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

TIL Il R EP UBLIC.
SPEECH
ELL. OF TENNESSEE,

mh. JOHN bELI, UT IrsIsNnSSnA'
On the resolution Of Mr. BRADBURY IN
relation TO removals from and appoint
ments to office dehirered IN the Senate
ofMe United States, .Aprii %, 1850. :
Mr. BELL said had intended. Mr.. President,
to dscuss the general principles involved in the
oluton offered by the Senator from Maine at some
length; but, at present, shall detain the Senate
only very short time. l do not wish to say any
thing upon the subject to morrow, at which time
understand the vote is to be taken upon It, AT this
late hour of the day shall present very briefly
some OF my views upon the questions at issue, In
reply To some of the positions assumed by the SEN
ator from Maine. Understanding, the other day,
that the Senator from Maine intended 10 make no
extended reply to the remarks Of the Senator from
Connecticut, and very general wish having been
expressed that this resolution should be passed
upon without further delay, intimnted my inten-
tion upon some future occasion--most probably
when the resolution offered by the Senator from
Indiana Mr.. WHITcoMR) came np for considera-
tion--to present 10 the Senate my views at large
upon the principles mainly involved in that reso
luton, and in the one now under consideration; /;
and this is still my purpose My design was chiefly
to address myself to the question OF the unlimited
power Of removal from Office claimed for the Exec
utive--a principle involved in the resolutions Of
fered by the Senator from Maine and the Senator
from Indiana, and principle that has been prac-
tised upon to extent by both political parties
when in power, and one which has become an
avowed and cardinal principle in the creed of the
Democratic party.
| My opinion with regard to the practice Of reno
val from office, without other than difference
of political sentiment s, sir, that Congress ought
speedily and vigorously to regulate the whole sub
jec by law and that if it is not thus regulated, if
we fail to do something this subject, it will,
| in the end, undo the Government. II is in great
part sir the root and foundation of all those dis
sensons growing out of the subject of slavery that
have of late distracted the country, and which has
| paralyzed the Legislative powers of Congress for
the last four five months This doctrine of abso-
lutism in removals from office, l regard the
main source not only of existing difficulties and
disturbances in the regular operation Of this branch
of the Government, but that it will become the
cause of continued dissensons and still more disas-
trous results to the whole country, unless ade-
quate remedy shall be applied.
Sir, i shall not, in speaking upon this subject,
consider it as unworthy unbeconing in me TO give
sstency of broken pledges made against the present
Administration in the exercise Of the appointing
power. Though an humble individual, sir, take
unto myself my full share the of responsibility OF
bringing General Taylor into power. do not claim
having exerted any great influence upon this point,
but such as ! possessed employed. am ready
now, and shall be at all times ready, to acknowl-
edge my agency, and to assume my full share OF
responsibility for whatever injury to the country,
or to any sound principle which may follow; and il
General Taylor has violated the numerous pledges
which il is said he has given, and which have been
referred to by the Senator from Maine in the gross
1 ana dtrOClOus manner asserted DY tndt ScndtOT,
desire il to be shown, that also may join in that
condemnation which he is receiving But
until see something further disclosed than have
yet seen, something better founded than the argu-
| ments and conclusions of the Senator from Maine
TO sustain the position taken by that Senator, dc
not anticipate that, in regard TO that subject, OF
any other that has been brought under my notice
shall repent my fundamentally, humble as u
may have been, in the elevation of General Taylor
to the Presidential chair. can readily concede
degree of pausibility TO the common apprehension
in the argument Of the Senator from Maine, and in
the tens Of thousands OF newspaper paragraphs
which have been circulated throughout the country
in reference these alleged violations of pledges
but when you come to analyzc these pledges, and
give to them their just and fair import and con-
structon and then 10 investigate the actual grounds
and principles upon which the President has pro
ceeded in the exercise of the appointing power.
venture the assertion that there will be found 10 be
no inconsistency.
The Senator from Maine, sir, to-day, very un-
expectedly TO me, has made n very elaboratc effort
in reply 10 the speech of the Senator from Connec-
| ticut; and, sir, what the charges which have
been urged with so much pertinacity, and repeated
over and over again with reference TO the pledges
of General Taylor?
Il is asserted that General Taylor before his elec
ton, declared his decided opposition, in numerous
letters 70 the practice OF prescription for opinion
sake-a practice which, may add, the Senator
might Justly have assentcd 10 be sanctioned by the
established doctrine of the party to which he be-
longs For, sir, il Is well known that the doctrine
Of the Democratic party is that the President, in
virtue of the appointing power vested in him by
the Constitution may thrust out every subordinate
officer Of the Government, except the judicial func-
tionaries, at his discretion, without any prctex OF
official delinquency, misbehavior, or the want OF
official qualification; and ! need not stop to show
that the practice Of the Democratic party when in
power, during the last twenty years, has been in
conformity with this creed.
That is the doctrine advanced, and that is the
practice on one side. The charge against General
fI- l.. II
TO his face against this practice that he solemn
ly avowed his opposition 10 tho proscrptive policy
and that he has grossly violated these pledges, and
by this conduct since he came into power has
| wholly disrcgardcd his former professions. ! un-
dertake 20 say that General Taylor avows the same
doctrines now that he has always avowed upon tins
point. What is the proof that General Taylor has
violated his pledgcs' Why, sir, il s that he has
made n greater number Of removals in the short pc
riod that has elapsed since he came into power,
than were made in the twelve years Of General
Jsckson's and Mr.. Van Buren's administrations.
This fact is the main reliance OF the Senator from
Maine in proving that General Taylor has in his
practice contradictcd his professions this sub
jcct and lent himselt to the policy Of prescription
for opinions sake. few words, as 20 the force o
this fact that General Taylor has removed greater
number Of officers in his time than General jackson
and Mr.. Van Buren, removed in the whole period
Of their power. That depends upon the principles
upon which the removals were made. What are the
principles upon which removals have been made by
1cneral laylor! haVemcy Dccn nmaucior incrcophi
ions ssakesimpy the exercise OF an absolute arbi
trary poweri No, sir; understand they have only
been made upon principles, and for causes that IN
our past history, have been admitted 70 be sound
and republican; and in accordance with the prac-
tice OF Jefferson--and jefferson as strongly op-
posed 10 the policy Of removal for opinions sake as
General Taylor himself But the Senator inquiries
what the causes of these removable Sir, IL can
not be expected that can vouch for the fact that IN
every case Of removal there have been different
causes existing from that Of mere difference o
political opinion; but can speak OF my own know
ledge Of the subject, 30 far as il goes.
Ihave learned, upon inquiry from the proper
source, that the Administration proceeds, IN max
ing removals, upon tho principle that worthy and
competent incumbcnts ought not 10 be removed
merely on the ground that they differ from the Ad
ministration in their political opinions, but tha
some other objection must be shown.
The gentleman from Maine has referred to tho
State OF Tennessee, and removals there, as proc
Of the charge which he makes against General Tay'
lor. Sir, know Of no individual case in the State o.
Tennessee Of removal, in which special cause othei
than difference Of political sentiment was not re
quircd TO be pointed out and sufficiently proved be
fore a removal was made II is true that a few OF
fee holders have been displaced in that State, and
several other changes have been made, upon resig