The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-14
THE PRESIDENT OF THE PEOPLE.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE PEOPLE.
The less decent journals of the Oppo-
sition continue to accuse President TAYLOR
of violating his pledge to become the Pre-
sident of the people, because he does not
permit all the Offices to remain in the hands
of the Locofocos, and of men interested in
the dishonor and overthrow of his Admin
lstration. There are upwards Of $4,000
officers in the United States, independent
of the various contractors and jobbers, who
have been from time immemorial members
OF the Democratic party. There have been
less than 5000 appointments of Wines
during General TAYLoR's Administration,
about one-half of which have been made
to supply vacancies occasioned by deaths,
designations, and expired commissions.
Many of the most lucrative and important
Offices Of the country-wielding the largest
patronage and power-remain to this day
in the hands of the Locofocos. We regret
to say it, because there is one point on
which there is no difference of opinion, that
we can find, among statesmen in all ages
and of all parties 1t is agreed, on all
sides, that the experiment of conducting
an administration through the agency of
enemies, instead of friends, is one of those
hopeless experiments that must inevitably
end in failure and disgrace. The public
man who places himself and his affairs in
the hands Of his political opponents-who
makes them the guardian of his public rep
utation-whe makes them the repositories
of his official confidence, will be inevitably
ruined in the estimation of his friends, and
must terminate his official career with the
loss of his personal honor. Nothing can
save him, nothing ought to save him, from
the disgrace which he thus solicits.
President TAYLOR will not have re-
deemed his pledge to the American people
until there is, at least, an equal division of
public Offices between the WHIGs and the
LocoFocos. No such equalization has yet
been approached. 1t will require more
time than could have been expected to ac-
complish it. And yet the very first step
that was made towards this equalization Of
public employments called forth a chorus
from the presses of the late administration
like that of concert of scalded dogs. And
ever since there has been diurnal howl
ing and wailing, sort of frantic outcry,
over every new OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
tnied by the outpouring of such "torrent''
of abuse and vilifcation as beats Billings
gate, and robs Xantippe of her hitherto
unrivalled pre-eminence.
| The strangest of all things, however, in
connexion with these charges of "violated
pledges" and s'perjury' against President
TAYLOR, is the fact that the men who
make them could not see the slightest in.
consistency or improperly in Mr.. PoLK's
conduct in his policy of removals and ap.
pointments. Mr.. Polk appointed none but
Democrats to Office. Mr.. Polk appointed
none but Democrats to military places
within his gift. Mr.. Polk even attempted
to overshadow the WING generals who had
won immortal honors in Mexico, by the
appointment of Democratic Lieutenant
general. And yet we never saw, in the
most violent of the opposition journals Of
those days, any charge against Mr.. Polk
of perjury, and shameless violation of his
pledges. But what said Mr. Polk in his
inaugural address:
although, in country, the chief magistrat,
." must almost of necessity be chosen by party
and stand pledged to its principles and measures
yet in his official action, HE SHOULD NOT BE
{" THE PRESIDENT OP A PART ONLY, But
" OF THE WHOLE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
" STATES. While he executes the laws with an
&c impartial hand, shrinks from no proper respon
sibility, and faithfully carries out in the execu
% tive department of the Government the princ
I" Piles and policy of those who have chosen him
'' he should not be unmindful that our fellow Cit
zens ,Dho haze differed ,oih him in opinion are en-
titled 10 the full and free exercise Of their opinion
and judgments, and that The rights of all ertihe,
% 10 respect and regard
Mr.. Polk never considered it inconsist
ent with this direct pledge to be the Presi
dent of the people, that he should appoin
to office men interested in sustaining hi,
administration, rather than those seeking tc
: overthrowit it. He never considered il any in
reference with the free exercise of opinion
and judgment, or with the rights OF any por
ton of the people, that he should employ
the natural and indispensable machinery
which all governments have employed
from the beginning of time to secure har
monious administration. We never hearc
, word of complaint from the enemies o
! his administration, that he was violating
: the letter and spirit of his inaugural ad
: dress. The very organ which now make
7 the alleged pledge of General TAYLOR tn,
r pretext of the vilest calumny and tn,
basest vituperation-the excuse of thu
, lowest libels and the foulest falsehoods-