New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-21
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..


There are thinly sprnkled over Massachusetts,
a number Of email politicians of the Wing
Hupker.Webster school, former political assoc
ciates Of Gov. Gardner but whom recent po-
htical fluctuations have left high aud dry on the
beach. and in danger of total oblivion. Gov.
Gsrduer is not the heartless deserter he has
been 20 often called. b tierly as he has been
Denounced for bis abandonment of bis former
psrty associates, he still looks back to them
with sort Of brothtrly affection; in fact, to DO
him Justice, he only left the Webster-Whig
party through that sort Of instinct that makes
rat, hasten to quit falling house; not that they
have sry objection TO rotten building, or
wouldn't prefer it if they were only sure it
would stand. But though endowed beyond the
rest OF mis- bunker brethren with this rafting in
stihct, Of which he recently gave at Philadelphia
a new specimen, rather TO the disgust OF his
New-York Know. Nothing friends, Gov. Gardner
stil sticks to his Massachusetts, Hunker quon-
dam associates, aud assiduously improves every
opportunity that offers to give them chance to
make an exhibition of themselves; and it is
on this principle that his recent appointments
under the Personal Liberty bill must be ex-
planned.
That act. passed by the Legislature of Massa-
chusetts at It's late sessiou, ard in spite of Gov
ernor Gsrdrer's veto repassed over his head and
Il aee law BY an overwhelming majority ofboth
Houses. and welcomed as such by a like over.
whelmiDg majority ofthe people, provides among
other things for the appointment in every county
Of an officer as sort OF of. set to the United
States slave-catchlng Commissioners, whose duty
it shall be TO take upon himself the legal de-
Tense of all persons claimed within bis county
under the laws of the United Ststes as fugitive
slaves Though the bill provides for the pay
meDt Of these officers for such services as they
may actually render yet, as it grants them no
fixed salary, and as opportunities OF rendering
any lucrative services under 1t IRE not likely TO
be very frequent, gentlemen to whom the ONCE
is rendered can afford to be what is called very
national Had there been salary of few hun
dred dollars attached to the place that would
probably have enabled most ofthese gentlemen 10
quietly swallow their Constitutional scruples-
though, indeed, it is hardly probable that Gov
Gardner would in that case have given them an
opportunity. But if there is no chance to make
money out Of the Office, the refusal to take it at
least affords chance of fishing for Boston eli
ents, which a sharp practitioner with time on
his hands would hardly fail TO improve.
Such has been the course adopted by two of
the persons 10 whom the Governor has rendered
the place-a Mr.. Chapman, who resides some
where in the western part of the State, and
Mr. Bunker of Nantucket. These persons have
no doubt done perfectly right in declining the
office; they evidently have no qualifications
for il. We do not here refer TO their professional
abilities, as to which we know nothing; but this
II an office which demands certain moral quail
fcations which evidently they do not possess.
Dir. Chapman indeed is a slaye-catching Com
missioner, and, as he gently hints to bis friend
the Governor, disqualified by the very terms of
the Act to hold Office under t--an oversight,
however, not surprising in Governor who
could not see any iDcOmpatibiity in the two Of
fees held by Judge LOring.
We don't object to these persons declining.
Considering how totally unfit and incompetent
they are for the place, that was the very thing
they should have done. We might even COM
mend as manly and straightforward thing in
them their refusal to join Governor Gardner in
this attempt of his to re-veto that act by APP
pointing unfit persons 10 execute II. Their de-
cliriug was right; but wherein they seem to us
TO have rivaled the Governor is ia attempting,
after be had so completely exhausted the subject
in his Veto Message, to prove in their letters OF
deelipaton the unconstitutionality Of tue act.
After the profound legal argument of so great
iurst As Gov. Gardner, backed up, too, by Mr.. |
Attorney.General Cilord's hasty plate of soup
OF dishwater-why need two country practition-
ers undertake in the blaze of all this legal sun
shine to light up their two dipt owcandles-.
and very soft talow- candles at that Besides,
true gratitude toward the Governor, and re-
ciprocation of his friendly feelings, ought to
have prevented these two declining gentlemen |
from calling to mind by their rehash of the |
Governors Veto Message his libelous blun1er
made in that Message, of charging upon the |
whole Massachusetts, delegation in Congress the |
infamy Of having voted for the Webster Fugitive |
Slave Act.