The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1892-11-19
Daniel Webster ON Campaign Assess.
ments.

ment1.
The assessments OF Government
employees for political purposes, like
the custom of"providing for bis own y
seems to be the fashion of President
Hsrrison's administration. In the
old Democratic days 'pernicious &C
tivity" was condemned in public ser
wants. Under the administration oil
William Henry Harrison, the grand
father Of the present President, the
assessment of Office holders and ma
chine methods were held to be both
unseenly and dangerous to the free
dom of elections.
One of the very first official acts Of
Daniel Webster, as Secretary of state
under President Harrison, was to ad-
dress to the several heads of depart
ments the following letter, which Gov
ers the ground SO fully and forcibly
that it deserves to be posted up in
every public Office:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, March 20,
1S4l.-To the Hon. Thomas Ewing,
Secretary of the Treasury-Sir: The
President is Of opinion that it is a
great abuse to bring the patronage
of the General Government into con-
fict with the freedom of elections,
and that this abuse ought to be cor
rected wherever it may have been
permitted to exist and to be proven
ted for the future.
"He, therefore, directs that infor-
nation be given to all officers and
agents in your department of the pub
lie service that partisan interference
in the popular elections, whether of
State officers or of officers of the
{ federal Government and for whom
soever and against whomsoever it
may be exercised, or the payment of
any contribution or assessment on
salaries or official compensation for
party or election purposes, will be re-
garded by him as cause for removal.
at is not intended that any officer
shall be restrained in the free and
proper expression and maintenance
of his opinions respecting public men
or public measures, or in the exercise,
to the fullest degree, of theconstitu-
tional right Of suffrage But persons
employed under the Government and
paid for their services out OF the pub.
lie Treasury are not expected to take
an active or officious part in attempts
to influence the minds or votes OF
others, such conduct being deemed
inconsistent with the spirit of the
Constitution and the duties of pub
lie agents acting under it, and the
President is resolved, so far as de-
ponds upon him, that, while the ex-
ercise of the elective franchise by the
people shall be free from undue in
huence of official station and author
ity, opinion shall also be free among
the officers and agents of the Gov
eminent.
Similar letters have been address
ed to other heads of Departments.
Il have the honor to be, Sir, youl
obedient servant,
DANIEL WEBSTER"
1t is idle to look for any such let
ter now, written by Mr.. Foster by
direction OF Benjamin Harrison, blu,
the Republican Civil Service Refor
mers who talk apologetically of "vol
untary contributions" may find il
profitable to read what Webster wrote
on this subject. and also on partisan
interference in the popular elections,
by "persons employed under the Gov
eminent and paid for their services
out of the public Treasury.
This is the sort of "pernicious activ
ity' that Thomas Jefferson and Gro
yer Cleveland condemned in public
servants. They held it to be boil
unseemly and dangerous to the free
dom of elections. Other Democratic
statesmen have complained of ane
denounced such active interference,
in political affairs by Federal officials
as we are daily witnessing now from
Maine to California.
The present Republican admins
tration tolerates and promotes "offen
sive partisanship" of the worst sor
when it permits all of its Cabine
officers. foreign Ministers and othe
officials OF greater or less degree ST.
take an active or officious part in at
tempts to influence the minds or votsl
of Others"