The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-12
THE PATENT OFFICE.

Tho Union has the unblushing efirontery 10 assert
that the Patent Office under the direction Of Mr..
EwBAsK, Is TO be converted, for the first lime In its
history, into political engine 10 appreciate the
value Of this assertion, II must be remembered that
il is signalized by the advent OF the late Commits
sioner Of Patents 10 the editorial chair Of that jour
nall M.,a
The Patent Office 10 be converted into political
engine for the first time In its history, by Mr.. Ew-
BANK Why, il Mr.. BunKE were not one of the edi-
tors of the Union, one could not help coming 10 the
conclusion, that the above assertion intended as
n sarcasm upon his management Of the Patent Office.
1t Is SO notorious, that the whole energies OF the
Office were devoted 10 political and party purposes
by Mr.. BURKE, that man who could be found 10
doubt it, would be considered by inventors either as
ignorant of It's operations or us knave Even du-
ring Mr.. ELLswoRTH's time, the complaint was loud
and long, that the Office was n mere instrument in
the hands.of party, but inventors interests
wholly neglected by him. He did endeavor to be
popular with inventors, and he kept up the business
Of the Office, by compelling the subordlna'es work
extra hours, until their desks were cleared. By the
by, we would here suggest TO Mr.. EwBANK the pro-
priety Of following Mr.. ELLswoRrHs example, until
the untouched mass Of cases now before him shall
be disposed Of The interests and rights Of the in
ventors require that this should be done. But sub
of party designs, under Mr.. ELLSWORTH, 1t was moth
ing compared 10 what it was under Mr. BURKE.
Under the direction Of President Polk he organized
it throughout, with view to partisan efficiency, for
the purpose of making II party engine. Welding q
powerful PEN he constituted himself us the leading
political writer Of the Office. In little while he
drew around him corps of many strong writers.
Mr.. +. g. SMITH, Mr.. SMITH, Mr.. SToueHTos, Mr..
LITTLE, Mr.. SHuGERT, Mr.. ID. WALLACE. All these
gentlemen had been editors or authors, and in addi-
ton to them he had always at his command en-
gaged on transcribng duties, some four six other
talented and shrewd writers. Every appointment
was made with principal reference to the political
abilities Of the appon;ee and the understanding that
they were 10 be useful in furnishing political or
other matter, for The columns of the then mouth
piece of the administration They were n train
band, Iwhose pens always to be busy in doing
something TO promote the government Of the one
man power, misnnmcd the Democracy Leading
off himself, as the avowed author Of his cole
brated antl-aril articles benring the signature of
"Bundccund :" which appeared in the Union, he
consumed his spare time, aided by his editorial corps
in writing editorial articles for the columns
of that paper. The messengers Of the Office had
more 10 do, in running TO ind fro, between the Pa
tent Office and the Union Office, Than they had with
the public business. Mr., BuRKBs style Of writing is
so marked, tlat no Elntl VINO once reads any thlnI
from his pen, can mistake it. There ia venom
u bitterness, n directness about his language that
give peculiar character TO his style "Bundelcund."
is now seen in al he writes or has written. The
time belonging to the public was freely occupied by
Mr. BURKE and his corps Of clerical editors and Mr..
RiTcnE's golden leisure, was almos. daily the fruit
of the exertions and fidelity of Mr.. BuaKE and his
CONDUCTORS The "breaks" of the Patent Office po-
litical engine, were worked with might and main by
the breaksnen and the nozzle was skilfuly directed
by the engineer TO the extingushment Of Wing
fire. whenever one broke ont or gave signs of exist
s ence, for the four long and disastrous years of
Mr.. PoLK's administration. Every facility was
afforded TO his corps Of editors to prepare their mis-
sles upon the Wing party in and out of Congress,
to be hurled through the columns Of the Union and
every indulgence from official labor was extended to
them. The partisan spirit Of the head of the Office
and his employees necessarily spread to and infected
inventors and their agents. and those who were
good and true Democrats, active Democrats could
get their business promptly executed, while those Of
the opposite political faith had to wait the slow turn
of the wheel and to encounter every obstacle to their
success. Such was the Patent Office under Mr..
BURKE,--an out and out political machine. And he
did not work in secret either. He Ind The approba-
lion Of President Polk and the Secretary Of State.
II was by the express desire of Col Polk, that the
"Bund9lcund" papers were prepared, il report
speaks the truth Us we have no doubt it does.
But the Union accuses Mr.. EwiSG with usurpa-
ton, in intimating to Mr.. EwBANK his wishes re-
specting appointments in the Patent office, and
advises Mr.. EwRANK to resist his legal SUPERIOR
II says the late Commissioner allowed no one to
interfere with him in his appointments. Pray, has
Mr.. BURKE forgotten how and why Captain TiT-
CONF was removed by him? Was the removal Of
that gentleman made by Mr.. BURKE, er nero motu
Did not Mr.. BUCHANAN, his legal superior, visit Mr.
BURKE ut the Patent Office and insist that MIR. b.
should remove Capt. TirooMn and put in his stead
Mr. SuvaERr2 Nay, were not all the appointments
nude by Mr. BURKE, made in concert with the views
of the power above him IfMr. BuRKE chooses to
answer these questions according to the truth in
the premises we opine his answers will show, that
the appointing power rested with the head Of the de-
partmcnt TO which the Patent Office then belonged
But be these things as they may, neither Mr.. Ew-
BANK nor MIR. EwiSG is TO be driven from doing
what they Judge they may have power to do in re-
forming the abuses and acceleraling the public bust
ness of that office.
We have no doubt, that Mr.. BunKE feels aggreved
ut his removal from the Patent office. His is IA
ture to be aggrcved nj just such an event, for IL
is MS hard for such mind his is to entertain right
notions respecting public Office, sit is for drunken
doubt, that Mr.. BuRxE feels aggrieyed that any Of
his appointees are removed Their character for Of
fetal qualification, we doubt not, came up, in his
opinion, TO his standard of fitness. The winter can.
not rise above Its fountain and he was responsible
for the execution OF the duties Of his Office he took
such men as he deemed qualified 10 assist him. under
the advice Of his legal superior. Conceding all
these thingsto Mr. BURKE, as Commissioner of Pa
tents, we should like TO know, why he will not
sent to concede the same privileges to MI. EwBAsE
and his legal superior. Does not Mr.. BURKE know
that the law places the power Of choice of subord
nate Offices where 1t places the responsibility for Tho
discharge Of the official duties of the appointing
power7 This is general rule in all governments
What right then has he or any body else to complain
that the appointing power does not fl to confd
the execution Of the official duties II Is charged with
10 him or TO others whom he wouldlke to see elect
fd1 Hs has no RICH, whatever to complain, n,