Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-09-21
RICHM OND, VA.
Friday Morning, Sept. Dist, 1S49.
MR.. PoLK's PRESCRIPTION.

The Democratic papers have affected to rdicue the as
seon that Gen Taylor in the matter of removals from
office, has acted upon the principle of Republication"
adopted by Mr. Jefferson that is of seeing that the party
constituting majority of the people, proved by their
putting the administration into power shall enjoy an equal
share of the public patronage with their defeated oppo
nents. The justice Of the general principle be
gainsaid, and is not, in fact denied but is logically
conended that because Gen Taylor refused to pledge
himself to carry out party schemes he did pledge himself
not to Democrats and therefore he stands before
the country deliberate volator of his solemn pledges
Besides this emnenty conclusive of reasoning the
opposition press declares that the practice OF the present
administration nothing but unmgaed prescription and
that 1t is all mere pretext to talk Of equalization"
When the public be informed of the real state
of things presented Gen Taylor when he came to the
Presidency, the force of the beautifully lavished
upon him, will be justly estimated The proprety of his
course was placed in the dearest light by the President
himself in conversation forced upon him. during his late
tour, by blunt but honest Pennsylvania Democrat 1t
was thus reported
Loco,-You said you should be the President of the
people and not OF party, and that you wouldn't be pro-
scrpve but you've turned out the Dimocras and nobody
else
Gen. Taylor-Who else could turn out? Nearly all
the oceh holders of your party, and of course
desire an equalization II should let your friends have
bing the Wings!
LocoYo a're right, Gineral never thought Of that
bieve the DEMOCRATS did have all the places-hals
tact They first got them from Gineral Jackson
Cen TayIor.-Yes, my good friend, they've had pos
session OF them for nearly twenty years and they ought
to be satisfied with their halt hereafter.
In support of General Tayors statement that he found
all the oceholders Democrats have before us con-
elusive evidence.
correspondent OF the New York Herald recently as
serted that when General Taylor came into office there
were only about ninety Wings office out of nearly
se0en hundred Office holders at Washington; which left
amargn for many more removals than have taken place
The Union, indeed, denied the correctness OF this state
ment, and endeavoured cnch denial by calling for
the of the author This was not given but another
OF the Herads correspondents has substanated the first
statement by giving still better and conclusive evil
dence of the proscripveness Of Mr. Folks administration
He states the names and salaries of ONE HUNDRED
AND FIFTEEN officers in the Treasury Department alone
aoho removed By Mr. Polk for the crime of being
Wings; and nearly all of whom were removed in 1885,
the first year Of his term. As Mr. Polk succeeded
pseudo Democratic, and not Wing President he Of
course, had comparatively but small number OF Wings
IDEAL with, and it may be presumed that by gushing the
Zone hundred and fifteen" he well nigh licked Inc pat,a
Clean The salaries OF the discarded officers averaged
more than one thousand dollars
The comments of the Heralds correspondent upon this
important exhibit strongly put, and we quote them
with the more readiness, well recollect the many
encomiuns which the independent testimonies of that
journal have received from Democratic editors:
Here then (says the correspondent we find no less
than one hundred and fifteen removals from office by Mr.
FOLK, In single department. and that too not after
Wing administration, but Immediately subsequent to an
administration which was substantially Democratic and in
the matter OF distributing offices literally So The result
when Cen Taylor was elected there scarcely
Wmg-one who dared to avow himself sucl,-m office !;
and to bring about equalization it is absolutely ne
ceSsary to remove almost half of the present ncumbens
" course system 50 proscriptve and parzan as that
OF Mr. Polk, filled the offices with whose only claim
were on the score of political service and who would
never have obtained cent Of public money had either
ability or fitness been considered requisite Tocontinue
such men in office would be injustice and injury to
me puone service TO continue the vast disproporon of
offices which existed when the present administration
came into power would be violation of President Tay
ors solemn pledges both before and since his election and
we do not believe that the people will have cause to com
plan OF either We have an abiding faith in the homes
are convinced despite the Misrepresentation and abuse Of
the opposition that they will proceed in the even tenor
OF their way and carry the expectations of the
ny, as we'll in the small matter OF the distribution of Of
hce as the much more important of domestic and
foreign policy