The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-10-28

was abolished. Down to the feceipt Of your
letter of the Sd inst, you had never intmated
to the Collector, in any form, that you disap-
roved of his appointments OF Of the manner
in which they had been distributed.
As to the manner. You will not pursue
the usual course, and issue d circular laying
down a uniform rule for the government OF
all Custom House officers having patronage
to bestow; but confhed your Instructions to
the port of New York alone. 1.-THE doctrine
of the letter is sound one, 1t Is obviously
proper that it should be applied in other pla-
ces as we'll as hercs and it should regulate
the conduct of all classes Of government OH
GERS having patronage to bestow. Marshals
postmnsters, district attorneys, and uthefs,
should act upon It IN The selection OF thelr
deputies, clerks, and other agents,
| | will here mention another feet of no little
Significance The next Gay after the letter
was written, II vas followed by another re-
1uring mc to submit for your approval the
hnr.ts 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
Trcasury--who had left those appointments
to the sole direction of the Collector-but, SO
far as have learned, you again departed
/ from the usual course ofissuing circular to
: all the collectors at our great ports singled
out the Collector at New York, and prescribed
5 new rule for him alone. These facts neet
no comment-they speak for themselves.
e AS to the motives of this movement, le
: others Judge.
e This is, believe, the first instance in which
member of the Cabinet has interfered will
: the discretion of Collector, Marshall, Post
# master, or any other government officer hav
Il ing patronage to bestow, and laid down ru
!, for his government in the selection of hi
n deputies, clerks. and other agents; and it Ger
i tainly is the frs. instance in which publ
Y officer has been instructed to 90 into an in
n quiry about sections, and see that just dis
h trbution of Offices was made between them
= You have right, by law, to give instruction
l. on many subjects connected with the collet
c ton of the revenue, and such instructions
ID will be my duty to follow. But when you G
Is hey ond that, and undertake to direct in ma
in ters, which the law has confded to my discr'
I'd ton, no such obligation exists.
d. AS to some officers of the Customs, ii
q, Collector has the right of nomination, ar
c. the Secretary the right Of approval or reje'
ID ton; and. us to other officers. the power
rs appointment is vested in the Collector nlon
e. shall not Interfere with the exercise of yo
Is, powers and l. trust yon will render the Ill
G. justice to me. II you or any other high of
O. Ger of the government, desire the appoin
&c ment of particular individual, need not s,
he that it would give me great pleasure to con
of ply with his wishes. But | respectfully der
~ that you have any right to issue instruction
ir for the government Of my conduct in maxim
,e selections for office.
4 So far as relates to the mere dispensato
Id Of patronage, without regard to my respons
to bity for the acts of persons appointed,
IS would gladly transfer the trust to another.
d have no taste for such matters, a nd my con
- fort-aspirations | have none--would
% greatly promoted if some one else would pc
,r form the service for me. But the law and II
70 commission have cast the burden upon m
nt and | cannot surrender it to another witho
:. derelction of duty.
pf As you have given your letter to the pres
s. saying "the subject is public one" | shu
give the same direction to the answer.
n, am, very respectfully your ob't servant.
n. GREENE q. BRONSON.
il Hon. Jas. Guthrie, Secretary of the Ire
W sury.