New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-20

our Judgment that there never before was so
immense, and on the whole so unlikely. lot OF
ofice-beggars infesting the Country as at this
very moment There are of course good men
among them but who will say that one-tensh
of them are fit for the places they aspire to
or that the deserving and qualified hundreth
man among them is likely TO make as much
noise and bully as many persons into signing
his papers as any one of the other ninety-nlne'
What We would say to the new President,
then, is-Turn out Wing incumbents as freely
as you please-if they are the men that should
hold Office, they can live and thrive without
it, and laugh at your proscription-but don't
put worse men in their places. They are not
particularly likely lot--those you are asked
to supersede-but you will replace them by
worse unless you are careful and thoroughly
independent. And, to furnish you with
mirror wherein to contemplate the sin which
doth most easily beset' Presidents-to teach
you BY familiar exercise in false statesman
shp-we proceed to set before you the fol-
lowing Official Correspondence, wherein your
ilustriOus predecessor made a place for
parasite at the expense of the public interest.
The man who got the place was Timothy Fitch
Of Batavia, n. Y, (who has been in office or
wanting to get in Us long as we can remem-
ber.) ard the Individual he victimzed by his
useless friendship, (yOu will have many such
friends, Gen Pierce y was Mr. Willard Fill
more, retiring President Of the United States.
By the main force of the latter, the former
was thrust into an Examinership in the
Patent Ofice-a place for which he was not
half so fit as for that Of Greek Professor at
Haryard-in what manner and with what re-
suit is exhibited below:
Correspondence on the AppOimmea! Of Timothy
Fitch.
-Prvs.cl wutlsp' Hor1l wedae'iay evening Nay ltI"l
DFas SIR-In accordance with your direction made
cut the appointment OF Mr.. Timothy Fitch but con-
WINGED that il will prove unfortunate one IN eve
" point of view 10 the Administration, that deem tiny
duty you and to the Office to state this before handing
him official notification OF his appointment TO-
morrow. SO.
AGmniftr ation on the E1GmiHRg Corps purely pot.
ical grounds end without single testimonial on ME OF
Lis qualifications 70 perform the scientific and hghy IN
poItGnt duties required Of every member OF that ooiy
l. will essurCly furnish Democrats with text from
which many powerful sermon may be preached against
the Administration and the Wings. 1t viii gyehem-
what they will receive with unaoyed pleasure-a pre-
text toremove not only Mr. F., but most, not every
one of the Wing Examiners in the Office Iney now
stand ii il believed ten 10 t1e0 Democrats.
To the inventors and mechanics OF the Unon on tho
novelty of whose inventions Examiners ana Assistants
decide TO patentces agents and attorneys dong Dus
mess with the Office and to the great BODY OF clLen'
who feel a warm interest in its reputation and freedom
from political influences the appointment VIII NC any
thing but an acceptable one.
To Mr. Fitch himself il cannot prove congcnial one
unless he can do, what few ever attempt VIZ; begin an
entirely new profession al period OF lue when most
men are balancing their last edgers. profession toO
for which not merely general Qualifications but peculiar
fitness s required,
IIeleve tbs is the first political letter ever wrote
end beg that the motive which prompted IT. may ap0E
ocize for whatever may be improper IN 1t.
Most fe peciuly srdsa.ceTey your ODD / sel'
The foregoing letter. though intended to be private
was treated as cficia and replied to as foows;l
w.,Hiseros. 18th May 1851
Tnos,. Eublsr Esq Commissioner Of Patents:
SIR In reply 10 your letter OF yesterday, expressing
your doubts TO the proprety OF appointing Mr.. Fitch
of n T. of the Assistant Examiners OF the Patent
Office and stating the grounds which you supposed
the appointment was made, beg leave to inform you
that Mr. Fit appointed not with reference TO
sidoratons Of political character but in consequence
Of his qualifications az lawyer and his presumed
time to time in the administration OF the affairs of the
Patent Office All the others Examiners men Of
scientific affair hts, and imagine that the number is
entirely sufficient fox the examination Of all questions Of
purely scientific or mechanical nature There are
however many subjects demanding investigation which
require thorough knowledge Of egl principles, and
therefore desire to have gentleman in the Board whose
professional 0itlinnens would qualify him Tor tnat
duty. Mr. Fitch has been strongly recommended
possessing these qualifications in high degree and
therefore oppointcd him. L may not be improper to
edd that Mr.. Fitch h1s been recommended 10 me also
osposess!rg very considerable knowledge Of mechan
ied principles end OF their practical application to
machinery.
The only objection see to his appointment is the lct
that he IS citizen If New-YoIk which State already
possesses undue proportion Of the Offices in your
bureau II had been of that Bct az earlier
day, might have been induced to oVeil1oA MI fnchs
claims but certainly would have looked Tor similar
Qualifications in The person whom should have finally
Mr. Fitch having been designated for the Office do
not consider the fact OF his being New Yorker sui.
tcient reason for Withdrawing bis nomination.
fully with you that appointments OF scientific
character ought not to b. made party grounds and
far from my being Influenced by considerations Of
that kind have not inquired as 70 the political
opinions of either Of the gentlemen appointed on yes
terdsy. All esk is that they shall be faithful and COM
petent and in 10 way connected with any Of the trca
sonabe end actous attempts TO dissolve tie Union and
overthrow the Constitution II lind any such in any
Bureau under my control whether they call thenselve
Wings or Democrats, viii promptly remove them, tor
who unfaithful the Unon and to the principles
which il Yves founded
yery respectfully. your obelent servant
ALEX. Il. II. STUART
L. :. firzST OrcE, FEB :. 1854
SIR beg leave to submit for your consideration the
accompany ing reports Of Mr.. Cooper OF the Exam
iners OF iis Ofce, in relation to his ssistsnt.e
GATED Nov :, 1851 and the other Feb Q, 1852 NOtwith
standing the pain il gives ~ make communication
Of this nature in reference 20 respectable and worthy
gentleman Mr. Fitch, the interests OF the Office per
mi, me no longer to withhold II.
the honor be. very resp lly obi
THOS EWgASk
Hon. A. H. srr4sr, Secretary Of the Interior.
L. Nov. 7, 1851.
SIR At the time Of the appointment OF my present
ssant it made my duty 20 report upon his capabil