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


feel authorized in discharge of my duties to the
public, to suffer the clerks furnished to me for other
purposes to be employed. Rep. 1874, I'd sess.
Gath Congress
that he would not suffer the departments to reply
to ii during office hours. And Mr.. Kendall said he
would be obliged, in order to answer it, 70 employ
the whole clerical force of the department, which
he did not feel authorized TO do What force, then,
will be required to respond to such call as thisf
So much for the sweeping and indefinite character
| of the resolution.
H. In the next place. shall advert to the partial
and injurious character of this resolution; and here
ask the Senate to attend to the following particu-
lars:
| l. The call is limited to charges which have
been preferred or filed in any OF the departments
against individuals who have been removed from
office since the 4th of March last" Why this linn
itation to the 4th Of March, lS49? The honorable
| Senator is very curious to know what has taken
place since that time, but takes care to make no
calls for papers filed in order to effect removals un
der the late administration. Why did not the hon
orable Senator make requsition for all papers in
the nature Of charges filed in the various depart
nents since the 4th of March, 1S45! 1t would seem
to that he ought to have gone back to that time,
in order to do justice; nay, to do full justice he
should have covered the whole period from the 4th
Of March, 1929, and have brought before the Senate
and the country all the particulars OF twenty long
years of prescription of onehalf of the people OF
this country, as pure, patriotic and Intelligent as
any. He should have called for papers appertain-
ing to cases of mutitudes, who, without fault or
| crime, have been, by successive Democratic ad-
mnistrations, hurled out of office, in violation OF
stronger than any the honorable Senator can pre-
tend to extract from the language used by the Pre-
sident in advance of his elevation to office.
There is often a most intimate connexion between
old and new papers; and, indeed, no head OF De-
partment can dispense the patronage appertaining
| thereto safely and properly without bringing into
view the grounds on which his predecessor has
acted in the particular case Office under conside-
Thah hopnr 1o hiFosa it's ba
principle when he says:
81 will suppose a case: man deliberately en-
cages in getting up and presenting false charges
against an officer, in order to procure a removal,
and is successful, and obtains nomination for the
place; if, when his name is presented for our ap-
prova, the evidence of his conduct should be fur
nished with it, should we not feel the information
to be pertinent and important? There can be but
one response to the interrogatory."
Now, if it would be proper for the Senate to re-
ject nomination on such grounds, surely it would
be equally proper for the Executive to remove on
the same grounds.
| Now, Mr.. President wonder why it did not oc-
cur to my honorable friend that, if we bring in the
papers filed during the late administrations it may
appear that some of the very men who have been
turned out were concerned themselves in proscrib-
ing others. And here produce what doubt not
will be deemed, the other side of the chamber,
highly satisfactory authority. 1t is an extract
from speech delivered early in General jackson 8
administration by the honorable Senator from Mis-
souri,, (Mr. BENToN,) in this chamber, wherein he
says:
sit is incontestably true that many of those who
have been dismissed, and not reappointed, were
themselves the proscrbers of those who we're in
their power; disinissing not only clerks and under
officers for political opinions, but mechanics work
men, and aborers s"-Vide Gales & Seaton's Reg
Deb, pol. IL, pf /. p. 374.
Thus it would seem IL is right for an administra-
ton coming into power to ascertain whether in
cumbents of Office were concerned in prescribing
others Indeed it is believed many of the appointees
! IF Tav orw were ed
reasons; and no doubt il will appear, if we sec
all the papers, that those who succeeded under the
late administration were themselves participants in
the enorinity. Besides, may IT not appear that, IN
some least, the avoritcs of the late admin
stration appointed in defiance of public opin-
ion in their respective localities, or on grounds
which no Just or good man approve? In short,
it is certain that there is and must sir, be small
degree of sympathy between the papers (if papers
there beg Of the late and present administrations,
and all must be brought into view to enable US TO
form Just appreciation of the true state OF the
cases. Therefore, give notice that, if the resolu-
ton is persisted in, shall move TO amend it,
to substitute for the 4th of March, ls49. the 4th OF
March, lS45; and then we shall see how much
ground the supporters of Mr. Polk have 10 complain
Of President Taylor.
O. The next particular, Mr.. President, TO which
wish to call the attention Of the Senate is that by
the resolution Of the honorable Senator the Presi-
dent is REQUIRED to submit a statement Of the re-
movals which have taken place since he came into
power, and to produce all the papers, without any
exhibit of the in which he has refused to make
removals.
, Mr. President, what is the question before the
Senate and before the country TO which the resolu-
ton and the speech of the honorable Senator relate
II is ought TO be, what has been the entire policy
of the President and his cabinet in dispensing the
patronage of the Government The resolution OF
the Senator calls only for the cases in which re-
movals have actually taken place, while all cases
Of refusal TO remove carefully excluded; and
this obviously comprises only half Of the sub
ject. do not hesitate TO declare my full and en-
tire belief that the in which the President and
the various heads Of Departments, acting in con-
formity with his views, refused 10 dismiss, are
more numerous than those in which removals have
actually been made. What is more, may state,
upon the strength Of what deem reliable inforna-
tion, that Democratic members OF Congress have
gone TO the President and made appeals to him TO
save their political friends, and he, with magma
nimity peculiar to him, has spared them, and has
then given no small offence to his own supporters,
and occasioned, perhaps, some damage to his Ad-
Yes sir, If the proof could be properly brought
, forward, il would be ascertained that honorable
Senators who voted for this resolution have made
such appeals in person, and made them success
fully Il Is indispensable that we should have be-
fore us the list Of cases in which the President has
refused 20 remove, TO enable us TO determine whe-
ther he has or has not been moderate, reasonable,
just and true ! venture TO affirm that the names
of those who held over will comprehend a larger
portion of the Blue Book than those that have been
appointed under the present Administration l am
strongly inclined TO tnlnk, III tne laCs Werc iuhy
developed, that the impression would be universal
that injustice has been done to the Whig party
but am not disposed TO scrutinizc the matter very
closely, for man be more dissatisfied thar am
with the scrsmbling propensities OF both the great
political parties in this country. Every adminis-
traton has been for long time past tormentcd with
office seekers; and if could get rid OF them al
Z together, IL would be very great relief wish
there could be law made, irreversible as that o
! the Medes and Persians, that no man coming e
this city in pursuit Of office should be gratified
Mr.. FooTr, (interposing.) have not the least
objection, Mr.. President, TO the honorable sena-
! tors denouncing the Wing party for its ofhce-
seeking propensities. see no reason TO doubt that
, he may be right in all he says in that regard. But
when the honorable Senator includes both partes-
: when he speaks of the Democratic party-Twould
suggest that 1t is hardly generous. The Senator
should be too magnanimous TO attack party thai
is broken down and PROSTATE, is the great Demo
cratic party ofthis country.
a Mr.. MANeum. You,arc in clear majority on
: this floor.
Mr.. SMITH. Mr.. President, | do not consider the
Democratic party PROSTATE 80 long as the honor
a ahl Ov,h