The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-08
From the New York Tribune, June g.
EXECUTIVE REMOVALS..

journals now complaining Of the removals
from Office being made by the President and
his Cabinet -''By what course shall we who
loathe this quadrennal overturn of post
masters, tide taiters, &c. put an end to
it, Hon shall we prescribe prescription
You cannot seriously contend that we are to
do it by continuing in office those who got in
by prescription, thus offering to the cham
pons of the Spells doctrine a virtual mo-
nopoly Of the offices at all times, whether
their party be triumphant or defeated.
How, then, according to your Judgment,
shall We act when in power to bring the
government back to the principles and
practices Of its earlier and purer days"
We made these inquiries in good faith, but
can elicit no answer Even the Union,
which can spare two columns to the lament
ations Of single clerk over the loss Of a lat
berth, cannot give us half column on this
interesting theme. Its single-stringed vio-
lin croaks ever to the dolorous twang that
Wings ought not to remove their opponents
from office because they the Wings, not
their adversaries profess to condemn pro-
scription. No; there is single quaver in
its tune, implying that Gen. Taylor ought
not TO remove because he declared himself
no party man, and said he had no friends to
reward, no private purposes to accomplish
no enemies to punish. We believe the
complaint 'hath this extent no more
Now it is no part Of our business to vindi-
cate the consistency of Gen. Taylor or the
wisdom Of his no-party professions. We do
not doubt their honesty, but we were never
deeply impressed with their prolundity.
No President OF the United States is likely
soon to be elected without determined
struggle, and not many a successful candi-
date for that station can be expected to re-
gard with equal favor those who devotedly
supported and those who vehemently OPP
posed his election. 1t may be in human
nature to do so, but that particular sort of
human nature will generally stand good
way of from the Presidency II candi-
date were really understood beforehand to
promise to bestow official trusts as freely on
his adversaries as on his supporters, we APP
prehend that the distributing and other
electioneerng appliances on his side would
be rather carelessly attended to in some
quarters. But this we are sure Gen. Tay-
lor never meant, and was never really I'M
derstood as declaring. That he intended to
temper the asperities of party warfare, and
to disregard bygone differences Of sentiment
efaced by present accord, we believe, and
we doubt that he ever intended much more
than this But let this be as it may be.
We never laid stress on Gen. Taylor's pc
culiar notions on this subject, nor asked
votes for him on the strength of them. We
had heard Of such before
But to return to the main question:
How shall we prescribe prescription Show
US a practicable escape from it. We ear
nestly, anxiously desire to see an end put to
these mercenary scrambles for Office. They
are unutterably loathsome to every consid-
crate patriot. They exhibit nothing like
ambition, in the better sense Of that word,
but only mean, selfish, indolent desire to
get money without working for ito enjoy
without producing--or at best to get more
for services than they will fetch in the mar
ket of fair and equal competition, Most men
seek Office nowadays because they want to
live well and not work hard-like good din
ners but hate blowing and mowing--want
green peas with their mutton, but hate to
hoe in the garden before breakfast There
are manyinstances we well know, in which
men seek official posts from sheer lack Of
occupation or Of ability TO live by rugged la
bor-men who have lost limbs or, having
large families, can find no work that will
give them decent subsistence. These de-
serve compassionate are not so sure that
they deserve Office. 1t is public duty to
give them work suited to their capacities and
needs-but offices were not created for this
end, and cannot be SO multiplied as TO effect
it. And, with regard to the great mass who
seek Office on the accession Of any party to
power, it is consoling reflection that not
one tenth of them can get it. 4
We have no tears for those doomed by
turn Of the political wheel to go out Of office.
We never could squeeze out tear Of com
passion for the sorrowing victim who, alter
having enjoyed the emoluments Of public
station for some years, is made to give place
to another. If the Office were desirable, he
has had at least more of its advantages than
his equal share as one Of the people III
to hold il involve sacrifice, he has endured
his part, and ought 10 be relieved. If there
is any crying to be done in this case, let him
do It himself-at all events, he can have no
help from this quarter
But we do lament the necessary effects Of
this general scramble on the character OF our
people and the probable destinies Of our eoun-
try. II is debasing. ltdemoralizes in turn
all parties and tants the whole sphere Of poll
tics with corruption. Men who, but for the
hope Of appointments, would never NEEDLE
with public affairs at all, become ,wire-work-
ers and sub-eaders Thousands, having
sunk all idea Of public good in the contem-
plation Of personal chance for Office, are
ready to lie, TO cheat, to forge, in order TO
secure the triumph OF their party And, in
the nature Of things, the tendency is ever
from bad to worse. There are twenty men
seeking office for the profit Of it day where
there was one thirty vparS unn Nh nnfnrie-