The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-12


me Ssnaie, dprit 20, 1850.
The following resolution being under consideration
Raopea That tue President be requested to cause to be
laid before he Senate all charges which have been prefer
who nave been removed from office since the 4h Of March,
ist9 with specification OF the cases. III any, Ia which the
satsnsus d he number 81 emovas made under each de-
Pannsn Including subcrdnsrs In the cas,om-houses and
o1hef bssnches OF the public service
Mr. BRADBURY sad Mr. President. il is time this
resolution was disposed Of BY the Senate. am desrous
that action should be had upon IT, that would ask
vote ~ the present time, without nterposng any remarks
were 4 not that IN The very elaborate reply Of the homo
rable senator from Connccticut MIR. SMITH TO the
brief remarks made when the resolution was first called
up, there are certain statements which need think, to
econeeisa and posons ~ that require examination The
subjects involved IN this inquiry worthy OF the atten
tive consideration oi every senator The great subject
oexecutye patronage, its constitutional extent, he mode
q s exercise ana Inc means o. restraining Or correcting
Of heablesi minds ci the country Our time them may
be quite prohsaby employed on this question as on
those which y ~ have almost exclusively monopolized the at
When ! addressed the Senate upon this resolution
some weeks ago, confined myself mainly TO the effort
e M. soass Ss sSss 3 y a sdsPsb P2Ss beSs As
necessary Tor MS In the faithful discharge oil Official
duties and which we could demand without any invasion
ofhis constitutional rights Induging in personalities,
and avoiding all terms OF unkindness dsrespeci with
thar dcference which due 10 the Chief Executive OF the
goyenment referred 10 the declarations oil Gen Tay-
lof In hs publshed letters, while he candidate for
the presidency, that be would not be the candidate OF
paSVo or clique" that he would not permit himself 70
be brought before the people exclusively BY any Of the
?. mad 10 ary e Saa
dency, be would be the mere President OF party"
and "that the national good and the good OF
referred to the declarations of leading and confidential
friends, who might be supposed 10 speak from authority
which give point 10 bis more general assurances, and
show thar reference had TO Ihe subject OF proscrp
inn RI ONCE and the mode which tIe ye
patronage should be administered cited lthose OF the
present distinguished Secretary Of State made in speech
in this body after the Philadelphia nomination. 10 the ef
feet that. whe he General viii do his duty in
removing corrupt or incompetent, or unfailhiul men
from otce he will not bs The supporter Of thai inamo,s
sSanrv as phs sootis II part" vs," resgsd 10 he
late senator from Kentucky. (Mr Cr,ienden,) Who in
public speech delivered in this city about the time,
proscrpionl God iorbid be should prescribe any man
on account Of difference OF political sentiment. lie
would as soon think OF running from q Msxican"
referred also the inaugural address, which specifies.
Tor removal from Office, the want oil honesty. ca
paay, or fidelity, and intimates no other what
eyer and 10 the construction which placed upon these
pledges y spaea orgaas q se party when iae work o.
ing removal OF democrats from Office throughout the
country, without any apparent regard to their honesty.
capacity, or hdeli and the appointment OF Jealous par
hsans OF the administration their places; and then
presented the dilemma, that either the President had been
deceived BY wholesale system OF abrcatng false accusa
lions agans, faithful and honest men, or he had changed
his position, and adopted and carried cut the system of
distributing the public ofhces as the spoils Of party VIC
tory In either case, II ought 10 be known which was
the fact The friends OF the administration called
upon TO answer whether tbeue had been change Of
policy or not; whether these removals were made
on account of the political opinions OF the ofi-
cen Gers removed. or for moral or official delinquency.
The public, and especially those whose characters
were involved, had right to know. And how has
this great inquiry been answered. We have no d.
rect response % y sir n all the remarks Of he eight
cut Strange may seem, this question remains
swered. The issue which rendered has been evaded
We have not that distinct and unequivoca reply which
justice to those whose reputation is concerned mper-
onsy demands. lnstead Of IT, have sklfnl evasions
and ingenious dgressons adapted to lead the mind from
The true po.at oi inquiry II the policy of the admins
ralon had been consistent with the assurances upon
wbch came ,nto power, il is hardly TO be supposed
thar such mode of defence would be employed by 50
sagacious and able an advocate .s 80.
The honorable senator, in his elaborate reply, under
took 10 maintain in substance the position, that me dec
Gruons Of General Taylor and nus friends did com
mg ham against The system Of Memorials aAset he hds
aaopted1ta, no pledges Dtrs g'psn inconsistent TaA
must confess. cir. my surprise at the announcement
Of this proposition NEEDED all the intrepdiy OF the
OF the honorable senator from Connecticut, 10 proclaim
IT, Il was 80 new, that other person will ever claim
priority OF discovery Ii declaration, eject, that
all The pledges OF General Taylor and his friends the
subject OF prescription meant nohng ithat he, IN his
letters. and they in their speeches.
sianty giving the most uneQuivocal assurances 10 the
public language calculated to inspire confidence, and
yet meant pothiBgl viii not suppose that such was
the ineniion while feel that IL would imply attempt
10 deceive, which il would be unjust to impuie.
No. sir these declarations did mean something; and
they were 80 understood They were intended "A re-
proof OF the past, and pledge for the future Consider
The circumstances under which they made. u had
often been charged that both OF the great political parties
had pnrsned the policy OF prescribing political opponents
when In power and one OF them, which carried this pol
icy 10 greater extent upon its place in ls4O
than was ever done before, was yet loud in its condem-
nation. There are many who deprecae party organza-
ton and ever ready 10 enlist under the banner OF
those who promise 10 suppress H. The great body of
the democrsc party felt strong attachment TO General
Taylor for his military achievements and patriotic services
10 the Me xican war; and many were anxious 10 besow
upon him the highest mark of Their confidence and regard
vded they could do 80 without an abandonment Of their
polcal principles. They could not support him II he
was 10 be the party candidate OF the whs, with whom
they differed upon great questions of principle and policy
They wiling, in their blind admiration, 10 60 tar.
and waive many objections and evsn to meet him on the
nopary platform, while they could never consent TO fol-
low him nio The ranks Of the wings LIVES under these
circumstances that General Taylor first took his position
candidate for the presidency; and BY his decarsion
oindependence Of parry De drew 10 his support large num-
bers, which he could not have done without such aseu
RANGES They were efectual, and accomplished the in
tended result And now 10 Be told that they were
Idle words, without import and meaning Can any one
suppose hat a he ofable senator from Connectlcut
hsd gone through the country previous 70 the election,
and publicly declared on General Tayors behalf that all
the pledges ne mad made without meaning, and that
must be distinctly understood he would sweep every
democrat from ohce.I he should be elected the pres
dency, the result would have been what il wasi II
too late to come forward with such an ntepreta
ton II nue, should have been given Al The time The
and