Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-12-08
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. IA,

talnlng letter rom US CoI sPoiuOhe ouautlCO dated [" Washington, D. C., Sept. 29th," in re- ply to former article of mine relative to his remarks upon rotation in the departments here.
 Maurice says he does not understand "rota- ton to mean that when an incumbent's term expires he should be killed ;" nor do we (Maurice) mean that "once holding an office, shall forever disqualify the individual from holding another" It appears that the change in regard to the meaning of rotation, as recently adopted and defined by rotationists in Arkansas, developed itself to the Washington rotationist about the precise time it was defined by his Arkansas allies; but condolences as strange have and will occur. The change in the programme of himself and party is good indication that the policy first adopted by them, does not meet with public favor, and is a clear admission of the error of its proscriptiveness. All new par ties, when they first come into existence, are more CT less prone to commit grave errors in matters of policy, and when disposition IS shown to correct them it is rather good sign. May we not hope then that with the age and experience of few months more, this party vii! make other and radical changes in its po- licy.
 Maurice, in speaking of ourselves places both of us in the category of office holders here So far as he is individually concerned, l have no sort of objection to such classification even though he were not an office holder here-as he has evidently the right to do so but as to myself 1 deny him such liberty as l may or may not be an office-holder. At all events I am aware at whom he is gxessing, but he is evidently Ion the wrong scent"
 Again he says that if 1 admit that those who have served one term are more deserving than those who have not had that advantage, then he (myselD must admit that change would alone be just and democratic" No man in his proper mind would contend, that because per- son has held office for one or more terms he should upon that ground be reelected. It Is equally true that any man who would contend that because a person has held office one or more terms it disqualifes him for proper dis charge of the duties of the office he has filled and perhaps filled well too-and his re-elec- ton for another term, would not only be viewed in the same light, but advocating doctrines against common sense, experience, daily prac- tice in their tendency anti-repubican. As to the practice and democracy of change, it amounts to nothing, as justice does not require prescription, and the principles of democracy require the people to select the persons best qualified to discharge the duties belonging to office. The great difficulty with Maurice aud his party is that they are forced into the posi- tion, that offices were exclusively created for the benefit of office holders, and not for the purpose of advancing and properly dischargins the public duties. Where there Is one man in- terested in being an office holder there are ten, twenty, and perhaps fifty thousand people in- terested in the proper discharge of the duties of those offices. The question is, will those fifty thousand, to please all incompetent man, 1t may be-, who has never held office, discharge old and faithful public officers, in every respect competent and reliable? When the solution of this question comes to the practical test, the hard sense of the people will scatter to the winds all these new fanged ideas that the office was created for the benefit of the office holder.
 Again he says, i've do not contend that be- cause man has been Senator, he is by that dis qualified from becoming President, or being a President disqualiies him for becoming chair man of a primary meeting" Another essential modlf fication, which may, perchance, be account cd for, because his candidates for senator, go- hohling other o6ices. Why if the rotationists will keep on at this rapid rate, in but short time there will Tot be ole plank of their ori- ginal platform left. Tinker away, gentlemen, there Is yet room for improvement"
 Again " he (Senex) says that Gen. Cass, has been n office fifty years. believe he is cor rect, but he forgot to mention that Cass passed from one office to another, until he became Senator. Neither did Senex mention this. which he knows to be fact, viz: that Gen. Cass Is notorious rotationst himself, and n- sisted, on that ground that his sen should be recalled from his office at Rome" Gen. Cass did not "pass' from one office to another un- til he became Senator, as some of them he fill ed for successive terms. He was elected to the United States Senate three times, and had the democracy succeeded in Michigan last fall would have been elected the fourth.
 Where Maurice gets his authority for the de- clsration that "Gen. Cass is a notorious rota tonlst," l cannot conceive, as his declarations a'm hts acts are directly to the contrary. 1t is impossible that l should know him to be such when ninety-nine- -hundredths of the people here know the contrary. l am not so uniformed as to matters and things here, as to take up an opinion against such reasons as exist in this case Maurice is aware that Gen. Cass has under him in the State Department many clerks, messen- gers etc., many of whom-in fact large ma jority of them-have been in office for many years, and that but few, if any removals have been made by Gen. Cass, neither does he anti clpate dong so; but notwithstanding outsiders have pressed the doctrine of rotation as regards those immediately under him, he has positive. ly refused to put it in practice Is this your model rotatiopist MT. Maurice? Truly a " Daniel come to judgment"
 As to Gen. Cass' son it has been said here. but upon doubtful authority, that he wished him recalled from Rome. The obvious indel- cacy of his son remaining in office abroad while hls father Is at the head of foreign affairs is sufficient to account for Gen. Cass' wishes with. out rotation for were they both to remain iu office you know, Maurice, these vile black re :. publican, and perhaps our Know Nothing friends might cry out against the administration Ea. milyt" "FAMILY!!" "FAMILY..,v If Case is such " notorious rotatonst'' he has had am : pie opportunities and pretexts for the rotation of his son. He was appointed in the last year of Folks administration, and has served throuoh Tayior's Fillmorc's and Pierce's and has not get been rot ated.