The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-14
Cor D.msn., % Iiiiaoi. -A..auI.. o ahs

Col Dement,, Of Infnofs-AssauIts OF che
Union upon MIR. Ewing.
Mn. Enron The Union OF this morning in it,
hot pursuit to crafty Its political malignancy and re-
CARELESS of truth, has renewed attack upon the dis
ilngushed Secretary Of the Department Of the Int
rior which facts within my personal knowledge ena-
DE mo 10 repeL In an article Of some length, under
the imposing caption OF STRANGE
AND TssATuaAL,o the Union INDUCES in The fol.
lowing strain, at the removal Of two OF Senator
Dodges sons-in-law which, by that paper, Is rc-
sardod as the basest ngra'nde on the part Of Gen.
TAYLOR
"what will all generous minded patriots say,
when they learn that within the last few days, two
SONS in-law Of Governor Dodge have been tlncere-
Enormously removed nom Office, without any alleea-
ton 81 Official misconduct and simply because they
dared to vote for General Cass for President OF the
| United States instead of General Taylor! We
ainde to the cases of Col Dement,, of illinois, and
Col. Becquett, Of Wisconsin the former OF whom
was receiver az Dixon, and the latter at Mineral
Point
ave repeat that there was no char a of official
orihiness presented against either Of these gen
| tlemen, nor WAS there even possible ground for
I such charge.o
Whether the consideration that the individuals re-
moved were the sons-in-law vi Gen. Dodge and
that Gen. Dodge and Gen. Taylor were associates
In arms in the Black Hawk War, Is sufficient l.,
justify the retention in office Of unworthy public
servants 1t Is not now my design TO discuss. Nor
have anything 10 say, So fur US Col Becquctt OF
| Wisconsin Is concerned, but whom have no doubt
Was removed for good and sufficient causes But as
! have known Col Dement, Of Illinois intimately for
fifteen years, and been witness OF his INSCRIPTIONS
| par,isanship during tho most of that period can
i ate some facts which will enable the public TO de-
ternine whether the Union speaks the truth In its
assertion that "here ras no charge Of odieial IN
poriiiaess against Col. Dement,. Some two years
since, while Col. Dement, was holding the Office OF
Receiver Of Public Moneys under the Government
Of the United States and from which he has very
properly been removed by Mr. Rwing he became .
candidate for delegate 10 the convention 10 amend
the constitution of the State Of Illinois. In thai
canvass he opposed (whlle United States Of
fieS hoder) friend Of the present administration
matter Of course, In conducting that canvass, his
time and his attention was naturally engrossed with
political discussions and management, instead OF his
the duties Of the Office TO which he had been up
pointed by Mr.. Polk. Subsequently to his elcc ton
he applied to the Commissioner Of the General Land
Office in city for leave OF absence from his Office
! In Dixon, TO nabe him to attend tho convention az
delegate 10 amend the constitution OF Illinois, and
which convened some two hundred miles distant
from the location ofhc land Office This applica.
lion Of Col Dement'S was peremptorily refused by
what was the conduct Of Col. Dement, Why, sir,
in direct opposition to the wishes of his superior in
the department of which he was subordinate, he
hegranily and contemptuousy disobeyed the orders
as delegate 20 that convention, and for several
weeks absented himself from the dulles Of his office
as Receiver of Public Moneys. Now, sir, have al
ways been taught that In civil In military life the
wilfnl dlsobedience of subordinate Of the orders OF
4 OF his superior, has ever been considered good
| ground Of removal. And had Mr.. Polk have done
| his duty, Mr.. Ewing would never have been called
upon 10 fill the place Of Col Dement,. This of itse
| Is more than sufficient cause, though It In BY mo
eans the sole reason why he should have been dis.
placed.
In these remarks, Mr. Editor have no other de-
sire to crafty than TO do justice towards Mr.. Ew-
ing, who for some reason or other appears 10 be the
" shining mark" at which the poisoned arrows Of
cnlnnny and detraction unsparingly hurled by
the aged and vindictiye gladiator who indites the
Editorials Of the Union My personal relations with
Col Dement, are of tho kindest nature, though po-
litcaly, we differ as fur, as Is the North from The
South pole. Intentionally, would not do him the
slightest injustice nor lay 10 his door charge that
did not know the fncta warranted. BY his Interior.
ence as federal Office holder In Elections, and be-
coming the gladiator Of his party In convention 10
amend the Constitution Of his State he has drawn
upon himself the rebuke that has been visited upon
him; and had Mr. Ewing retained him In office II
would have been against the wishes of those OF both
parfes who believe that obedience to orders Is the
| first duty Of those who deserve TO be numbered in
the catalogue of faithful public servants. II the
causes which have led to other removals were dis
closed, In nine cases out of ten they would prove
equally as satisfactory as in this instance.
A WESTERN MAN.
w.sHrSaros, May IL, ls49