of confidence IN
their policy, and in the integrity of their principles
To counteract these, it became necessary to show
that he had not only formerly sustained the identical
policy and measures which he is now unfairly en-
deavorng to fix upon them but that he practises, at
Al ka..,. H. lpdI
condemned. To do this, quoted from the lntelli-
gencer of the 2lst April 1S4l, to give the public to
understand what his sentiments had been and also
instanced what then conceived TO be true-namely,
that Office within his gift was held by democrat.
And again, after he had designated the list of corpo-
ration officers for the next official year, stated that
| had been informed that but one of the gentlemen
thus renominaed politically friend of the pres
ent administration and characterized such dstribu-
ton Of his official patronage vile and rank pro-
scrp,ion Col Scaton meets my positions in the first
instance, by plump (and, you must pardon me for
adding, unmannerly declaration of their asehood
though acquits you, and "possibly" myself, from
knowledge that they were without foundation; and
asserts that his renominees were not selected upon
principles of prescription or ayoritism-adducing
in evidence the fact that he had found almost all OF
them in Office five years ago, when first called to
the mayoralty of Washington: upon all of which,
backed by multitude of protestations, he bases the
plea that he is no proscriptionist He moreover as
sers (and here you will take notice that he merely
asseris,) upon what he is pleased to term ''demo-
cratic authority" that a considerable number OF
corporation officers were democrats. These are the
issues as to fact between us; and, though | shall
frankly admit my error IN stating that but one OF
his renominees is an avowed democrat, do moi
hesitate to join issue with him upon the gst of the
questions viz: that he has prescribed his political OPP
ponents-that he has practically advocated the doc
trine Of proscription-and that his administration oil
the corporation patronage amounts to what he now
wishes the country to regard as an unfair and un-
just exclusion Of opponents from public employ
ment was originally led TO declare that but one
Of his renomnees was a democrat, from the best
evideEce within my reach--the opinion OF three oil
my political friends most active in city affairs
Since the appearance Of Col. Seaton's first letter
however, have consulted ten or twelve persons
most likely to know the political bias of every mar
in the employment of the corporation, and learr
that three-Mr. Hilton, wood-measurer; Mr.. Ser
rim, clerk of the Western Market; and Mr.. Barret
a constable--are open and apotced democrats Thre,
in sixty-whose aggregate compensation will hard
ly reach more than one-fortieth Of the whole sun
received by the mayors renomineesi Can Colone
&Seaton, on democratic authority" designate more
II so then LET him g0inl Afm 0ptn TheF 5 Ks S;
possibly be democrats. The proof however, rest,
with Col. SeaioD. And if he proves t. what doe.
he substantate, but that the democratic party arr
permitted to enjoy ons-tenth of the corporation
Offices and not one-t,reneih Of their aggregate com
pcnoauouA let, upon buCn premises, ne tnStnttdSe,
that his patronage Is pretty evenly divided between
his political friends and opponents. The next issue
between us Is the question, whether, when possess
ing the power 10 divide the Offices more equally his
neglect TO do upon the plea that this injustice has
been of long standing, exonerates him from the
charge OF prescription at the time being. If patient
and silent endurance Of foul wrong for long series
OF years, makes that wrong right, then is Col. Sea-
ton exonerated but otherwise; for il rested with
him, on the first day of the past month, to say
whether this state of things should longer exist OF
not and he decided to continue it, know well, that
II he undertakes to reply to me, he will argue tha
prescription alone consists in removing present in
cumbents, without regard to the fact that the cir
cumstances of the those Of the prescription
of almost total exclusion. He may write unit
doomsday without being able TO argue away the
fact, that the fact implies prescription of the foul
est kind Knowing that the public rarely fail tG
take sound common-sense views Of such matters,
leave him to direct his battery of sophistry agans
the charge that his late denominations were pro
scrptve. But Col. Seaton essays to justify his ex
clusion of republicans from Office under the corpora
ton, with the plea that democratic predecessor had
originally appointed some of The incumbents, and
acquiesced in the continuance in Office Of the others
This position forces to refer the history OF the
administration ofthe predecessor 10 whom he alludes
to show that notwithstanding his present protesta-
tons, Col. Seaton himself, backed by subservent
majority of the board Of aldermen, forced acquies-
cence on the mayor. Does he forget the effort OF
General Van Ness (who, by-the-by, was not elected
on party gronnds) to place democrat in the corpo-
ration collectorshp, now held by Mr. Rothwell
Having determined to displace Mr.. Joseph Ingle,
a wing, he nominated Jonathan Phillips in his
stead. Col. Seaton, then the leading wing in the
board Of aldermen, threw his weight against the
nomination, and it was rejected three several times
When General Van Ness found that the board were
determined, under no circumstances, to confirm Mr.
Phillips, he nominated Mr.. Samuel Stettnius, an.
other democrat, who was also rejected and tn,
name Of a third democrat, Mr.. John J. M. Duncan
son--a man of character and intelligence-was mex
to the board for the same office but under the
lead Of Col. Seaton, his nomination was rejected
In all, l believe, seven--certainly six-democrats
were nominated by the mayor for the Office befor,
the wing board of aldermen were pleased to confirm
the present incumbent, Mr.. Rockwell. Nor would
they accept him, until after he had publicly dis-
claimed all connection with the democratic party
In the face of the history of these nominations and
the fact that Col. Seaton himself headed the whie
majority Of the board Of aldermen in voting down
by strict party vote, other efforts of General Van
Ness to place democrats in corporation offices, in