The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-13
LETTEn FRoM GOV. yANNEss.

~
We have been permitted to publish the following
letter from the Hon C. p. Van Ness, formerly Min.
ster TO Spain, and more recently Collector Of the
Port Of New fork'1Boston Daily MOI 80
DEAR SIR-I had the honor TO receive some days
ago, your letter inviting me, In behalf Of the Trough
and Ready Association OF Boston, TO attend their
celebration, on the I'D Of February next of the
birthday of the frst Washington and Of the EIcc-
ton Of General Taylor, the second Washington, TO
the Presidency OF the United States
assure you, Sir that feel highly grateful TO the
Association for this invitation as well as 10 your
self for the fatering terms In which you have been
pleased 10 communicate II 10 me; and ! would GER
tainly have answered you sooner but for the reason
that u was delayed until could determine whether
should be able to attend the celebration, which
\ row hope 10 do
II is, Indeed true, that have froin.lhe
nent Of the campaign, advocated the election OF
Gen. Taylor Independently Of party considerations
and am happyto be informed that my course was
Approval by so respectable and intelligent body OF
gentleman as that over which you have the honor TO
! pitsl1c
| A carly as The month OF February last, endea-
vored to show In letter addressed the public the
injurious effects of the existing organization Of par
.es upon all The affairs OF the country both ioresn
and domestic; aad also to prove that the grounds
| upon which two opposing parties were originally
formed had no longer any essential existence,
| AT the same time expressed the confident belief
that the elevation TO the Presidency of Gen Taylor
would produce greater degree Of union and harmo-
ny among the great body OF the people, and inspire
a more general confidence In the management of our
national affairs, than have existed for long time
past.
4 When the old hero was first brought forward us a
candidate for the Presidency he made this decira-
lion; VI ever I'LL that high office, II must be I'M
| rammelod with party obligations or interest OF any
kind, and under none but those which the constin-
ton, and the high interests of the nation u, large,
most seriously and soemnly demand
! And as il can be easily shown, were 1t necessary
on this occasion, that he has never, in all he has
said or written, departed from the true spirit OF
that declaration, there can be no reason for us to
doubt that he irW be- he has declared he noid be
The President Of the whole people, and not merely OF
a parry, @
Bnt, In reference TO this point, many specualions
have been put forth, and the following 9uestions
have been frequently asked II Gen. Taylor means
| not of party, what course will he pursue with re.
gard 10 the offices OF the country? Win he be pro.
| scripture and remove the present Office holders
Or will he turn out no officer except upon good
cause shownl
Without any knowledge OF the views OF intentions
of the General, other than that derived from his pub
honor and Justice, am fully convinced that he dsap.
proves Of the doctrine aud practice Of prescription
and, consequently, that he willmanifest such dsap-
probation by removing from their Offices the larger
portion of those who became possessed Of them
upon the mere ground Of prescription.
Has it not been of the evils of the existing
ganizaton Of parties TO exclude from all particpa-
lion in the honors and emoluments of the public
try, and thus, in measure, 10 treat them as aliens
merely because they had party namel
Well, the new President, on coming into Office
will find all that portion of The people by whom he
has been elected under The ban of prescription and
ipiH he let them remain proscribedl
II those who present in the possession Of the
offices of the country should say that as vacancies
occurred they might be filled from The prescribed
class, let them be met with the authority Of Presi
dent Jefferson whose faithful and exclusive disciples
they and their political friends, claim to be.
tnf haa nEt
Of the merchants of New Haven, in regard to The
moval of the Collector of that Port in the year 1901
will be found the following passages and i is left
10 all honest and candid men to decide how far they
4 are applicable, In principle, 10 the present state Of
things.
"The remonsrance lamenis that change In the
administration must produce one In the subordinate
offices; in other words, that it should be deemed ne
csssary for al officers 10 think with their principals
But on whom does this imputation bear? On those
who have excluded from Office every shade Of opn
ion which was not theirs Or on those who have
been 30 excluded lament sincerely that unGssen-
lial diffclences of opinion should ever have been
deemed sufficient to interdct hafthe society from the
rights and the blessings # self government and 10
prescribe them rs unworthy OF every trust, 1t would
have been TO me circumstance of great relief had
found moderate participation OF office In the hands
of the majority. ] would gladly have left TO lime
and accident TO raise them 10 their just share. But
their total exclusion calls for prompter corrections
shall correct the procedure; but that done return
with Joy TO thut state Of things when the only ques
is he capable; Ia he faithful to The Constitution p
"lfa.due participation of office is a matter ofright
how are vacancies to bo obtained 7 Those by death
are few; by resignation none. Can nny olhc. mode
than that Of removal be proposed? This is painful
office. But 1t is made my duty and meet II as
such"
"Whcn it is considered that during the late admin
israon, those who were not of particular sect of
politics were excluded from all Office; when by
steady pursuit of this measure nearly the whole Off
ces of the United States were monopoized by that
secti when the public sentiment at length declared
ITSELF and burst open the doors of honor and conf
dence TO those whose opinions they more approved ;
was il TO be imagined that this monopoly Of Office
was still to be continued in the hands Of the minor
| typ
But there is still something further, which is wor-
thy of special notice at this time II appears that
The removed Collector at New Haven (hIr Good.
iie.y ad been appointed the close of the pre-
ccding administration; and the following passage
from the same letter of Mr. Jefferson will show what
he thought Of such appointments:
IF tho VIII of the nation, manifested by their cleo
tons calls 10. IN administration Of government ac-
cordng with the opinions Of those elected II for the
fulf!ment Of that will, dspacements are necessary
with whom can they SO justly begin, with persons
appointed In the last moments Of an administration,
not for Its own aid, but to begin career at the
time with their successors, by whom they had never
been approved, and who could scarcely expect from
them cordial co-operation. Mr.. Goodrich was one
of these. Was II proper for him TO place himself In
office, without knowing whether those whose agent
he was to be, would have confidence In his agencyr'
before closing, deem u proper TO remark, that,
in what have said in this letter respecting removals
from Office, do moi mean TO be understood as hav-
ing reference to the smaller Offices throughout the
country, nor to the minor employments in the pub
lie departments at Washington, and In the great
| Offices elsewhere.
have the honor, dear Sir, to remain your friend
and obedient servant,
C.P. VAN NESS.
To B. Hammatt Norton, Esq, President of the
Rough and Ready Association" Boston
- -
The New York Tribune thinks well Of Mr.. Pres.
TONS California Bill
Since Dec I, ls4s one hundred and thirty seven
vessels have sailed for California with 0gs emerants