Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-11-04

should then lie treated with the utmost KIM
ness. The party would then have been strong
and we should have heard no more about sec
tions.
But very different course was pursued; and
the freesoil leaders came back, So far as they
came at all under league or treaty between
them and few leading democrats, with nc
stronger bond of union than an agreement to
divide the offices. The arrangement was based
upon no principle The freesoil leaders were
left at..berty to adopt the course which they pur
sued; and, instead of again hosting the nation
al banner, they marched into the democratic
camp with their own sectional colors flying,
and thus became an independent clement in
the party. Indeed, your letter proceeds upon the
ground that the party has all along been divi-
ded into sections; and consequently that ac-
eonnts snIIet be balanced between them in the
distribution of Offices. All experience proves
that such coalition as was formed in 1919 can
never be thoroughly cemented Sooner or Ia
ter it will fall to pieces. Tile cohesive power
Of patronage cannot long save that which has
within itself the elements of dissolution. 1t is
not, therefore, any matter Of astonishment that
the reunion was dissolved at the late SYRIA
cuSe convention.
After the league of 1919 had been broken,
rate parties in form as well as substance, it be-
came necessary for me, as a citizen of New
y Iorl,, to make my choice between the two tick
cts which had been nominated. Ny reasons
prefering one and rejecting the other, are be
fUre the public; and no one has the right to
impute to me any other motives than tho5
which 1 have avowed. rejected one tickt
because the nomination had been effected II
n,aonS ,vhi oh mn b1rcot man could oDprov-o o,,I
because the nominees had been brought fol-
ward by men who had been hostile to whatI
deemed the best interests Of the State in ret-
ton to the canals. Iapproyed the other tickf,
Because the nominees were right on the qus3-
tion Of State policy, and because those wlo
supported it were "contending for the print
pies which restored the democratic party 10
power, and placed Franklin Pierce at the he'd
Of the Government" presume there can be
no objection at Washington to maintaining
now as have always done before, the printi-
pies On which the national administration stands:
and with questions Of mere State policy ypu
must allow me to say the administration has no
rightful concern.
What consequences will follow the recent
break in the party is more than can tell: but
feel reasonably confident that if the national
democrats had fair field, and the free soil dem.
Ocrats were not fighting under false colors, their
ticket could not get votes enough to help the
wings through with their nominations. But
we have not got fair field. The Washington
Union, while protesting to speak the sentiments
If the administration, has thrown its weight on
he side of the freesoi ticket. 1t has underta-
Ken TO decide upon the regularity of our con-
'entiOns, and to sit i'll judgment upon questions
hose who have crce proved faftesSs sAf & @ side OF
", and put the Union in jeopardy, and denoun-
res those who have all along supported the
principles which restored the party to power
It is now co-laborer with the free-soil prints in
his State, some of which it so lately read ont
Of the democratic party. Though that print is
not it itself of great Importance, yet when it
Processes, without rebuke, to these things as the
organ of the administration, much mischief
may be done. 1t matters little what disclaimers
here may be in private circles, so long as there
is no public declaration, that the paper speaks
without authority. However unfortunately The
election may terminate, the responsibility will
rest upon others, and not upon me.
Let me now notice the time, manner, and mo-
i've of your letter.
AS to time: it was after the rupture and NOM
nation of two tickets at Syracuse, and the two
ratification meetings in this city, after the col
ector had been denounced by the free soil lead
ers and presses and the President has been call
ed upon to remove him; after hungry Office see
lers and bitter politicians had visited Washing
on to misrepresent and traduce that officer, and
% whose clamors as you well know, he never
made any reply; after the Union, had taken
grounds against the ticket of the national dem
1crats, and in farof of the ticket of their oppO-
~. Il, Il. ~
cause for complaint Of any kind against the
collector. Yen had approved all his nomina-
ions, with q single exception, and III the case
Of your letter of the Sd inst, you had never in
lisprovcd of his appointments, or Of the man
ler in which they had been distributed.
AS to the manner; you did not pursue TIE
usual course, and issue Il circular laying down
A uniform rule for the government Of all custom
house officers having patronage to bcstow; but
confined your instructions to the port Of New
York alone If the doctrine Of the letter is a
sound one, it is obviously proper that it should
be applied in other places as well as here; and
it should regulate the conduct of all classes of
government officers having patronage to bestow.
MarshallS postmnsters, district attorneys and
Others should act upon it in the selection of
their deputies, clerks, and other agents.
| will here mention another fact of no little
significance. The next day after the letter was
written, it was followed by another, requiring
me to submit for your approval the names Of all
clerks proposed to be employed in the bonded
warehouses and public stores. In this matter
you not only departed from the practice of all
former Secretaries of the Treasury--who had
left those appointments 10 the sole discretion of
.he Collector-but, so far as / have learned you
again departed from the usual course Of issuing
circular to all the collectors at our great ports,
singled out the collector at New York, and pre-
'cribed new rule for him alone. These facts
need no comment-they speak for themselves.
As to the motive Of this movement, let 9th
erS Judge:
This is, believe, the first instance in which
member of the cabinet has interferred with
he discretion of Il collector, marshal, poStmas-
er, ar any other government officer having pat
'onage to bestow, and laid down rule tOr his
government in the selection of his deputies,
Jerks or other agents; and it certainly is the
irst instance in which public officer has been
Instructed to 60 into an inquiry about sections,
ind see that a just distribution of Offices was
made between them: You have right, by law,
o give instructions ON many subjects connected
With the collection Of the revenue and such in
tructions It will be my duty to follow. But
when you go beyond that, and undertake to di-
eet IN matters which the law has confdcd to
ny direction; no such obligation exists.
As to the officers of the customs, the collec |
or has the fight of nomination, and the Secre- |