Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-07-18
From Baltimore.
CORRESPONDENT OF THE WHEELING INrELLIoEscER
BALTIMORE, July IS. 1853.


~ BALTIMORE, July is, 1858.
MEssRs EDrroRs:-As have nothing ofpartic-
ular interest to your readers, to notice, far as
local affairs are concerned, have taken the lib
erty Diminishing them with little political gos.
sip. We will commence with the
BALTIMORE CusToM HoUsE.-Your readers will
recolIect that the Hon. Philip Francis Thomas,
formerly member of Congress from the Eastern
Shore of this State, late Governor of Maryland,
and more recently Commissioner ofPu blic Works,
(Which Office he resigned slice his appon tment as
Csllector,) is now the Collector of lie Customs
for the Port of Baltimore, which Office. you are
aware, he took occasion TO secure previous to
Gen. Pierce's Inauguration as President, by pay
ing him visit al his residence in New Hampshire
Having, by this maneuyre, secured the particular
office for which he was an applicant, he laughed
in his sleeve at his competitors, some of whom
were backed by the influence of the corporation
of the city. we'll as that of the masses of the
Democratic party.
Having received the appointment, he entered
upon his official duties, pledging his Democratic
friends that he would not leave an individual in
office, connected with the Baltimore Custom House,
who known, even suspected of being a
clared that he would remove no Democrat, (known
10 be such,) who might then be in office under
him. 1t is generally known that Col. Kane, our
late Collector, retained considerable number of
Democrats in office, and most of them, by the bye,
holding the most lucrative appointments under
the Collector;-men loo, obnoxious to the Demo-
cratic party, for the reason of their having been 1e
tanned so long in Office. They would have been
ad hoJ e
Wings been retained.
Gov. Thomas has fulfilled his pledges 10 his
friends 10 The veIy letter, or will in few days.
There are now, learn, remaining in office, only
one gentleman acting in the capacity of Inspector
of the Customs, recognized Wing, of Col
kane's appointments, and he anticipates receiving
attne end of the present month, or perhaps sooner
request to leave. There are two other Wings
still remaining i'll office who appointed as In
SpectorS, and afterwards transferred 10 other pogi
tions, one as Boarding Officer, the other as Deba-
ture Clerk, the latter of whom spends most of lis
time in the Surveyors Office, Gas have been in
formed) in the performance of the duties of the in
experienced officers connected with that depart
memt OF the Custom House. /
There are now remaining in office. under Gov.
Thomas, some four five Wing Clerks, and be-
lieve, one Porter, who was removed by Gov. Thorn
as two months since, and afterwards reinstated,
for the reason that he could not do without him at
that time, on account of his invaluable services at
the Public Store. The days of the remaining
Clerks are numbered. Some of the more impor-
tant Clerkships may be retained few days longer,
until new Clerks can be instructed, but still their
time is short.
Thegreat Democratic party in Baltimore, q mean
those out of office,) are decidedly unanimous in
favor of 'trOtGtion in office" This doctrine it is
we'll known, Gov. Thomas and his friends are de-
cidedly opposed to. Thomas, since he arrived at
manhood, has been nearly the whole time in some
public Office or other, and Isl of course opposed to
rotation.
You will recollect that the present Governor of
Maryland, (Lowe,) succeeded Thomas IN that Of
flee. Gov. Lowe being great rotationiSt, soon
after assuming the reins of Governm. nt, sets TO
work, and removes every one of Frank Thomas
oftice-hoder from the highest 10 the lowest, and
put in new batch altogether of his own friends.
Thomas now, i'll retaliation, puts back into Of
fce as many of his prescribed office holders, as lie
possibly could, without creating much dissatisfac-
tion-in one instance he appointed two brothers,
former officeholder under him, two of the best
with having SO large number of his officers rein
stated, he has erected six additional Government
Watchmen, at an advance of salary of fifty cents
per day more than the Collector has ever mad be-
fore. 1t was generally admitted that there were
Watchmen enough previously for all necessary
purposes. The salary of all the Watchmen how
ever, has been increased fifty cents per day-the
LaborerS' twenty five cents. This is, no doubt
s..I,t
victors belong the spois."
Under Gov. Thomas there are two important Of
fees, Neigher and Measurer, each having two
deputies, Clerk and Laborers. l understand
thatt has been usual, heretofore, for those officers
to select their own Assistants; but when they
waited on the Collector, they were informed that
he could not allow them any such privi!ege-that
he was the appointing power, and should reserve
10 himself the right to appoint their asst tantS 1t
haSheretofore been conceded to the officers 10 an
point their OWL assistants matter Of courtesy
So your readers will see that Philip Francis Thorn
as is not the tsmal potatoe' concern that the De-
mocracy of Baltimore would have people believe.
The Posr OFFlcE-Col. Jacab E. Davies. orr
newly appointed Post Master, has been nearly, i'll
not quite, as proscriptive Collector Thomas,
notwithstanding the Clipper -tendom'' wings elect
ed him Mayor Cf the city some years since, when
his Democratic frienls, who nominated him for
the Office, deserted him. 1t is all right; the hrs
had no night to expect any thing else from any one
who claims to belong to the so called Democratic
parry There are, understand, as many as two
or three Wings still remaining in the Post Office,
awaiting the polite request Of their superior officer,
toquit.
So your readers willsee that both the gentlemen
named above, have fulfilled their ,phOle duty to
their party. -
There seems TO prevail general opinion that
VIM. F. Giles, Esq, will get the appointment of