Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1853-11-10

oil insubordinaion.
The stand taken by Secretary
Guthrie, and endorsed by the Post, is
that the Collector had no right 10
appoint clerks in the New York Custom
House without the consent or approval
Of The Treasury Department, AID
because the Collector entertained The
opposite opinion he must be decapllated.
Everybody knows that This was not the
true reason lor BroLsOn's rea oval, but
that he was put ouI OF Office solely be-
cause he would not make his appoint
mcnts from the Buffalo Platform wing
OF The Democratic party, and OF such
men as were approved of by John Van
Buren, Preston King, and other noted
Free Soilcrs in New York.
But the argument OF the Post, tat
Collector Bronson is guilty Of nsubordl.
nation, is all IL prctence.
Whoever examines The law on The
subject, will not TAIL TO see that it is the
privilege and duty OF the Collector 10
make the appointments OF his CLERKS.
The Secretary OF the Treasury may
say how maly clerks il Collector shall
have, and fix their compensation, bu II
IL tIt sbIt tiN HNNtisti I'''''N - W. 'HN
Collector To make the appointments oi
such clerks, merely notifying tie Secrc-
lary OF ihe Treasury when such appoint
menls may be made.
This is not only tie law on this sub
iect, but il has been the usage as lar
back as the memory Of man ruuneih.
Whenever Collectors have asked ihe
Secretary of the Treasury fer pertni-
sion To appoint certain persons rs cler s.
! IN advance oil their appointment. The
! iuvlrlablc reply has teen, I al The law
! did not authorize the Secretary TO
! interfere in such matters, but that the
! CoIect tors must make such appoint
mcnrs as they thought pFoler, merely
notifying The Department when such
| appointments are made.
And here are excellent reasons why
the law and the practice Oh this subject
should be as we have stated II. The
! Collector Of New York, Tor instance,
has an immense pccunlary respon,
slblity.
The receipts Of revenue from
Customs alone, at that port, amount 10
abou, forty millions of dollars per
annum,--all OF which IN 81 be paid over
to the Indcpend' ut Treasury as soon af
received, aud, besides this, The reccll Is
and payments on other accounts ar,
very heavy.
For the safety Of This money, ard
correctness in raEsactlng this lDInt nse
! business the Collector Is made personal
| " responsible, and is compelled TO give
! bonds, " tn satisfactory snrclcs. III
/ 4, thnt hn ,yi1l lll6I tlI
4 obligations thus devolved upon him
| OF course the Collector cannot aiient
! personally to the receipts and payments
! of money. nor can he keep the books
| and accounts oi the Custom House. hu
/ must transfer these duties to his suh0rdi
! mates or c'etks while at the same ilnt
| his cash account must be right. or he l.
! responsible tor The DC ticicncy. and a.
/ his other accounts must be correct, oi
lhey will not be ad usled aud baanc,G q
al The Treasury Department.
II 1t would be Il poor plea Ior amy Col
/ lcctor 10 urge. regarding dthcithcS
in his cash, that his cashier or clerks
II had been dishonest IN regarddo hl'
accounts. No Secretary ol the Treasury
Il would listen TO it tor Il moment but The
\ responsible lor The acls oi his cleihs
aud must suffer whatever loss wa
occasloaed by their dishonesty o
incapacity.
how ABSURD, then, the argument
H the Post, that the Secretary OF ih'
Treasury must appoint Collector
clerks, and how righteous the law am
practice TO winch we have referred, tha
such clerks should be appointed by TN
H Collector himself.
II II ii be true that ii man like Guthfl
has the right TO appoint CLERKS III th
H New York Custom House, and, havln!
IN right, should send or as he woul'
do. the Siam Bargs ol hls party, Il
occupy The responsible places there, W
opne that no respectable person coui
Il be found. who would be wiling [
II accept the office of Collector bat tina
other Swartvouls and Uoyls would 500
have The opportunity 10 approprIa
large sums ol the government money u
their own USE boston ldaS.
II lE,v m WARN DR. Franklin RI