Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-12-14

equauon lLaughter'J but now nope inns VIII DC u
last of the agitation OF this subject, and that we shall set
time dispose of it and make Saturday aft, moons job
il, that may not have il come up with bill
giving to some Western State land to make railroad
canal which subject generally occupies the Senate when
occupied with this system Of equalization.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD The "square roo." ougl to
applied TO these daughter do no, think lht
be disposed of properly unless this is DONE is euro
look at the history Of this matter old enough
to take hand in the politics Of the country, and a
ddae for the office of eecto succeeded and voted for MI
Clay for President Of the United States recoec per
lecty well that Of the most prominent charges mad
against him, and the then existing administration was th
had refused to eappont printers of the laws who's
term of service had expired by its limitation He ap
pointed six editors publish the law, Of the United
States sccordng to my recollection in the places Of those
whose terms Of service had expired And that act IN the
history of the country is worthy of being classified 40 the
commencement OF prescription in this country After that
the Democratic administration into power and this
thing called prescription" with The increasing ve
lociy Of falling rock. It multiplied enormously:
Mr.. MANGUM. According to the square of the dis
tance
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Yes, sir, it multiplied accord
ing to the square Of the distance The Wings had The
power in this body and they called upon the Democratic ad
mnstration to give them list Of the removals and appont
ment and they got them am inclined to follow that
ample and the gentleman from Maine has called for SINH
lar information which given in former days. lei him
now. am willing that be should have it; but would
prefer that his resolution should be amended get the
information for each administration since 1925 down
the present time. The why prefer amending the
resolution and obtaining the information in that way is this
prior to 1925 the heads Of the administration revolu
ionary They coeval with the constitution Most
OF them had taken active part them either in writing in
the Convention which framed the constitution, to bring that
instrument into practical existence Mr. Madison declared
that he who removed from office for opinions sake would be
worthy Of impeachment and under the revolutionary Pes-
DENTS under the practice which had prevailed prior to 1926
removal except for cause, was unknown. This doctrine
If sha IS
cratic party, began with Mr. Clay and Mr. Adams and
have heard of its continuance from that day down to this
either under the denomination of Equalization the Sc
nator from New Hampshire calls 1t, Of distributing the
spos among the victos according to another EXPRESSION if
the resolution be amended call for the number Of
removals during each administration from 1925 down to the
present me shall have the information to present to the
country and let the people make their comments upon
it. As to myself allow me to say that have been against
the doctrine Of removing for opinions sake, either reward
the vctors for the purpose Of Equalization from the
time Of its inception to the present day. II officer in
power is faithful if he is competent if he discharges his
duties WELL my conviction that be had better be retained
because he perform the duties of his situation much bet
for the interests Of the cosntry-beer than
who is acquainted with the duties Of the Office. The
public interest suffers by these changes You turn out
competent man. and who is well acquainted with the
duties he is called upon discharge and in his place you
put who knows nothing about them at the time Of
commencing Moreover, you sometimes deprive the ncum
bent Of the of living, and reduce him and his family
in instances to want. Very frequently this is done to
reward less deserving and who less entitled TO the
regard of the country than the who is sacrificed.
Sir there ID remedy forths state of things but con-
siiuonal provision tying the hands of power There is no
remedy for unless you provide one by the constitution or
by law You ought to do it by amendment Of the
suon, because of the construction originally put upon the
constitution that the President had the power to
construction which believe to have been wrong in the first
instance but being coeva with the history Of the country,
is too late to get clear Of it except by amendment
all have
mnsraon after administration practising this doctne Of the
"spoils this doctrine Of Equalization, to the end Of
the Government a st0a. 5..a
The danger Of that state Of things this that every Pes-
Dental election from to the end OF time if the Govern
will last long, would be influenced and controlled by
set of retanes-by set of sycophans who court power,
and who maintain a favored candidate with view to the
ultimate reward they all expect to receive and that man
who is candidate for Office who can command more presses
than any other sycophans than any other. who can
command his squad of eectoneeers upon every stump would
the Presidential chair to reward those who placed
him there, irrespective of merit. @...
hold that every patriot in this countryevery who
loves the institutions Of republican government those under
which have long lived and ropere ought to endeayor
put down that state Of things But way of do
ing but by amendment of the constitution Of the Unit
ed States and that perhaps never will be DONE It has be-
matter that laughed at if you propose to amend
the constitution of the country know the difficulty Per-
haps will be amended until revolution shall force it
upon the considerable patriots and the consderae people OF
the country. Revolution may make them think Revolu-
ton may make them act and in that way perhaps you may
accomplish what and good ought to- but cannot
accomplish. 3@ t ""
| now propose to amend the geneman's amendment by
striking all after the word reolved and inserting the
following E"th @"@
THAT the Heads the several Departments be and they
are required to inform the of the number of removals
which have been made of subordinate officers their respec
tive Departments during each Administration since the 4h OF
March, 1885, f1 |" NJ
Mr.. BRADBURY. Mr.. President, would state to the
Senator Kentucky that most Of the information which he
proposes obtain by his amendment has already been fur
nshed resolutions that have been adopted by
the House Of Representatives. resolution was adopted in
response which, information rendered Of the number
Of removals up to the 18th day Of July, ls4l
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. would inform my friend that
am Of that fact but want all this information in one
document It will not require very much labor, as some Of
the information has already been furnished
Mr. BRADBURY. The phraseology Of the honorable
Senator's amendment is somewhat ambiguous. do not
know whether it might not be regarded applying solely
the removals that have been made OF the subordnaes OF
the Departments here in this CITY, There might be some
doubt whether, under the phraseoogy Of the amendment
would embrace the vast number Of persons under the
Post Office Department. postmasters and subordnates
in custom houses hope the honorable Senator will allow
the resolution have proposed to amend it. TO be passed
and will be easy by reference to the information that has
heretofore been laid before Congress, 10 make out the list
which he wishes.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. would accept any amendment
remedy any ambiguity that the gentleman may propose
but would much prefer having all this information in one
document there is any ambiguity in the language Of the
amendment, will cheeffuy accept of any modification The
gentleman may be pleased TO suggest TO obviae the diff
Guilty. t
Mr. BRADBURY. There is no use Of printing this in
formation again. It will be unnecessary expense
/ Mr.. UNDERWOOD modified his amendment so as to
"drect the Heads Of Departments 10 furnish this Dfoma