The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-22

VIII % an OWL Gay tuie county Wueu
sdminsualion shall not only appoint the officers oil the
general gosernnent throughout Thu widespread republic
bat shall busy itself with directing the manner in which
thoss officers shall select the by which their duties
be dischase Bronsons Letter The Revolutions
Of The Mssttng at Tie Muehann' Erehaags, Nsw York
These the words and sent nent which constitute
The gravamen of the charge made by Judge Bronson
against the administration because OF the late difficulties
ia the New York custom house. which resulted in his
dismissal from the coec,orship The serious effect il is
intended produce the future operations of the dem
ocratc party is sufficient for taking some notice
OF the matter Il seems that the unhappy strife occa
stoned by faction in that State had caused division in
our ranks before the election Of President Pierce; its Vi
bad been entirely exlinguishsd. although. like all
other isms. it would have gradually died out and left
The phalanx Of democracy restored to its orignsl
soundness. for that unity of thought and action
has ever been the point OF its faith. and security for
its preservation. The collector of New York has
himself chosen TO exercise power and discrimination
which he declares is not prerogave of the cabinet al
though that body may have had view only TO disr
button OF Offices among those who could be relied on to
support the measures OF government. So il was. how
ever, that Mr. Bronson (apponted by the Presidency
sidered that the administration had right 10 interfere
with them This is the general scope of his letter,
which is TO be regarded the exposition of his views
"Tha, the national administration shall not busy itself
with directing the manner in which its officers shall Sc
lect the agents by which their duties to be per-
| formed"
| Now, what is the nature oil the Office he held, ii
it is not national in its character though exercised
within State. The collector has charge OF most i'm
portan branch OF the Treasury Department Of the Uni
ted States. AS officer OF government, be has the col
lection, through inferior agents. OF about onethrd OF the
revenue Of the United States; his weekly, monthly,
quarterly, and yearly statements to the department. and
his stated reports OF officers appointed and TO be approved
by the administrations show il 10 be integral part of
great national institution; and to supervise it, there
is officer appointed by law who is a member of the
cabinet, himself TO be controlled by the President.
and whose duty it is made to that all this service
harmonzes with the action of all the political machinery
Of government One principal duty Of the Secretary Of
the Treasury supentend the collection OF the
snue" and. among other things, generally 10 perform
all such services relative to the finances be shall be
directed to PERFORM" and part Of the duty OF the
collector OF (besides receiving all moneys paid
for dulies) is, with the appreciation Of the principal
officer (lhe Secretary Of the Treasury, TO employ
proper persons as weighers. Inspectors" &c., sc.
Here. then, is obviously the subsection of a COL
lec,or of customs the will OF the Secretary aad for
the best and wsest Of purposes-naoeiy, the per
Torrance of certain duties relative 10 the finances
very important indeed vital, part of the subsistence OF
government What other conclusion be drawn from
those statutory duties oil officers their several positions
from The Of the service be performed and this
general surveillance all. and from The highest to the
lowest Office than his-hat the national administration
en- Ill hos self maj in
those officers shall selec, their agents." If this were no
So collector, as a subordinate, might embarrass and
distract this great branch OF it's aairs and render its or.
ganzaon comparatively useless-no but such n,erfe.
renee should be exercised with all due discretion. and
with sufficient but however done in the present
stance the itself strictly in accordance with the
spirit and letter Of the statute for the purposes have
mentioned The practice Of other administrations has
been in accordance with this view Of the law, and
instance can be shown where construction has been
exceeded by the designation collector Of or more
officers flor appoiutmenD by the predecessor Of Presi-
dent.
4 SO far. then, from interference in the affairs OF
State frequently has been alleged in this controversy
it has been legitimate exercise ora duty imposed by
law, and hence purely national concern for what
would be The prospect of civil Affairs in future. If
lodge Bronson had been permitted TO remain in Office.
and. with all the ambition OF spelling petty o1cer !"
had chosen TO annoy The administrator by sundry ap-
poinlmen OF persons opposed TO it in principle and
suppose (Which. if unrebaked. would probably have
bappened) other collectors should ia like manner
The evil would no, be in the exercise Of opinion Of
one or Two officers bat that OF faction, which would
set in motion all the elements OF dscord, and then des.
psa OF law, revolutions d,scord, and civil war, and The
destruction OF civil liberty, would be the ne vtabe con-
quences for Ia this gradual progress the decension of
empires may be traced. "Al distractions" says the
Father OF bis Country in his Farewell Address, "all
combinations, under whatever plausible character with
the real design direct. CONTROL counterfeit, or awe
the regular deliberations and action OF the constituted
authorities are destructive OF this fundamena principle
Of obedience the general government, and OF fatal
tendency they serve TO organize faction, to give
artificial and extraordinary force, to put in the place Of
the delegated will OF the nation the will OF party often
a small bu, artfSi and s~i~prsinG minority Of the
muniy and according 10 the alternate triumphs OF diff
feren parties, TO make the public administration the
mirror Of the i'll concerted and ncongruous projects Of
| faction"
The democratic party may be considered the spinal
marrow OF the body poi,ic-n vitality. While every
other party has gone through successive changes that
has maintained its and its name, epelling every
and all Combinations which are ever aubversve Of thu