The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-06
WASHINGTON: MORNING 6,

press them in social intercourse, and To vote ac-
cordingly at the polls is not denied, or imputed as
fault; but active participation ion-ntermeddling in
elections; taking part at public meetings, making
party speeches, and drumming up votes at the
polls, considered inconsistent with the regular,
faithful and satisfactory discharge OF official duties,
and held, and justly So in my opinion, to be good
for dismissal, to say nothing OF the effect OF
such conduct upon the purity of the elective fran
chise. Sir, repeat that remember no case IN my
,own State in which office-holder has been re-
moved for any other than sufficient causes. But,
sir, do remember that great fault has been found
in that State by many members OF the party with
which have been associated so long, that more re-
movals have not taken place; and When the expla-
nation has been made that General Taylor will not
remove without some special cause, other than
difference in political sentiment, and that the Dem
ocras in Office will not be displaced as long as they
perform the duties of their offices faithfully and
with adequate skill, abstaining from all active or
offensive Interference in politics. reply is prompt
made, that there is no equality or fairness in the
contests of party, when one party claims to have
perfect right to all the offices, and actually enjoy
them when in power, while the other will only let
in their friends when some specific cause OF removal
can be shown against incumbents of the adverse
party. And sir 1t is difficult to give satisfactory
answer to this proposition. The question is seri-
GUS one: how can the Whig party be sustained up
on the principle General Taylor practises upon id
relation to removals from Office while the opposite
| party assert and practise upon the policy of dis
| tributing among their friends and partisans some
twenty or thirty thousand public offices1 The ad-
| u
to become overwhelming and irresistible in sus-
tanning the party which acts upon such principles
And this, sir is becoming the prevalent sentiment
of the country, that no party can be sustained 81
on the opposite policy. Sir, this question OF par
ty prescription threatens to control all others
The Democratic party goes into elections advo-
eating and sustaining this policy, and offering
to their followers all the offices of the country as the
| fruits of victory; while the Wing party can only
give the assurance that such offices as may become
vacant by death resignation, and such others as
may be made so by removal for special causes,
shall be distributed among their friends. While
this is so, il may be justly feared in this age OF
progress "a progress, by the by, which have lit
tie faith n and regard rather retrograde move
ment,) that the Wings will have to succumb to
| their adversaries, whatever superiority they may
Law claim to in the soundness and wisdom Of their
general policy and principles; and the question is
| being forced upon our consideration, whether an
Administration can stand which does not carry out
this system OF party prescription 1t Is tor these
| reasons, sir, that think the time has come when
| we should regulate this removing and appointing
power by law. repeat, if We do not regulate 1t
by laws, it will regulate U.S. II will control the
| operations Of this Government, and in the end,
fear, lead to its overthrow.
| Mr.. BRADBURY. would inquire of the honora-
BILE Senator, whether understood one point OF his
remarks Alright? Does the Senator assert. that no
administration stand unless il adopt the system
| of prescription for opinions sake?
| Mr.. BELL. meant TO express my fear that no
party long maintain its ground unless 1t adopts
Il i
the Administration Of General Taylor can stand,
but begin to have my doubts whether any party
or administration that practises this limited use OF
public patronage, can sustain itself for any great
length OF time against another party that openly
ayows of its principles of action the excu-
sive appropriation Of the spois of office.
Mr.. BRADBURY. This is the point which wish
| TO come at. Am to understand the Senator from
Tennessee as wishing To convey the idea that this
Administration have not removed individuals from
Office because Of their political opinions, but for
other causes; or that this Administration have
adopted the practice of removing from efice be-
of political opinions, for the purpose Of OBJ
tanning friends'
Mr. Bell made no such insnuaton as that
presented in the latter inquiry of the Senator.
said the time had come when this question of the
power of the President party
prescription should be settled and that both parties
should be restrained, both practise upon the
same principles And II The senator were only sn.
thorzed say that his party will not act upon that
| system hereafter, should consider il one OF the
greatest reforms of the agc-one OF greater and
more benefcent consequences TO the country than
any adjustment which are likely 10 make OF the
pending difficulties connected with another great
Question before the Senate. As 10 the principles
upon which the Administration proceeds in max
ing removals from Office, stated that, 30 lar as
had any knowledge and from information received
from the President and heads of Departments, no
removals had been made merely for opinions sake;
and upon inquiry into particular cases oi removal,
TO which my attention had been directed by others,
I could find only two where considered the
grounds Of removal questionable. There may be
a hundred such cases, for aught know, but know
Of none There may have been removals made
because OF mistaken or unjust allegations or
charges Only one or two such cases OF questionable
propriety have come 10 my knowledge; every other
| removal OF which haze heard, the cause has been
Just and proper. hold, sir, ofiicious intermed-
/ ding with elections, before stated-the drum
ming up at the polls officiating at public meetings,
becoming noisy partisans, the making Of post Of
fees places for the assembage Of political caucuses,
and all other acts of excessive partisan zeal-suft-
cient causes for the expulsion Of the offending par
ties hold all these things 10 be anti-republican
in principle, and just cause Of removal. There
may be other causes Of removal besides those have
specihed-such as want Of competent skill asd ne
glect Of official duties. do not undertake 10 emu
| Tneratc them all. And when speak Of the grounds
upon which the Administration act in making re-
movals, allude 10 removals from Office within the
exclusive. and proper control OF the President
This is what meant 10 say.
Now, sir, a word more with regard 10 these
pledges Of General Taylor, 20 often alluded to. l
| would here remark that did not intend, when ]
first rose, 10 60 into the discussion OF this point;
and have only adverted 90 IL now because when,
upon some future occasion, come 10 speak upon
this question, desire 10 confne myself as much az
possible TO an examination OF this doctrine OF the
unlimited power of removal claimed TO be vested
i'm the Executive, what II leads TO, and how IT
can be controlled and regulated. The Senator
from Maine, besides referring 20 the letters in
| which General Taylor disavows that proscriptive
| fcchng and pol1Cy WhlCh nc now ascrlDcs W MIN,
alluded 10 the sentiments contained in his in
augural address, and charitsbly intimates his be-
lief that General Taylor meant, when he delivered
that address, TO be faithful to his pledges and TO
honestly carry out the principles he then laid down;
but that since that time he has been moved from
his purpose, What said General Taylor in that adj
drcssl Why, that, far as lay in his power, in the
exercise Of the appointing power, he would make
honesty, capacity, and fidelity the test Of official
qualification; and the want Of these qualifications
he would regard as just cause Of removal from Of
fee. Now, the Senator interprets that declaration
10 mean that for no other cause than the want Of
these qualifications would he dismiss public Of
6ccr. cannot but think, sir, that the Senator has
allowed his feelings 10 mislead him greatly in his
infcrences from the language Of the inaugural adj
dress Of General Taylor, when he assumes II as a
pledge that he would not remove for any cause but
The absence Of these specific and essential qualif-
cations in Office holder. The Senator seems not
TO know that the pledge TO remove for the want
Of these specific qualifications, in its true inter-
probation, has reference to an evil which, in the
past history Of the Government, has been the
source Of great injury TO the public service. IL
s, that the President for the time being has often
failed 10 remove office holder VIGOROUSLY def
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