Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-05-20
Correspondence OF The Richmond Times

alidad.)
Correspondence The Richmond Times
WASHINGTON, May 19, 1853.
1t is stated, good authority, that the Secre-
tary of the Interior has decided in the re>or-
ganization of the different Bureaus in his depart
ment on the first OF July, according to the law
introduced by Senator Hunter, that the selection
of clerks for the different desks shall be made n
such manner to give each congressional dis
trict an equal number. not giving the State of
Virginia more in proportion to the number of in
habitants than to the State of Texas, Illinois,
and it is believed that the same rule will be
adopted in the other Executive departments
Should this rule be carried out many of the
clerks now in office-and very efficient ones too
from the States of Virginia, Maryland and
the District, will be dismissed, aud compelled to
seek for some other paymaster besides Uncle
San.
Iii supposed that the Secretary of the Inte-
rior has been induced to make this decision by
the urgent represe nations of members of Con,
gress who heretofore have been unable to get
any of their friends in office, on account of the
number in from the contiguous States. But
will venture to predict that it will not work well
in practice; and further, believe that many of
the members who have been first to cry out against
the Injustice done in the appointment of SO many
from Virginia, will readily give their recommen-
dation to individuals in the District with whom
they have become acquainted, in preference to
importing clerks from home that the wives and
sisters of clerks already here, will so besege the
Secretaries, and those having influence with
them, that they will find it totally out of their
power to withstand the PRESSURE All our Cabi-
net Ministers human and if they venture
upona measure impractcable as this, they
will, too late, find that they have mistaken their
calling.
There be no doubtthat there might be a
more equitable distribution of the patronage of
the Executive Government, and that it would be
well for each State to be fairly represented at the
seat of Government, by the clerks holding Offices.
The difficulty, however, is, that when new APP
pointments are made for the bringing up OF some
work that is pressing, the selection is made from
contiguous States, because those wanting place
from those States are first to apply, being either
already on the ground, or within days ride. to
hasten on to make application; and also because
Virginia heretofore has been we'll represented in
the Executive Departments-duringt the last adj
minstratou there being one member of the Cab.
met one Auditor, and Commissioner of Pen
sions, having at their disposal at least half of the
patronage of the Departments here.
If rule of this kind is to be adopted it must be
gradual in its operation. 1t is preposterous to
attempt to enforce it by removing clerks who
have proved themselves really efficient, simply
because they happen to have been born in the
"Old Dominion" The only way would be to APP
point the new clerks from other States and con.
: Time to do soas they needed.
But why the attempt to enforce this rule now ?
Is it to prevent the appointment of Virginia De.
mocrats to office ? Was not Virginia the first
State that voted for franklin Pierce 10 the Bati>
, more Convention Was not the name of Pierce
suggested first by member of the Conve ntion
! from that State? The disposition manifested to
shut Virginia out from all share of the spoils
tainly does not show much confidence in her sa-
gacity in selecting Pierce the standard bearer
of the Democracy. 1.-THE President and MEM
bers of the Cabinet carry out this rule, it will in
dictate degree of frmness, impartiality and sense
err to withstand the prayers and entreaties of wo-
men, children and destitute men, unparalleled in
the history of the Government.
How did Wing administration treat the
"Old Dominion" which has always been as firm
for the Democracy as Vermont for Whiggery !
A Wing President called from Virginia to assist
him in administering the affairs of Government,
a Cabinet officer, the Commissioner of Pensions
and the Third Auditor, who in turn looked out
for her interests by appointing good share of
the clerks in their several offices from the same
State, the Secretary of the Interior appointing
nearly one-third of the clerks iu the Census from
Virginia. and proportionate number in the
Pension Office from the same State. She was
represented abroad at the second court in Europe
by of the ablest mon f.he county, and he
is still there, comforting honor upon the country,
and the '.OId Dominion" that gave him birth.
B.