The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-05
THE POLITICAL MILLENNIUM.

The leading Wing papers seem to be as well
,lsased with General Pierce as if he were a
Wbic President The Republic and the Intel
Ersacr find no fault with anything he does,
sneak of his appointments as highly creditable,
and take pleasure in recording anecdotes in his
favor
We had not expected to sec the New York
Tribune offering incense also but as this is
Political Millennium, we need not be surprised
to see the lion and lamb lying down together.
The Tribune longs for pcace-t would wander
in green pastures beside still waters striving
to forget the angry controversies OF the past
As to the President, it says
"Hs inaugural seemed to us replete with
erroneous notions, enuncated in exceedingly
bad taste but none of his public official acts
have seemed to require or justify the COM
mencement of warfare upon him."
/. The President has carried to ON extreme,
an evil of which the country has always been
disposed to complain-the appointment to office
Of Senator'S and Representatives. No fewer
than eight Senators have received appoint
lnents of great trust Or profit, and still larger
number of Representatives.
2. OF the Representatives appointed, some
had been rejected by the People, on account of
having violated their pledges in regard to the
Slavery Question, and others had signalized
themselves by devotion to the Slave Power.
8. The policy of prescription on account of
nolitical opinions has been commenced on a
broad scale 1t is not confined to the heads of
DEPARTMENTS and of Bureaus, but is extended
10 the most obscure clerkships. The other day
FORTY clerks received their dismissal for no
other reason than that they had been appoint
ed under a Wing Administration. Some of
them were men advanced in life, with large
families, and without any other means of sup
mort. 1t is no excuse for this ruthless proscrip-
ton to say that General Jackson encouraged
it and succeeding Administrations acted upon
it 1t is a criminal, cruel, and ruinous prac-
tce, and the President who authorizes it is Just
as guilty as if his predecessor had not done the
same thing We can understand that politi-
cal opponent may excuse him, because he ex-
poets some day to exchange places, and will be
glad to avail himself of the same internal pre-
cedent but we cannot understand how any
honest man can apologize for him.
L. The President has stretched his power of
removal in the case of Territorial Judges, be-
yond all precedent. He has removed every one
of the Judges of every one of the Territories,
for no cause assigned, and has supplied their
places with Judges of his own way of thinking,
thereby making the Territorial Courts mere
party engines.
Here is series of "public official acts "
which ought to arouse the indignation of hon.
est men but the New York Tribune does not
think that they require or justify exposure or
Reproduction! And in this opinion the Free
Soil Press, with here and there an exception,
seems to concur, judging from its silence.
Now, we are not captions, and have no special
fOndness for contention; but we hate the hypo-
critical cry of peace, peace, when we see every
Principle for which we have contended, repu.
dated by I" the powers that be" and profes.
SION of faith in the Compromise and Fugitive
Law made an invariable test of fitness for Office
That Wings whose only bond of union has been
aprotective tariff, and who have embraced this
faith, should ground their arms and abandon
all opposition is what might be expected They
never can hope for protective tariff, and in
all other respects the Administration just suits
them. But that Wings who have professed
hatred of Prescription, devotion to an indie
pendent Judiciary, regard for the purity of the
legislative branch of the Government, and a
detestation of the will of the Slave Power,
should fatter and bend the knee to an Admin
istration which they know is without any SYM
thy for them, needs some explanation.