The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-17

cember last, if any, without authority Of law, (or
whose names are not contained in the last printed
register of public Offices, COMMONLY called the Blue
Book,) by the President or said heads of Depart
ments respectively, and without nomination to or
the advice and consent of the Senate of the United
States; showing the names of such officers, or
agents, or deputies, the sums paid to EACH the
vices rendered, and by what authority appointed
and paid and what reasons for such appointments. =.
Vide House Docs, I'd sess. Path Cong Rep. Of Com
naittees, No. 1874, p. %.
This resolution was communicated to President
jackson, and, in reply, he addressed characteris-
tic letter. dated January 26, 1887, to Mr.. Wise,
from which submit the following extract:
'.It also appears, from the published proceedings
Of the House, that this resolution accompanied
and supported by aspeech OF considerable length,
in which you preferred many severe but vague
charges Of corruption and abuse in the Executive
Departments. The resolution adopted by the COM
mttee, well as that adopted by the House itself,
must be taken in connexion with your introductory
speech, which gave character to the whole pro-
ceeding."
So say the Introductory speech Of the honorable
Senator (Mr. BRADBURY gives character to this
resolution, and with these lights cannot mistake
its true purport and object.
No one can read the remarks of the honorable
Senator without seeing that the real purpose Of this
movement is political agitation, at the expense OF
President Taylor. His motives are to be questioned,
his conduct traduced, his honor and rectitude ma
ligned. and his Administration rendered, if possi-
BILE, odious to the American people.
have greatly mistaken the character of this bo-
dy, if it shall lend tself to such object But
only develop the true character of this resolu
ton by entering into some details
j. would observe that it is sweeping, universal,
and indefinite. 1t comprehends not only all that
the President has done himself, but every thing
done by all the heads of Departments. 1t comprises
not only the where the President has the ap-
pointing power, by and with the advice and con-
sent Of the Senate but also those where the abso-
lutte power of appointment is vested in the heads OF
thp rfr III IL CHARGE
President with the duty Of entering all these De-
partments, gathering up all the papers, searching
out all the pigeon-h holes, for charges preferred
against officers removed in all the cases, no mat
ter how the power of appointment may be vested.
And this is proposed, when the Senator does not
say that he has any authentic information on this
subject whatever when he does not even represent
to the Senate, the country, that he knows that
any charges have been preferred that it is alto
gether matter of inference upon his part. The
President is required not only to furnish papers
supposed exist in the Departments but he is also
to furnish list of in which the parties re-
moved have been put on trial The honorable Sen
ator really to suppose that In all cases OF
movals the President was bound to serve notice
upon the parties and give them a hearing. Whe-
ther there should be jury trial in each case, the
Senator does not suggest; but there is to be both
notice, hearing. and judgment entered up in due
form of law. Therefore he calls upon the President
to furnish list of all the cases wherein lawsuit
has been raised between the Executive and the
~
only requires the President to search out all OF the
pigeon of the various Departments here, but
also to visit all the custom houses OF the country
so as to ascertain what removals have been made
there. The honorable Senator is not satisfied with
an examination of all the establishments on the At
lantic coast, but the President must make an ex-
cursion to the Pacific in order to respond TO this
resolution Besides, he is to ascertain what re-
movals have been made in all the subordinate Of
fees of the Government-nots simply in the custom
houses, but in all the various post offices OF the
country.
| Perhaps the Senator will say that the informa
ton can be obtained here or that it should be upor
the files of the various Departments in this city
The fact is not 80. There is large number OF sub
ordinates or employees who were appointed by thu
chief of the particular Office where they exercise
| their dnties There never is any return made her,
| of changes of such officers And this Is particu
arly true in the post Offices Of the country. There
| is rule that such postmasters as have an income
OF over $4,000 year may appropriate the surplus
for the compensation of such clerical force may
be necessary to the despatch of the public business
During the last fiscal year there were sixty six sucf
offices in the country, leaving out the Pacific coast
and the whole clerical force therein employed dur
ing that year amounted to six hundred and forty
| six.
What, then, is the President to do if the resolu
ton is passed? He is TO send to all these post of
4 fees, and for aught know, he will have to senc
\ TO San Francisco, to ascertain what may be th'
state of things there, in order to comply with tn
| resolution. Indeed, sir, to make the resolution
complete, the Senator ought to add an appropria
ton of some fifty a hundred thousand dollars Il
| carry it out. II we to believe the representa-
1 tions of the honorable Senator, must come L
the conclusion that all the pigeon holes in all tn
Departments crowded with what he is please,
to denominate s'libels." The whole clerical fore
in these various departments, If his statements ar
true, to be employed in copying these hbels
| The Senator says he believes there had been re
| moved lat the time his speech was delivered) nv
| thousand deputy postmasters; and how many NOR
| ,la,, nod in, ,thor nopsr lnow
| every case the Senator supposes charges were pre-
| ferred. would suggest 10 him the addition OF
further appropriation to employ an extra clerica
force to execute this ORDER as 1t will be required ol
| his hypothesis.
Mr.. BRADBURY, (interposing.) If the Senate
will allow me, will state that the resolution con
templates handing the original charges, s.
that the expense and necessity Of employing clerk
| in copying will be saved
| Mr.. SMITH resumed. Then il seems that tn
Senator intends 10 take the original papers out
the custody of the President and the heads OF De
partments for use, and to leave nothing in thei
hands TO vindicate their course. ! do not know
| what my friend contemplates doing with then
| when they are brought here; whether they are 4
be carried over to the Union office, and ther
used for purposes of party agitation, or what is u
| be done with them. IL is sufficient for me to re
mark that il is contrary to the whole practice of tn
Government and the honorable Senator may res
assured that it is Of the last things which th
President will do. He will not part with singh
L original pdpcT, OuN COplts Will 10 bhoucb "a
thing is to be done, in compliance with the requisi
tions of this resolution.
/ object, then, to the vagueness and indefnitenes
of this resolution, and TO its sweeping character.
is totally unprecedented Ifany call Is to be made
should be in conformity with the uniform practic
of the Senate, upon the President for information
in those cases coming under his own jurisdiction
where he has the power of appointment by or wit
the advice and consent of the Senate; but when tn
power is vested in heads of Departments, he mus
make his call on the functionary exercising tn
power. II the honorable Senator supposcs that ther
is a large mass of hbels on file in the General Pos
Office, and if he wants to get insight into tn
matter, and to inspect those libels, he must make
call upon the Postmaster General but as TO direct
ing the President bimselfto make inquiries into Al
the Departments, and reporting here the result,
il, insist, unprecedented and inadmissiblc.
But have little sound democratic autborit
upon this point, TO which wish TO invite the aten
ton of my honorable friend II will be found in IN
same CHARACTERISTIC response which President Jack
son gave to Mr.. Wise's committee, I'D session
oath Congress- to which have already invited tn
attention of the Senate. He says;
"The heads of Department may answer such
request il they please provided they do not with
draw their own time and that OF the officers unde
their direction from the public business, TO the in
> | III bc adH sLoHd dsre