Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-01-16
Ths DfuPen.afSon Of Kxeeuiive PatrennEt
at Washington.
Correspondence of the N. Y. Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Dec. %.

Yesterday, nOuc6 q l6ngtny commune
cation signed I" HonestHs, which does
so great injustice to the President and
his Cabinet, touching the delicate ques.
fion Of Removals and appointments to
subordinate places in this city, that to
remain silent would be censurable in
the extreme. The proposition that
every Clerk in the Departments in
Washington who differs with the Ad-
ministration politically. should be re-
moved, is so abhorrent to every prlnci-
pie of Justice, and repugnant to every
profession of the Wing party, that it
carries with il its own refutation. The
mos: that has ever been claimed or asked
IS, that the new political driveler who
devotes his time to politics instead of
tine duties of his office. should be re.
moved, but that the competent and at
tentive should be retained.
"Honestus" says, "ke arraigns the
members of the Cabinet, jointly and
singly, for not doing their duty to the
Whig party" and commences his er-
parte trial with the arraignment of Mr.
Corwin. The first count in his indict-
ment is, that Messrs. Cunningham and
Pearce were restored to Office by Mr..
Corwin, who had been displaced by Mr..
Meredith. But "Honestus" is guilty of
"suppresSio Ueri," by Withholding the
reasons that influenced Mr.. Corwin in
this particular. Mr.. Meredith, as well
as Mr.. GaIlaher, had given an unquali-
fled pledge, that they should be resto-
red, in the event of twelve additional
clerks being allowed by Congress, for
that Bureau. which was greatly retarded
for the want of sufficient force. The
additional clerks were allowed, and ten
of 9etwelve were given to Wings, and
the two to Messrs. Cunningham and
Pearce, as promised by Mr.. Corwin's
predecessor. learn that Mr.. Gallaher,
the Sd Auditor, went TO Mr. Corwin and
insisted upon its being done; so mai If
two Locofoco clerks have been restored,
it has been by Wing influences, and
Nr. G. is not to b'ame.
The truth is. Messrs. Editors, that the
members of the Cabinet have been re-
strained in their action by the Wings
themselves; and scarcely an appoint
ment is contemplated based upon re-
moval, but Wing Senators and Repre-
sentatives and Wing outsiders of un-
questioned influence unite to prevent it.
Both Messrs. Pleasanton and Dayton
have been, and will be retained from
this cause alone; and yet. while yielding
to the wishes of preponderance in in
fuence and number of their political
friends, in retaining opponents in office,
they are abused by the minority for not
acting in accordance with their views
If"Honestus" is so anxious for areform,
Iet him turn his battery upon the Wings
who demonstrate against and prevent
these removals, and not upon members
of the Cabinet, who are trammeled
from acting when they desire TO do so,
by such Iemonstrances and influences.
In my humble judgment, these as
sauIts upon the Cabinet will be pro.
ductive Of no good, as they most as
suredly will be harmless in driving
single member to do otherwise than
he is now doing. And | regret that
the assault has been first made
through the columns of your jour-
nal.* No man is more anxious 10
fill the full expectations of his party
and the country than is Thomas Cor
win; and no man has done more in
carrying out reformation in office
than him. But both Mr.. Corwin and
his colleagues can. with the utmost
security, entrench themselves be-
hind the undeniable fact, that the
Wigs themselves are sadly divided
in opinion as to almost every change
that is made. And until the masters
themselves can agree what work
shall be performed by their public
servants, the latter have no right TO
complain that nothing is done.
The exercise OF the power of pa
tronage is at best a difficult one, and
not easily discharged satisfactorily 10
those who politically act with such
who are clothed with that power
But when the friends who are TO be
benefited differ widely andirreconci-
labIy as to whether a removal should
be made at all, it is the refinement OF
cruelty and injustice to censure the
appointing power for not doing that
which is sure TO disPlease a majority
OF those whom they seek TO, benefit.
So far as the President is concern
ed, he laid down a salutary rule on
his early induction into the Presiden-
tial chair TO which he has through
out invariably and most properly ad.
hered. 1t was that he would not in
terlere between the members of his
Cabinet and the filling Of subordi-
nate places under them, but that
each Cabinet Minister would be held
responsible by him for the satisfacto-
ry discharge of their respective func-
tionS, and they must control the ma
chinery of their departments in such |
way as they believed the public in
terest and welfare demanded. Nor
can it with the slightest regard to
truth he asserted that whenever a |