The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-07-10
Letter from Mr.. CiaytOn-Labors or Office.
LII. - - N


Gentlemcn;-lh have this day received your invi-
taion to attend the festival of the wing citizens Of
Wilmington and New Castle county, Delaware,
who ere ma king preparations Tor patriotic cele-
braiion OF the coming anniversary oil American In
dependence.
The pressure of public business necessarily con-
sequent upon the advent OF n new administration,
owing lis existence to party which has virtually
been prescribed for twenty years, has occupied all
my time during the last four months, and will pro-
badly continue TO occupy IT, To the exclusion OF all
other matters, during the period for which may
remain in my present station. No man who ever
held the office Of American Secretary of State has
slept for one moment upon bed OF roses.
The leisure OF one day TO VISIT my home IN Della
ware, which have not seea IN tour months, though
within seven hours travel OF II, would be luxury
10 me of which you who enjoy the pleasure Of To-
comotion daily, can hsrdly have any just concep-
uon Chained down TO spot from II TO ID hours
a day, and laborng all the tune, while every act
do or perform, Is not only lIalle TO be miscon-
stmctlon, but certain TO be mIsconstrued, from
some quarter or other, man IN my situation IL
compelled to throw himself upon the charity as
well AS the justice OF hls countrymen, or abandon
his position. i cannot be mistaken, when say,
that frcm the origin OF our Republic down TO this
present writing, there has never been period
during which greater difficulties have bcset the
path oi public man, than that which comprises
the -four first months nj the new administration.
The Departments at Washington have been
crowded by host Of the expectants of Of
fee, never before exceeded, not even in the first
year Of the advent OF Jacksonism. This Is no
disgrace 10 that party, which has been excluded
from office for nearly 10 years. During all that
time these men have been virtually DISTINGUISHED,
so far ~ regards the right To- hold offices Of either
trust or honor. The prnciplesthey have professed
and prsciised have been avowed as the ground of
their exclusion, and now, when the first attempt
IL made to do them justice, by admitting them to
equal privileges a. American citizens, from which
they have been so long excluded. II Is not sur
prising that many Of them should rush forward to
clam an equal right to share in the service and
the honors Of their country. But by those to
whom IL assigned the painful duty of hearing the
applications. aud deciding upon their relative
cisins, difficulties and enibarrassmenis which can
be better felt than described are abso lutely una
workable
Oppressed by the weight Of these and other re-
suonsIbliiies Inseparaby incident To my position,
my fret and most natural appeal for relief and sup
port 10 io my old friends, and the citizens ct my
native state Next to the appreciation OF my own
conscience, is that Of thUse with whom have
been associated in the land Of my forefathers and
the home of INV own oyhood Aid although the
state TO which owe my humble ergln - the least
If al the sisters IN the great family of American
republics. Yet To- me her encouraging voice, which
has cheered m. through all tie vicIsstudcs OF
long and laborious public hie, would be among the
sweetest conscientious, ~ II - among the highest
rewards 10 which my ambition wil ever aspire.
For The reason already stated, every hour OF my
time being anxlously devoted to public duties,
cannot Join IN your Festival, though my heart will
be with you al, while the memory OF your own
gallant ancestors, whose blood was freely shed on
more than thirty battle-iieds OF the Revolution,
will
he In your flowing caps freshly rememberedr
Allow me the pleasure of offering the following
sentiment on that occasiuni
Honor 10 the old Blue Hen, and health and pros
periiy TO all her brood.
am, gentlemen, faithfully yours, -
To Mcssrs Wales. Dupont, Pnce, &c, Com'iee.