Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-12-11
Prescription.

Hhaa been reserved for the Legislature Of Viz
ginia to carry into effect on the basement officers
of the CAPITOL, the petty doctrine that "to the
yietors belong the spoils, and we are accordingly
called upon to note the eiectment ftom Office Of
James Brown, Second Auditor, and William H.
Richardson, Secretary of State. Zach of these
tried public servants, has for number of years
past filed creditably TO themselves and proftably
to the State the respective Offices from which they
have just been ousted. Year after year the DEM
ucratio Legislatures Of Virginia have reelected
them, without opposition even, to these offices; and
no onehas, so far as we are informed, intimated
even, that they had fsiled to perform to the letter.
the duties incumbent upon them. Few who have
bean 10 Richmond, will fail to remember the gem
tIemanly and pleasant conduct of Gen. Richard
son. as Librarian of the Commonwealth; and no
one who has had any transactions with the Second
Auditors department, will fail to recall with
pleasure the prompt and courteous action of Jas.
Brown Wei had supposed, that if it could be.
that awhtg could hold Office in Virginia, that
they Of allothers. endorsed and re-endorsed, and
they have been by consecutive Democratic Legs
latures, would have been suffered to remain in
the dischaEge ofthoSe duties, which have almost
become part OF themselves, so long and so faith
fully hzTe they discharged them and them only.
But the 'Inovum organum'' has decreed otherwise;
and tits, we presume. accessory to the harmony
and perpetuity of JOsephs reign that he should
have none but the "dyed in the wool'' about him
to aid him in his "higher law councils. Against
their successors we have nothing TO say. Colonel
Munford Is faYorabIY known in every portion of
the State, haslonG acted clerk of the House of
Delegates Of Virginia, station which be has filed
to the satisfaction Of every one; and We hesitate
not tosay, that better qualified and more efficient
Democrat could not have been found for the post
10 which hehRi been elected, and we cannot but,
express our regrets that Col. Munford should have
lent himself to this miserable work of prescription.
Nh. Jackson is young man of good parts, gen.
tlemanly bearing. and may, with time and expert
ence, FILL creditably the position assigned him. He
--caEnst be better officer than Mr.. Brown. We
learn that both the aged east+ofs are poor. AT
ter spending the lest years of their life in the
vice of the State, at compensation barely sufi-
cient to enable them to enjoy the common COM
forts Of life, they cast forth to make their
living by other means, to re-embark as it were on
life's ocean, and tore6t themselves for encounter
ing its storms and adversities. Verify, we may
say varying but little the words of WoolSey, chad
they but served themselves with half the zeal they
served the State; they would not now in their old
age have been left naked to their enemies" Ro-
totion in office will not serve. as an excuse even,
m this case; unless it be defined as in Colonel
5Iunford's case, "rcnrOual frOm Office to Office"
If the precedent set is to be taken index of
the Democratic Federal Administration, truly
there will be a clean sweep; as few public OIL
Gers can be found more pure, less partisan. and
mere efficient than James Brown and VIM. H.
Richardson. The next step we presume, will be
to ipcrease tie.salary of the new Encumbents, as
was done for Attorney Gen. Bocock.