The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-25
REMARKS OF MIR. BELL,
OF TENNESSEE,
ON MOVALS FROM OFFICE.
Tx senate. JUNE 4. 1850.


The Senate having under consideration the
luton submitted by Mr.. BRADBURY carly in the
session. calling for copies OF any and all charges
which may have been preferred against individuals
removed from office since the 4th of March, 1919
MIR. BELL said: Mr.. President, the honorable
Senator from Maine has read an extract from some
remarks that made the other day upon this reso-
luton; and IL calls Tor some notice from me, al
though did not intend TO review the grounds as
suIned in the remarks that made heretofore upon
this subject. But as he has noticed only portion
of those remarks, in connection with the point
brought to the notice off the Senate, 1t will be neces-
sary that shall repeat now some portion OF what
said upon that occasion, in connection with the al
legation made by me, that these removals were
made for some cause, and not merely Tor opinions
sake. The resolution is urged upon the ground
that great injustice will be done TO the private char
acter Of the removed ofce-holders unless the rea-
sons for their removal shall be disclosed. AL
though did not then use the term prctence out
of respect for the honorable Senator and those
who favored the proposition, my argument went
TO show that it was but a mere pretence to urge
such resolution this upon the Senate
ON that ground. said that 30 far was informed
upon inquiry, and so far as had any personal
knowledge Of cases OF removal in any section Of
the country, removal had been made by the
President upon the principle OF mere difference OF
opinion--upon ground that could be fairly consid-
cred proscrptive- mere turning out Of office for
mere difference of political opinion. commended
that those removals had been made upon some other
grounds than mere difference of political opinion,
and that there were other grounds upon which reno
walls might well be made, which did not imply any
defect OF personal honor or character. Wherever
removal was made for any cause, duplicating the
personal honor character of the removed officer,
il would always be the interest of the Administra
ton 10 make it known to the public in its own vim
dcation; and it could not be supposed that any
case of the kind would occur, where any official
delinquency existed, such as the dcfalcation OF
collector OF port, of receiver of public moneys
Of any description, that 1t would not be made pub
lie. My argument went To show that there was no
ext
grounds taken by the honorable Senator from
Maine. II the President or the removing power
did not think proper to publish the delinquency in
justification OF his course there would still be hardly
any of official delinquency that would not be
known in the vicinity of the delinquent office, and
should never, in such a case, hear Of any com
plant about the injury done to private character
here or elsewhere 1t would be for the interest of
the party removed TO let pass i'll silence, then and
forever.
But, sir, in further vindication Of the statement
that | made, TO show that no such real injury to
private character could occur-although the honor
able Senator from Indiana Mr.. BRIGHT) said the
other day that such injury did occur in his
State, and which promised to aid him in redress,
ing-I went to show that the President exercised
the removing power upon the grounds OF Mr.. JEFF
ferson-that active, intermeddling partisans were
proper subjects of removal. They ght be in other
respects good and proper officers; but this interior
ing in elections, drumming up voters, and other
wise actively engaging in the business OF election
eering, instead of attending to their duties, he con
sidered proper ground OF removal; and have no
doubt that there are thousands who have been re-
moved or might properly be removed, in the legit-
innate exercise OF the appointing power, who have
exerted their utmost energies in elections to main
tain what they consider the great and paramount
interests of the Democratic party. Does this reflect
upon the private character OF the gentlemen who
have been removed? They have made boast, and
continue to boast, of this conduct as duty they
owe TO the country and to their party. They glory
in having thus performed their duty; and they ex-
pect, when their party gets into power to be rein
stated in their former situations upon that very
ground As far as this principle OF making ap
pointments for the last eighteen or twenty years is
concerned, il is generally considered by office
holders in the country that an officer does not do
his duty TO the Administration which maintains
him in office, unless he shows his devotion TO 1t In
this way. noticed in my former remarks case
that occurred some ten or fifteen years ago, OF
jackson postmaster in Ohio, who was actually
turned out OF Office for other than that he
had become lukewarm in the cause, and was not as
active and efficient in elections as he should be;
and another put in his place upon the ground
that he could bring more voters to tho polls That
other one became n defaulter, however, aud ran
away. Laughter
] attempted TO show, in my former remarks, that
there were many other grounds upon which re-
movals may be properly made, without involving
any question OF prescription for opinions sake, or
of private character. ! undertook TO show that
such removals might be made upon the grounds
assumed by Mr.. Jefferson entirely proper, with
out violating the freedom of political opinion; and
Ter and course will show that he opposed to
prescription, Notwithstanding he came into power
after one of the most violent and heated party
striies known in the history of this country.
lie held that removals might be made upon the
principle Of equalzing the public offices, between
the two parties into which the country was divided
This he thought was due 10 the principles upon
which he camc into power, If they deserved sup.
port at all. He found all the important offices OF
the country in the hands Of the opposite parry IL
was in connexion with this subject that Mr.. Jefer-
employed the famous saying in relation 10 Of
flee holders, that "few die, and none resign" and
he that unless he made some removals, the
whole official force and influence Of tho country
would be opposed TO the principles OF his Admins
tration
alluded 10 this ground Of removal, assumed and
acted upon by MIR. jefferson, the other day, which
hope was not discourteous disrespectful 10 gen
tlcmcn OF the Democratic party. Now, ] would
like TO know how many Wings were in office when
the present Administration came into power.
assumed that there were not five hundred Wings
who held offices OF any appreciable value in the
United States, and that were not in the hands OF
Democrats when this Administration came into
power. They hold a majority Of the offices now, az
! understand. do not know where the honorable
Senator (Mr. BRADBURy) gets his information OF
ten thousand removals. have not inquired; al
though learn, sitting in my place in the Senate,
that probably there have not been removals TO one
third that amount. Possibly, when you take the
clerks Of the various collectors Offices in the large
cities, and the clerks in the Departments the num-
before VI 80 large a number Of removals as that
stated by the honorable Senator from Maine The
changes, so far az ! am informed, do not exceed
some three thousand-a small proportion Of the
twenty thirty thousand office holders and agcnts
Of the Government besides the officers Of the army
aud navy. There are, believe, some seventeen or
eighteen thousand deputy postmasters alone.
have reviewed some Of the grounds taken by
a former day, on this subject, only in conse
quence Of the course Of the Senator from Maine, in
pressing what he considered tho strongest argu-
ment in favor Of the resolution, on the Of a
vote; otherwise did not intend to have offered any
general remarks upon the question
As 10 the principle assumed by the honorable
Senator from Massachusetts, ] mentioned hereto
fore that considered that the decision of the first
Congress upon the subject Of the powers Of the Ex
ecutve in making removals erroneous, though
the practice Of the Government, up TO this day had
recognized the principle Of that decision but
mentioned then, AZ ] do now, that Congress should
impose some restraints upon the unlimited power
If the Executive, heretofore conceded 10 IT, To
strain this power by law would urge az one Of the
greatest reforms of the age, go far this Govern
ment is concerned. Such a reform would be Of
more real value TO the country than any settlement
we arc likely 10 make Of the distracting question
connected with another subject, in regard TO which
the dangers considered 40 imminent as TO
ffightcu us sometimes from our proDrietiee. In