The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-08
REMOVALS FROM OFFICE.
The Views OF Jefferson TerseIy Presented
by Hon. Charles r. BuckaIew. Ex-senator
of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Record

by Hon. Charles r. BuckaIew. Ex-senator
of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Record.
Now that the Democracy hes returned to
power after twenty-four years OF exile, Ii
finds itseli confronted by the sans question
of patronage management which confronted
its founder at the commencement OF the CEN
tury ard during his incumbeDcy OF the
Presidential Office. The mama CT that great
man IS often invoked TO SANCTION or TO con-
denim tneoIses or practices of government
which, from their connection with party
passion or interest, constitute subjects OF con-
tinaing znd ardent debate, and upon which
universal agreement of opinion is nos to be
expected. But his announced visws upon
any public question when duly considered,
will always be instructive aad will often af.
ford Us sale guidance, even under changed
political conditions ID modern times.
He came TO the Presidency st tine when
neslly all public offices gele filed by his
political enemies, by men who had been &C
tive in opposing his election, and many OF
whom were not we'll disposed to Republican
principles of government Or st least not
Msgistrate. the head Of q triumphai party,
to act With Yig0r or with moderation in max.
ing appointments TO Office, or ia removing
his political enemies from Office, and by what
rules of conduct was he to ec5 in relation
thereto? The answer to these questions is
1Qrn1SDeu Dy Government records S0Q Oy MS
published correspondence.
l. He announced with emphasis his con-
viction that it was both unreasonable and
unjust that the majority party of the coun.
try should be excluded from public Office of
appointment and be compelled to see those
offices filed almost exclusively by their Do.
litical opponents; that this was wrong
which ii was his duty, as il was his inolins.
ton, to redress, and that he would proceed
to redress it as opportunity should offer or
should be created by a proper exercise of the
renewing power. It was his original idea,
in pursuing this object, to depend entirely
upon deaths, designations and removals for
delinquency to furnish vacancies for the ex-
ercise of the appointing power Works ~,
ASH. But, upon further consideration and
experience in administration, he came to
hold that removals might be made for other
reasons than official delinquency or miscon-
duct in Office, and particularly for election
eeriDg activity or open and industrious op.
position to the principles of the Government,
legislative and executive" or, in other
words, for "usiDg the influence of ofics to
destroy the confidence of the people in their
Government" Sixteen removals were made
by him upon this ground during the first
lwo years of his administration. Works,
Nv, 466, 1851
President Cleveland, in his civil service re.
form letter of December %, 1884, hiss given
a more extended statement of this JefsrSo-
man doctrine, where he speaks OF persons
in office who ''hRye forfeited all just claim
to retention because they have used their
places for party purposes in disregard of
their duty to the people, and because
they have proved themselves offensive psrti.
sans and INSCRIPTIONS msnipulstors OF local
party maHagement.
2. He declares that the appointments
made after his own election by his prede.
cessor did not confer upon the appoiutees
any claim to continuance in office; that the
attempt To impose them upon him ss bis
assistants in administration was objectiona-
BILE and offensive, and that he would not re-
gard the persons so appointed even as csndi-
dates with claims 10 be considered by him as
cnstodians of the appointing power. So tar,
therefore, IS such appointees were not pro-
tected by constitutional tenure OF Office,
their appointments would bs treated as IL
they bad not been made. Works, w., 351,
3S3, 1854, 546
3. 1t was his opinion that Ministers of the
United States abroad should be recalled after
q reasonable time Of service, for reasons
which he said had commanded the approval
of President Washington, as well as his own
Acknowledgement. BE therefore recalled
his friend, Mr.. Short and others from for
eign service, explained to them the grounds
OF fixed policy upon which be proceeded.
(Letter to William Short, Works. w, ABB
T. BE wss unquesti0nably opposed to the
act OF 18th May, 1920 which fixed statute
~ term of four years for many offices), for
reasons stated in his letter to Mr.. Madison,