The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-21
THE REPU BLIC.

where 1t was never practised before. But
here let it be noted that Mr.. JEFFERSON
says the impotence of his friends in the
Middle States was most difficult to soothe.
Knowing the special ardor and activity OF
Mr.. JEFFERSON friends in Virginia, it is
very much to be feared that prescription
had its birth there long before the days of
General TAYLOR. SIN most of the States"
writes he to MIR. Short, "no removals took
place but for malversation. In the middle
States the contention had been higher;
spirits Dere more Shavpened and less accom-
modating. Ii was necessary IN these to
practise different treatment, and to mahe
a teao changes TO tranquilize the injured
Party" Surely this sentence is more preg-
nant with prescription for opinions sake
than any thing that has ever entered into
the conception Of this Administration; its
friends do not require prescription to
"tranquillize" them.
But upon another and better principle,
also laid down by MIR. JEFFERSON, they
may still lay claim to fair participation
in the Offices; for in his letter to Mr.. LIN
COLIN he says: ''That the Republicans
would consent to continuation of every
thing in Federal hands was not to be ex-
pected, because neither polite nor just.
Have policy and justice SO completely
changed that the WHIGs should now con-
sent to continuation of every thing in
the hands of the Democrats With all
his moderation, Mr.. JEFFERSON seems to
have been quite relentless. To Colonel
MONROE he writes: 81 have firmly re-
fused to follow the counsels of those who
have desired the giving of Offices to some
of their (Federalists) leaders, in order to
reconcile. | have given, and will give,
only to Republicans" Against the Essex
junto he was implacable. To Mr.. LIN
coin he writes 'While we associate with
us in affairs, to certain degree, the Fed
c.al sect Of Republicans, we must strip Of
all the means of influence the Essex iunto
and their associate monocrats in every part
of the Union" owe are pro
ceeding gradually in the regeneration of
offices, and introducing Republicans to
some share of them. | do not know that
it will be pushed further than was settled
before you went away, except as to Essex
men. | must ask you to make out list of
those in office in yours and the neighbor-
ing States, and to furnish me with ito
The only juntos of any consequence,
since the days Of the "Essex men," are
the Richmond unto, of which the editor
of the ''sole organ" is one of the few sur
vivors, and of which the elite of the dis
tinguished Democrats of Richmond are
the legitimate successors: and the Albany
junto, composed of VAN buren,, Dix,
CRosswELL, FLAGG, and some others.
With the administrations of Mr. MADI-
SON and Mr.. MONROE no comparison need
be instituted. They pursued the course
marked out by Mr.. JEFFERSON. Mr.. AD-
ANS was never charged with prescription
+ and indeed, Notwithstanding what we have
already seen in relation to the "sharpened
spirits" of the Jeffersonians in the middle
States, genuine prescription never had its
rise till the days Of JACKSON; and as he
has supplanted JEFFERSON in the con-
idence and veneration of large numbers
. | of .ba ranrla h. onJ
may have more weight with them. They,
too, will furnish a striking Offset to the
Locofoco charge that General TAYLOR has
I violated his pledges as to non-interfer,
ence with the ofIice-holders.
Many persons and presses of the Oppo-
sition admit that there would be nothing
reprehensible in the policy of the Admin.
istration in regard to removals, but for the
pledges of General TAYLOR. They not
, only make pledges for him of which he
never dreamed, but misinterpret his "gen.
eral declarations and his exhortations tc
h@rmony;" so that at one time they circu.
lated the idle rumor that, if elected, he
would choose his Cabinet from both par
ties. Thus they even hattered themselves
that they were to have a double chance
for the Presidency; their disappointment
may have sharpened their rancor in de
nouncing supposed violation of pledges,
of which their own hopes and fancies were
the only authors. Their wishes alone were
, father to their pretended belief
= Now, their own beau ideal of Roman
virtue, General JACKSON, is the only Pres
ident who has ever gone to the ridiculous
extent TO which they pretend that General
, TAYLOR has committed himself Not that
he put forth any such doctrine, or prac-
tised it, while he was President; but he
did under circumstances calculated to give
the expression Of his opinion all the inhu-
= ence which disinterested patriotism could