The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-23
HE REPU BLIC.
WASHINGT
MONDAY MORNING. JULY %. ls4s.
THE PUBLIC OFFICES.
What Is the duty OF the Administration IN
regard TO removals.

Tc8uTO 10 IchONASs
The public has been RECALLED, from time
to time, with communications addressed
to the President and members of the Cabi-
net, through the columns of the Union, by
office-holders who have been dismissed the
service. The temper and substance of
these precious specimens of epistolary
composition have been such as to convince
every candid reader that the removals, in
the cases of the several writer's, were
wisely and properly made. The Wing
press and independent journals have oc-
casionally commented upon these produc-
tons with severity which their insulting
and vindictive tone towards the Chief
Magistrate of the Union demanded. We
have hitherto passed over them in silence;
they were in the vein of the Union's daily
ebullitions, and so merited little notice
apart from the journal which circulated
them. We, however, feel constrained by
sense Of duty to depart from our usual
course in respect to them for their repe-
tition evinces condition of affairs in the
Executive Offices of more consequence to
the public than the spite of few individ-
uals whose services have been dispensed
with.
We find in the Union of Friday last
what that paper calls a scathing letter
of Mr.. George w. Thompson, of Wheel
ing, lately removed United States attor-
ney for the western district Of Virginia. ad
dressed to Thomas Ewing, Esquire" and
another from Mr.. John A. English, lately
a clerk in the Indian Bureau, upon which we
shall make a few remarks, from considera-
tons altogether different from recognition
of their Importance as mere embodiments
of the ill-will Of dismissed partisan Office
holders. Mr.. Thompson's letter fills two
columns and quarter, closely printed, of
the Union. We can therefore give but an
extract. We begin with the beginning,
and the few lines annexed will suffice to
show the spirit of the whole letter, with
out, we are sure, creating any desire to
see more of it:
WHEELING, Va, July 9, l849.
"To THOMAS EWING, ESQ.,,
Secretary Of the Interior.
Sir: address you; it is BETTER it is easier, to
deal with something of substance than to beat the
DIR or wreste with shadow. There is sense Of
duty which impels the arm in striking at an en-
bodment Of evil; there is waste of time and a
want Of purpose in trihing with a nullity. 1t was
once my Office to arraign at the bar Of public opin-
ion Tyler but he was somebody. He had
opinions and purposes of his own, and he taught
you, at least, that he was man. will not arragn
that successor, who, under your malign impress
ment has surrendered every attribute of the indie
pendent man. to be the pageant puppet of the presi
dency. 1t is not my purpose to deal with an imbe-
cility," &c, &c
We shall not pause to remark upon the
self-denial which permitted Mr.. Thompson
to hold office under an " embodiment OF
evil" or "nullity," as he is pleased
to designate the President and the Sec
rotary of the Interior. 1t would appear,
from what had before transpired, that
those who hate the Administration most
are most tenacious under its federation.
Our object is TO show the vindictive feel.
ing which the public functionaries who
hold over from the last administration en-
terrain towards the President and his Cab
met; and, in doing this, our readers must
bear in mind that we have not seized upon
the first displays of i'll temper as indica-
tive of sentiments peculiar to class of in
dividuals, but that we have forborne to
take any notice of them until their fire.
quency challenged our duty.
We shall now publish Mr.. ENGLIsH's
letter, which, being Of more modest d.
mansions, we give in full. Before
doing so, we must be permitted to inform
our readers that the Union brings it to
light with an Introductory notice, in
which it says, that T" Mr.. ENGLISH is a
citizen of Virginia, "[ Ehuel "comes from
Harrison, county," " is son-in-law to a
member Of Congress from that district"
and that "perhaps the blow could not
have fallen upon one who less deserved
it," &C., SC. From all which we gather,
that, in addition to the superior endowments
ascribed to Mr.. ENGLISH, he has the
greater advantage Of being r." known" by
bis eulogist.
We shall now invite public attention to
The letter, which is in the following words
WAsHiNeTos, ID. c., July IS, ls49.
g.. 49, -