Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1853-05-26


express no opinion as 10 the merits Of
the matter to which they relate. 1t 10
family difficulty, and il is always best
Tor strangers, or those not interested, TO
keep aIoof from all such unhappy
domestic affairs {:
THE RHODE ISLAND DELEGA-
TION.
The Rhode Island Delegation, COM
posed ofGeneral James and Governor
Thursion, have assumed the right to
direct who shall, and who shall not, hold
Offices under the administration, without
consulting the wishes of The people
This is a stretch oi power which we
have not been accustomed 10 witness in
this Republic. This may be progress
sive democracy, but il certainly is not
the principle which once governed the
party. And what moral and political
right we ask, had these servants Of the
people to act contrary TO the wishes of
their conruituenis AS has been done
in the case Of George Turner, Esq, and
Of others. No individual had stronger
recommendations than this gentleman;
and with very few exceptions, none
doubted Of his appointment as Pos'mas-
ter OF Newport. In addition TO letters
from some of the more prominent lead.
ers of the party, he had also bolh'braneh-
es OF the Legislature in his favor, which
gave him confidence OF his SUCCESS
And why was he defeated Z The EVIL
dence to our mind 10 pretty conclusive,
tina, an outside influence was b ought
10 bear on the Delegation, 10 whom
wac entrusted the nominating power
for on 10 other principle can We account
for his shumeful defeat. fsa quietus,
10 cover up wrong, they rendered TO him
the Colleetorship, which he very reluc-
family accepted. Now any party that
hat,ers themselves that they will be
able 10 outlive this Administrator, and
enter on the second term, after having
acted so base and 60 ungenerous part,
will find themselves most egregiously
disappointed. AS strongly as we have
been attached TO the Democratic party,
we have no wish to see power perpetua
ted in such hands.
We suggested TO the party the neces
si,y Of calling an indignation meeting
and entering our solemn protest against
such danlna,le heresy hut, unfortun-
ally, the want Of moral courage held
them back from performing their duty.
From an article in the New York Her.
aid whlch we append below, it would
seem that the Democracy are moving in
right earnest in the matter:
PoL,TrcAL The dem
ocrats of Norfolk, Va, held u meeting
on the J4,h instant, Tor the purpose Of
expressing their dlsapprobaiion Of the
re-appoinlment Of the old incumbents TO
the Post Office and Navy Agenry in
that city. A number Of resolutions
were adopted, among which was the
follow ing
Resolved, That the restora alton oi the
old democratic incumben,s to the Post
Office and Navy Agency was in viola
ton OF the republican doctrine Of "ro,a.
ton in Office" and Is an event deeply
mortl.ying to d large majority ol the dc.
mocratic party o! this city.
For one, We cann)t sanction such
conduct, as the perpetuating. OF office il
would be virtually coaniving at wrong
and injustice. Wha: has given new
bins to the mind OF General James, in
relation 10 the wishes OF the people .
In letter which he addressed 10 me,
dated Washington, December 20, 1852,
he says, The rule have laid down.
in which TO govern myself in relation to
Offices, is not to act entirely, il at all on
my own responsibility, or in accordance
with my own personal wishes can
therefore pledge myself TO no one, but
must wait to see and know what may
lie the wishes Of our friends in the
State. Those wishes, once fairly ex-
pressed. hope I shall be allie and viii
ling to act with honor and justice TO
you, and TO every one else"
The phraseo!ogy employed in the
closing up OF the note is quite unique,
and mos, certainly very doubtful. But
1.-THE wishes of our friends in the State"
have they not been fairly expressed 2
then why did he not comply with them
according TO his previous views and
promises, and nominate and insist on
the appointment OF Mr Turner Was
the outs.-r y,eseu,e 100 great Tor him
10 Withstand, and must the wishes of a
jantd be regarded in preference to that
Of the people Z We conceive that the
whole policy which has been pursued
has been an outrage on the party, and
a practical denial Of popular sovereign
ty which for the last iew years has been
the great question at issue.
BY this course il has been knocked
into cooked hat, and the power con-
centrated in the hands Of the few in
stead Of the many. or what possible
use is il for an individual TO obtain
names IN the town or State where he