Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-11-18

ana sailors III the army and navy. Ihcy have
never been treated, or even mentioned bv
Congress as officers, appointed Joy the ColInc-
tor or any one else but only us persons en-
ploycd by the Collector. | hazard nothing i'm
saying that the claim which YOU have COW set
up has not a shadow Of foundation. either in
the law Of the land, or IN any former practice
of the Government.
You speak of ''unwarrantablc assumptions" ,"
and " manifest spirit of insubordination -
on my part. as Il ground for the removal
But you have been wholly unable to show
that | assumed anything beyond my Just
rights. or that | was unwilling to act in obc-
dicncc to your instructions. in all eases where
the law had given You authority to direct
You must allow me to add. that subordiaton
in Office does not ncccSSaril Y prove inirriuritv
and, between gentlemen. the relation of su-
pcrior and subordinate conicrs no right on
the one to use impcrious language, and inn
poses no duty on the other to surrender his
legal rights.
You complain that the remarks IN my
former letter impugn your motives. did no
more than state lacts--facts which YOU hayn
not attempted to controvcrt and then said
- As to the motive of this movement let others
Judge" If your motives hayc been inpugncd
it is hccaus- the facts Themselves. and not any
words Of mine. create the impeachment.
Nothing in your letter has amazed me NOR,
tham what you said about my selecting Free
Sellers for Office. No man can read what was
said in your first communication. without
seeing that You called ON me to appoint
larger portion OF Free Sellers. or persons who
had lett the Democratic party und followed
MIR. Van Buren, on the slavery qur.t ion III
1913, than had before done. You spoke Of
the party as being divided into different
ments had been generally made from that
portion of the party to which adhcrcd.-
luu was not speaking of the recent division
at Syracuse, for had made no nominations
after that event happened. You were speak
ing Of the diIicrcnt sections as they had cNis-
ted in the past. lou know very w1ll that |
adhered to that portion Of the party which
had not deserted the national standard in
ISIS; and no one can fail 10 see that You in
tended should give Il larger share Of the Of
fees to the Free Soil section and its al!i'-.-
And now you think it worthy Of" auimadvcr-
sion " that ! have 'stlcctcd Free Sellers for
Office.
You cannot escape under guilhc did
rot inform YOU, as YOU now find it convenient
t. state, that bad - selected Free Spil'I> for
office '--mraning persons who are now Free
Soilcrs On the contrary, | spoke of appoint
'I'lI' 'ut 0'hlIt i''ill'' lu'0' 'i'''i'
tachcd to the principles of the party. and
firm supporters of the National A,lminstld-
ton. - spoke Of different sections " of
the party. just as you had spoken OF them
and told YOU, not that - Free S"ll"rS. but
that - the Free Soil S,'toa y had got it, fall
share OF the Offices. our - aumadvrrSion ~
derives all its force from misrclrc>entln4 the
language Of your adversary.
More might he said Iut it, in reviewing
this branch OF the subject. you can maintain
Your self respect, nothing that | can say
would be likely to reach You.
Having, rs trust, shown that tn rc2' AN
which You hayr assigned are utterly worth
l,sS, it now remains to inquire what WAS tn"
real ground of removal. 1t was no; u"ti!
after the recent break ln tine party at Hrra-
cu~o that you found any cause Of complaint
against me. After the party had been re-
iolycd into its original elements. without amy
agency of mime. and by means which coull
Mt approyc-altcr | had been compelled to
cloose between the two sections, and had
Y ry NATURAL yadhcrrd to my "ld associations
with the National DcmocratN-altrr tn" "a
lcr which proicsscd, without rchukr, to speak
!" sentiments of the Cabinet had taken the
-i.' of the Free Soil section, ANA denounced
as traitors those who adhered to the lllnrIples
winch brought the administration INT" power
-tHcl IL WIS tHal YOU HIS' "lN''''i't 'iIt' /
had not been sufficiently favorable to the Free
Spil section. Can amy man OF sens and can
dor entertain Il doubt concerning th" motive
or your action thmk not lou intended
t. take ground against the National Demo
Gratis, and throw the weight ol n" admlhiN-
tration into the opposite scale. lbe men who
had never Nwcrved from the mnncllIrS 9i the
party, but who hiId stood last hN the mon
r when 1t was III danger, were to ~ borne down
by the strong arm oi power and because the
Collector occupicda II place ol Npnc Importance,
the blow was to be rendered the NOR" sIgnlil-
can't by making 1t fall on him. You then
wrote me an insulting letter, and placed Il
copy in the hands OF an oihcer ol the customs,
who whispered 1t about, ana hhI4lN gave X Ia
the press AZ means OF annoying me-
neither you intended the olirer Sao"id 50
act Is more than can say hut 50 lar as i
have learned, hc stlll enjoys your cphll"tncc.
And now, what was the nature OF the con-
troversy to which you have made the n';lon-
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