Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-10-28
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
THE OFFICE HOLDERS AND THE FREEDOM
OF ELECTIONS.

disciples Of Mr.. JEFFERSON, and we shall show that
in assuming to be his disciples, that party are gull
ty of as gross libel as was ever uttered against
public man. Indeed, we do not remember to
have heard of libel of any sort SO unfounded,
unless it be that on the cause of Democracy, which
the same party every day publish, in arrogatng the
name of DEMOCRATS. Their true name is given by
Mr. JEFFERSON Nhimself-MoNocRATs that is, par
tisans of the oae-man poicer.
While his election to the Presidency was still
doubtful, Mr. JEFFERSON thus wrote TO prominent
political friend:
One thing will say that the future, interfrenees
,uh elections, whether Of the State General Governments
by o6cersof the ae should be deemed cause Of remoual
BECAUSE THE coSsTITUrIosAL REMEDY Br THE ELECTIVE
PRINCIPLE becomes nothing if may be smorHEREp By The
enormous patronage Of the General Government"
Letter to Cor. Mexican, February 2, 1901.
The sincerity of this declaration was evinced
shortly after his election by the circular which the
several heads of Departments issued by his order
The President of the United States has seem says that
documsn with dissatisfaction officers of the General Gov
taking, various OCCASIONS active parts In elections
of public unctonaes whether of the General or the State
Governments Freedom of elections being essential to the
Of the same Government vitality cherished by most of
constitutions it is deemed improper for officers depending on
the Executive of the Union to attempt 10 control influence
the free exercise Of the electve right This am instructed,
therefore, to notify all officers within my Department holding
their appointments under the authority Of the President dr.
recy and desire them notify all subordinate to them
rgh Of any officer to giue his rote al elections as quail
fed citizen Is not meant TO be restrained nor, HOWEVER
GWEN shall hare any effect to his prgudce but it is e1
pected that he will not attempt to influence the uofes Of
Others, take any part IN The business Of eeclioneering
THAT BEING DEEMED INCONSISTENT SPIRIT OF
THE CONSTITUTION and his duties to it."
Mess Reg. xxx, 274.
This circular had its effect, for Mr.. JEFFERSON
was known to be man of his word. The abuse
which it denounced was unknown in the times of
himself and his republican successors, MADISON
monroe, and J. Q. ADAMS. On one occasion the
citizens Of Washington, friendly to the reelection
of Mr.. ADAMS, and indignant at the unprncipled
assaults on his Administration, assembled in town
meeting and adopted proceedings expressive of their
sentiments. The meeting was numerous for but
few individuals in this community entertained dil-
ferent sentiments, and appointed committee of Vi
GLANCE and correspondence, consisting of fifteen
on the committee or even present at the meeting.
Such was the reverence in those days for the purity
of elections TSee National MteNigencer of June
5, 1928, for an account of the meeting.
When Gen. JACKSON became President he intro
duced into his inaugural address the following pas
sage:
ssThe demonstration Of pubic sentiment nscnbes
on The list of Executive duties characters lsgbe be
overlooked, the task of reform which will require pae
riy the correction of those abuses that have brought The
patronage of the Federal Government into coi toifh the
freedom Of elections, and tho counteacton Of those
which have disturbed the ighul Of appointment, and
have placed continued power in uniaihui incompetent
hands"
Though this remark involved charge against
president ApAMs's administration which every body
knew to be barefaced calumny, every one had a
right to infer from it that President JACKSON would
not allow the patronage of the Federal Government
to be brought /" into conflict with the freedom Of
elections" But such an expectation was soon dis
appointed. And, on the eve Of the next Presiden-
tial election, Gen. JACKSON being again candidate
we find the Fourth Auditor and the Commissioner
OF the General Land Office begging subscriptions to
Extra Globes, &c. Mr.. CAss, Secretary of War
under President JACKSON, distinguished himself
by electioneering criticism on the decision
of the Supreme Court in the Cherokee case. Pre-
sident VAN buren, came into Office the. professed
imtstor Of President JACKSON; and, for the mo-
dest purpose of promoting his reelection, wrote
his White Sulphur letter, his Cary letter. his Fish
kill letter, &c. and took his four months tour. His
Cabinet, too, were not behind him in initiating their
" illustrious predecessors in this respect and
several of them published electioneering missves.
One Of them, Mr.. GRUMPY, had before made an i'm
pressive commentary, by anticipation, on his own
conduct. When," said he, in the Senate of the Uni
ted dStates Isee an, o6ics-hoider interfering IN elec-
fions, the first idea that strikes me u.s. that HE is
THINKING OF OFFICE AND HIS BREAD, and
therefore an UNFIT ADVISER cf those Dhose only
object is sHe public goOd.'"
The subordinate ofice-holders closely initiated
these great examples. Official elec,oneering, high
and low, was SO fragrant and SO sturdy as to indi-
cate that the evil complained Of by Mr.. JEFFERSON
had increased TO most disgraceful and alarming
extent This and other manifold abuses called
loudly for REFORM real reform /; and il came. Gen.
HARRISON was elected President almost by accla-
nations and that WHO President had been hardly