National Republican., 1882-07-08
Daniel Webster and the Civil-Servicc
Reformers.

Trying 10 distract Ine hepuDlCan party
by hypocritical outcry against contribu-
tions to the party campaign fund, have
re-enforced themselves by letter written
by Daniel Webster in 1S4l, when Secre-
tary of State, to Thomas Ewing, Secre-
tary of the Treasury, informing the latter
that President Harrison would regard
partisan interference in the popular
elections" by "oflicers and agents" of
the Treasury Department, "or the pay
ment of any contribution or assessment
on salaries or official compensation for
party or election purposes" as cause for
removal" Mr.. Webster said he had
made a similar communication to the
other departments. This is paraded in
Democratic and halfDemocratic prints
as crusher. Let us see.
Daniel Webster was the great oracle of
the Fedora! Wings. He came into the
House of Representatives in 1918 as q
member from New Hampshire during the
administration of James Madison, and
served two terms. In 1923 he was elected
to the House of Representatives from
LII lOAf, III tlt
of the administration of the younger
Adams, he was chosen to the United
States Senate. In 1929 Andrew Jackson
became President, and served until 1887.
He was succeeded by the master-spirit
of his administration-Mar Van Buren,
who served until 1871. During jack
sons eight years, and Van Buren's four,
Mr. Webster was the great leader of the
opposition in the Senate. Inflamed with
ambition to be President, and bent upon
damaging the enemy by whatever means
were at his command, he accepted the
first place in the Cabinet of Presi-
dent Harrison on the 4th Of March,
lS4l. He and his Wing associates
had of course been greatly Mortified
for twelve years by the failure of
Jackson and Van Buren, to appoint Wings
to office, though it is not recorded that
John Quincy Adams, who preceded Cen
eral Jackson, had been any more liberal
toward his opponents. 1t may be safely
assumed that from 1929 to 1S41 the Civil
Service had been so thoroughly reformed
IN the Democrats that when the latter year
brought General Harrison into the White
House and Daniel Webster into the State
Department. not ten Wings could have
been found in Federal employment from
Maine to Texas. This is very import
| ant fact in the light of which to view
the Webster letter concerning partisan
interference and contributions for
election purposes. That letter was
written March 20, 1871, just sirtcer'
days after the expiration Of Van Buren's
term. The "officers and agents" Of the
government, except the new Cabinet,
were all Democrats! What noble self
sacrifice it was for the "god-like Daniel
to get the new Presidents permission to
| forbid these Democratic office-holders
from fighting the Wings with contribu-
tions or other "partisan interference n'
There has been nothing like it since the
virtuous Jacob gave away his soup
to Esau, and in exchange secured
the latter's birthright. The Demo-
Gratis of that day were not as
enthusiastic over Mr.. Webster's letter as
their followers of to-day pretend to be.
1t was bitterly denounced in Congress as
tyrannical party edict. President Har-
rison died a month after his Inaugural
ton, and was succeeded by John Tyler.
Mr.. Webster continued in the State De-
partment for more than two years after
that time. The official guillotine has
never been more active in this country
than it was during those two years.
Federal interference with popular cleo
tions" was carried to so disgraceful an
extent that, upon the basis of the "spoils"
alone, "Tyler party" was formed.
But Mr. Webster never WINGED.
In June, 1871, three months after his
virtuous outbreak against bringing the
patronage of the general government into
conflict with the freedom of elections"
and his declaration that "this abuse
ought to be corrected wherever it may
have been permitted to exist, and to be
prevented for the future" resolution
was introduced into the Senate calling
upon the President for list of persons
removed from Office from March 4
of that year, and the causes of the re-
movals. The resolution was introduced
by James Buchanan. During the de-
bate Senators Benton, Linn, McRob-
erts, Buchanan, and others made it
clear that the Administration, of which
Mr.. Webster was the premier, was chiefly
engaged in efforts to control the popular
elections By the use of The Federal patronage.
The removals in the Post-Office Depart.
ment alone reached hundred and fifty
day. Mr.. Benton offered resolution
in which were named the prominent
officials removed in his own State Mis-
souri), and demanding to know the cause
of their official execution.
Mr.. Webster's preaching and practice
as thus shown by the history of his time
are too Numerically opposed to each
other to make his utterances concerning
political party duty of any value. Great
as he was in the field of constitutional
law, he was, as a politician, desperate
and INSCRIPTIONS. Nothing can be more
hollow than his utterances against bring
ing politics into government, except the
quoting of them by that partisan of par
tisans, Thomas f. Bayard At Dart
mouth, but the other day, Senator Bayard
said that Mr.. Webster in 1882 called pub
lie attention TO the dangers growing out
of Federal patronage. But Mr.. Bayard
forgot to remind his hearers that that
was the year of General Jackson's second
election to the Presidency, and that Mr.
Webster was the leader of the "outs'
Again he quoted from a speech of Mr.