Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-10-21
From the baltimore Patriot.

! the New YORK papers VI Inc lAVAhiI61 Heu W. 49,
pdftant LISTERS in them-one from Mr.. Collector
Bronson in reply to the admonition of Mr.. Secre-
tary Guthrie, and the other from Mr.. o'connor,
The U, S. District Attorney of New York, critizing
certain editorials IN the Washington Union. The
mail brings us the letters,and we at once lay that
of Collector Bronson before our readers. 1t is all
exposure of what every man, who is above the in
fuences of mere party schemes, must regard as
most iniquitous attempt to make the administra-
ton in Washington GENITAL power, by which the
State and local. as we'll the general elections Of
the country, were TO be contradiction such, and
nothing short of it, would it be- il Mr.. Secretary
Guthrie had not The penetration for seeing il, the
policy which he sought to enforce in his letter to
Collector Bronson. Here is the letter of
Collector Bronson to the Secretary of the
Treasury.
New YoRK, Oct. IL, 1853.
sir:-The pressure of official business, and con-
| fneinent TO a sick room have prevented an earle:
answer to your letter of the Sd instant.
You first state in substance, that have been
under pledges which has not been redeemed, to
distribute the Offices in my gift among different
sections OF the democratic party, and then pre-
scribe the course you expect me TO pursue IN iu-
| ture. You do not complain that my appontees
are not proper persons for the places they occupy,
OF that they not sound democrats, sincerely at
tached TO the principles of the party, and trm sup
porters of the national administration. But you
think have not properly regarded all sections OF
the party.
When Mr.. Dickinson declined the Collectorship
of this port, in April last, was asked by several
friends whether would allow my name 10 De mem
toned 10 the president forthe place, and answered
in the negative. thought no more OF the matter
until two days afterwards, when saw in the pub
lie prints telegraphic dispatch ANNOUNCING my
appointment. had two years before resigned my
place as Chief Judge Of the Court OF appeals
with the intention of never again accepting pub
lie Office; and grateful as was fCr this new mark
of confidence, should have declined the appoint
ment but for the high opinion which entertained
of the President and his principles, and the assn
rance of friends that he earnestly desired my ac-
ceptance of the trust.
When accepted the place, 1 had never seen or
| had any communication with the President, and
of coutse there we've no pledges between us, save
snch as may be implied between honorable men
holding the like relation to each other. de had
right 10 expect that would diligently and faith
fully discharge the duties OF the Office and main
tain, in all proper ways, the principles whlcn re-
stored the democratic party TO powers and so long
as performed that implied obligation, lad
right to expect that his confidence in me would
not be Withdrawn. have never complained thai
the President has not discharged his part OF the
Obligation, and am not conscious Oh having omlueu
| to discharge my own.
You tell me that the President and his constitu-
tional advisers stand pledged before the world 10
the principles and policy laid down in The Balti:
more platform and the inaugural address, "and
had reason TO believe that all gentlemen who con-
scented to accept Office under the administration,
stood pledged to the same principles and policy"
| agree TO that; and, though 1t is but an implied
pledge, admit its full force, But 1t proves moth
ing to the present purpose; for there IS not one
word either in the Baltimore platform or IN the ln-
auguraI address about distributing offices among
different sections of the party. If the President
or his Appointees are pledged to any such dStrl6u
ton, you must look to some other document 10 find
evidence of the obligation--Some document which
IL have never seen.
IL may be inferred from the acts of the Pres-
dent, that he regards eligible to Office all Demo-
lcrats Who cordially united on the Baltimore plat
form in 1852, and are sincerely attached TO the
principles OF the party, although at some former
period they may have been out OF the way. That
is proper rule. 1t is the one on which have
acted in maning appointments 10 othce-not be-
cause was under any pledge to do so, but be-
cause thought the rule just in itself. But, your
letter proceeds upon the ground that l should go
beyond the inquiry whether applicants Tor othce
are good Democrats now, and ascertain to what
section they formerly belonged; and then TO make
such distribution of offices between the different
sections that no one of them will have just cause
for complaint, 1t is not only impossible TO admin
ster such rule that with success, but the con-
sequence of adopting it must be that we shall
never have one Democratic party, united upon a
broad basis of principle, but mere combination
of different sections, held together by no better
bond than the love Of Office, and ready to fall to
pieces the moment one section thinks itself ag-
greved in the distribution.
Notwithstanding what has been said, think ii
would be found, on prop,r scrutiny, that the
section which has so loudly and bitterly complain
ed of injustice has received its full Share OF The
Offices which I have bestowed. 1t is undoubtedly
true that more appointments Lave been made from
one section ofthe party than the otherj and sim
gle reason will be sufficient to show why 1t was
\ proper to pursue that course. Most OF the Gus
tom House appointments for this port have always
been made fIom the counties OF New York and
Kings, in which are the three large cities which
form part of the port. In 1848 the Democratic
and FreeSoil vote in those counties bore the rea-
ton of more than four for the former and one for
The latter. From the free-soil vote should be de-
Quoted :he Wing abolition vote, which went in
the same direction. After making the proper al
lowance on that account, Il think it sale TO con-
clude that not more than one out OF seven oil the
democrats in those counties voted the free-Soil
ticket in 194S. In this view of the matter, L
think it will be found that the free-Sol section is
far from having just cause for complaint. have
acted in this liberal manner-not because l was
under any pledge, but because wished to do
what reasonably could to promote the harmony
and continued ascendenc of the party.
1t is possible that am mistaken in suppoSing
that The section has got lis full share Of
the places; for in distributing the little offices in
my gift, which have for the most part gone among
the rank and file Of the party, have neither had
the time NOT the inclination to do much by way
Eof investigating the antecedents of men who were
supposed TO be all right now.
In reference to your remark upon the recent
rupture ofthe party at Syracuse. that 'Tle divls-
ion could and ought to have been prevented" il
is enough for me to say that not only had no
agency in bringing about that division, but tried
TO prevent it. My counsel YVES given in favor of
the united action of the convention, and sincerely
hoped that harmony would prevail. II any gov
eminent officers are chargeable with what took
place at Syracuse, the burden must rest on those
who were thereof whom three were from this
city-and not upon the Collector, who was at
home attending TO the duties of his office.
| 1 do not state these things by way Of apology,
for have none 10 make; nor by way of counting
favor, for have none to ask.
You speak of t'the reunion ofthe party in 1919,
which reunion was supposed to have been thor