The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-21

of public employments. Great moralists
and great statesmen have been of that
opinion, and have not considered such a
policy prescription. And here we do not
refer alone to Mr.. JEFFERSON, Mr.. Mon
ROE, General JACKSON, Mr.. Polk, and
Governor MARCY; DIR. JOHNSON, who
was student of morals as well as of poll
tics, took the same view of it. "The
administration, he said to Boswell, some
time in TITS, s'is feeble and timid, and
cannot act with that authority and resolu-
ton which is necessary. Were l in power
l would turn out every man who dared to
oppose me-. Government has the distribu-
tion of Offices, that ii may be enabled to main
tain its autAority.o eff were Minister"
he said on another occasion, 81 would
turn out every man who dared to wag a
finger at me-"
Mr.. BURKE's views on this subject cor
responded with those Of his distinguished
friend; and with citation from one of his
most celebrated pamphlets, we conclude
what we have TO say in regard to the al
legged pledges of General TAYLOR, and the
pretexts upon which an Opposition SEN
ator seeks to arraign him for the exercise
of his Executive functions. We quote
from Mr.. BURKE's Thoughts ON the Causes
9th Present Discomfort, (1770.)
"Party is body of men united for promoting,
by their Joint endeavors the national interest," up
on some particular principle in which they are all
agreed. For my part, find it impossible to con-
ceive that any one believes in his own politics, or
thinks them TO be of any weight, who refuses to
adopt the means of having them reduced into
practice. 1t is the business of the speculative
philosopher to mark the proper ends of govern
ment It is the business of the politician, who is
the philosopher in action, to find out proper means
towards those ends, and to employ them with eff
feet. Therefore, every honorable connection tciu
il their first purpose 10 pursue every just me-
hod TO put the men ,cho hold their opinions into such
condition as may enable them to carry their
plans into execution tDi all the potcer and authority
of the state as this po,cer is attached to certain
situations, ii is their duty to contend for these sitta
hons. Without prescription Of Others, they are
bound TO gire their otcn party the preference IN all
things; and by no means, for private considera-
tons, to accept any offers of power in which the
whole body is not included, nor to suffer them
selves to be led to be controlled, or to be over
balanced in Office or in council, by those who
tradict the very fundamental principles on which
their party is formed, and even those upon which
every fair connexion must stand. Such gener-
Gus contention for power, on such manly and
honorable maxims, will easily be distinguished
from the mean and interested struggle for place
and emolument."
We will add, that while General TAYLOR
means to be the President of the whole
people, he also means, we doubt not, to
be the whole President of the people; and
we have no fear that the constitutional
character of the chief Executive office will
lose any of its vigor or integrity in his
hands. We doubt not that he will ever
be as vigilant and prompt to defend the
Executive Department against aggression,
as he will be to respect and maintain the
rights of the Legislature and Judiciary.