Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-05-04
DEBATE in THE SENATE:
REMoVALs>AND APPOINTMENTS.
TUESDAY, APRIL %, 1850.

REMOVALS~AND APPOINTMENTS.
TUESDAY, APRIL %, 1850.
The Senate having under consideration the resolution
offered some time since by Mr.. BRADBunr, calling the
Executive for information relation to removals from and
appointments to office
Mr. BELL. had intended Mr.. President to discuss the
general principles involved in the resolution offered o tn
Senator from Maine some length but at present. sna
saw any thing upon the subject at which time
understand the be taken upon it. late hour
of the day shall present very briefly some OF my views
the questions issue IN reply 70 the absr
ay that the Senator from Maine intended to make lo ex
tended reply to remarks offered by the Senator from Con-
neccu and vety general wish having been that
this resolution should be passed upon without further delay
intmated my intention upon future OCCASION most
probably when the resolution offered by the Senator from
Indiana (Mr WHIrcoSB) up for confederation, 10
present to the Senate my views at large upon the prn-
cples mainly involved in that resolution and in the
under consideration and this ID still my purpose. My
design chiefly to address myself 70 the question OF
the unlimited power of removal from office claimed for the
Executive principle involved in the resolutions offered by
the Senator from Maine and the Senator from Indiana, and
principle that has been practised upon to extent by
both political parties when power, and which has be-
avowed and cardinal principle in the creed Of the
Democratic party.
Nv opinion with regard to the practice Of removal from Of
6ce without other than difference Of political sent
merit s that Congress ought speedily and vigorously to
regulate the whole subject by law, and that 1t is not thus
regulated; if fail to do something this subject, that it
WILL in the end, undo the Government. It is in great part
r the and foundation of all those dssensons growing
out Of the subject Of slavery that have of late distracted the
country and which has parayzed the legislative powers of
Congress for the last four five months This doctrine Of
absoutsm in removals from office, regard the main
only of existing difficulties and disturbances in the
regular operation of this branch of the Government but that it
will become the of continued dsenon and still more
disastrous results to the whole country unless adequate
remedy shall be applied.
Sir shall not speaking upon this subject consider
unworthy runbecomng me give serious attention tothe
gross charges Of inconsistency of broken pledges made against
the present Administration in the exercise Of the appointing
power Though humble individual, sir, take unto my
self my full share of the responsibility of bringing General
Tayloc into power. do not claim having exerted any
great influence upon this point but such as possessed en-
ployed ready now, and shall be at all times ready, to
sponsbiliy for whatever injury to the country any
sound principle which may follow and if General Taylor
has violated the pledges which is said he has
gven and which have been referred to by the Senator from
Maine in the gross and aocous asserted by that Sc
naor desire il to be shown that also join in that
condemnation which he is receiving But until see
something further disclosed than have yet SEEM something
better founded than the arguments and conclusions OF the
Senator from Maine to sustain the position taken by that
Senator, do not anticipate that in regard to that sub.
ec any other that has been brought under my notice.
shall repent my nstrumentaiity humble 1t may have
been in the elevation of General Taylor the Preden
ta chair lean readily concede degree Of pausbty to
the apprehension in the argument Of the Senator
from Maine, and in the Of thousands Of newspaper
graphs which have been circulated country in
reference these alleged violations of Pledges but when you
anayzc these pledges and give to them their just
and fair import and construction, and then to investigate the
actual grounds and principles upon which the President has
proceeded in the exercise Of the appointing power venture
the assertion that there will be found be inconsistency
The Senator from Mane sir to-day very Unexpectedly to
me, has made very elaborate effort reply TO the speech of
the Senator from Conneccut and sir what the charges
which have been urged with much perinacy, and
peated and again with reference to the pledges of
General Taylor
II is asserted that General Taylor before his election de-
clared his decided opposition, letters to the
ce Of prescription for opinions sake-a practice which
may add the Senator might justly have assented to be
sanctioned by the established doctrine of the party to which
he belongs. For sir it is well known that the doctrine of
the Democratic party that the President, in virtue Of the
appointing power vested in him by the constitution may
thrust every subordinate officer the Government except
the judicial unconares his discretion without any pee1t
of official delinquency, misbehavio the OF official
qualification and need not stop show that the practice
me h parry If wh h c,esd e
That is the doctrine advanced and that is the practice
sde The charge against General Taylor is that ne
pledged himself to the country to set his face against this
practice; that he soemny avowed his opposition to the pro-
scrpye policy, and that he has grossly violated these pledges
and by his conduct since he into power has wholly
dregaded his former professions. undertake to that
General Taylor the docnes that he has al
ways avowed upon this point. What is the proof that Ge
neral Taylor has violated bis pledges Why, sir it is that
he has made greater number OF removals in the short pc
rod that has elapsed since he into power, than
made in the twelve years Of General Jacksons and Mr. Van
Burens administrations This fact is the main reliance Of
the Senator from Maine in proving that General Taylor has
in his practice contradcted his professions this subject
and lent himself to the policy Of prescription for opinions
sake. few wod the force of this fact that Gene
raj Taylor has removed greater number of officers in his
time than General Jackson and Mr.. Van Buren,
moved in the whole period Of their power That depends
upon the principles upon which the removals made
What are the principles upon which removals have been
made by General Taylor Have they been made for
sry power No, sir; understand they have only been
made upon principles and fer that in past history,
have been admitted TO be sund and republican and in
cordance with the practice Of Jeesonand Jefferson
strongly opposed the policy Of removal for opinions sake
General Taylor himself But the Senator inquiries what
the Of these removals Sir be expected
that can vouch for the fact that in every of removal
there have been different existing from that of
difference Of political opinion brt speak of my
knowledge Of the subject, so far as it goes.
have learned upon inquiry from the proper source, that
the Administration proceeds in making removals. upon the
principle that worthy and competent ncumbents ought not
10 he removed merely the ground that they differ from the
Administration In their political opinions, but ha,some other
objection must be shown
The gentleman from Maine has referred the State Of Ten
proof the charge which he makes
against Gen Taylor Sir know Of individual the
state OF tennessee OF removal in which special other
than difference Of political sentiment was not required to be
pointed out and ceny proved before removal was made
true tnat lew occhoders have been displaced in that
STATE and several other changes have been made upon
designations and the expiration the commissions Of former
snr, ,ntantc in QpArp nf