The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-06
From the Richmond Republican.

The ire displayed by the Washington Union and
its political associates at the comparatively few
movals made by General Taylor, is in laughabe
contrast with the tone held by those very journals
soon after Mr.. Polk came into office. An Ameri-
can who had been absent from this country for one
year past, and who, upon arriving on our shores,
should be told that the Washington Union was de-
nouncing prescription, would receive the intelli-
gcnce with derisiye sneer of incredulity as one
Of those miserable attempts at hoax which did not
deserve the dignity of reply. If the statement
was grayely repeated and the individual who made
il appeared % be person of sane mind our travel
Ter would perhaps condescend 10 accompany his
informant TO some library, and, referring to the
files of the Union read him the following, among
others of the same sort, which appeared in the Gov
eminent organ soon after the Inauguration of Mr..
Polk
"Al the offices held at the will of the Executive
are supposed by the Constitution to be reached by
the renorating principle IN the election Of euery
Chief Magistrate Ii he be chosen by the people To
change the principles and measures of his prede-
cessor in the conduct of the Government to reform
abuses and put it on new tack, he has the potoer
mainly through changing its agents The sailing of
the ship Is not less in the hands of those who trim
the sails than in his who holds the helm. Hence,
as 1t is supposed the people, in choosing new Pre-
sident may choose new direction for the public
affairs, he has co,fe upon him the unlimited po,oer
Of changing the men through lrhom they are managed.
On his induction into office every head of depart
ment resigns, matter of course, his commits
sion; and this act of the first unctonary of every
class of public service is in effect to say that every
place under them isvacant if the President chooses
so to consider it. No subordinate officer holds his
place but by permission equivalent TO reappoinf
msnf, and the true theory of our Government in
regard to the subsidiary Executive functionaries is,
that none should be permitted TO remain, on, in other
ioords, be reappointed, whom the President would
not under the circumstances attending each case,
appoint to office. He is just responsible for retain
ing rs for appointing"
Here, no doubt, the newly arrived American
would think he had his opponent on the hip. And,
if this did not suffice he would direct his attention
to the following resolution of the Pennsylvania
Democratic State convention, the proceedings of
which this same Union published with pleasure on
the Sth of March, 1917:
''Resolped, That the remOcdl from the pariOus Of
fees at Washington OF EVERY OPPONENT OF THE
TIoNAL ADMINISTRATION, or of Democratic prirci-
piles and measures has been long called for and is
alike demanded by the voice of the Democratic
party and the best interests of the country, and
ought not to be longer postponed or delayed"
And yet our traveller would be speedily hoored;
for his comparison, turning over the files of the
Union to lS49, would show him those daily and pit
eous outcries under the head of "The Gulotine,"
''The Axe" &C., in which the Union denounces its
doctrines devices of the evil one; abuses and
mathematics its own principles and policy; in
hicts severe lagellation upon its own hide; and
beats the Kilkenny cats all hollow for it fights with
and fairly swallows itself.
If lit was right and proper that Mr.. Polk, who
came into power after his party had held the reins
OF state with but little interval for sixteen years,
and when consequently but few Wings were left in
otfice-if, we say, 1t was right that Mr. Polk, I'M
der such circumstances, should make clear sweep,
why should General Taylor be blamed when,
coming into government from which the Wings
have been so generally excluded for nearly quar-
ter OF century, he appoints some of them TO Officer
But he said he would be the President of the peo-
pie. And pray, are the Wings no part of the peo-
pie, The truth is, Mr.. Polk made the same promise
as General Taylor. He said and over again
hot ..p ha q, 4
not of party. So did General Jackson Yet both
these gentlemen thought there nothing incon-
sistent in this declaration and their wholesale
course of removals course which was applauded
TO the echo by the present denouncers Of General
Taylor as the height of wisdom, justice, and patri-
otism.