Page images
PDF
EPUB

SPEECH

OF

HON. J. W. BRADBURY, OF MAINE,

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, APRIL 23, 1850.

The following resolution being under considera

Von:

Resolved, That the President be requested to cause to be laid before the Senate all charges which have been preferred or flied in any of the departments against individuals who have been removed from office since the 4th of March 1849, with a specification of the cases, if any, in which the officers charged have had opportunity to be heard, and a statement of the number of removals made under each department, including subordinates in the custom-houses and other branches of the public service--

Mr. BRADBURY said: Mr. President, it is time this resolution was disposed of by the Senate. I am so desirous that action should be had upon it, that I would ask a vote at the present time, without interposing any remarks, were it not that || in the very elaborate reply of the honorable Senator from Connecticut [Mr. SMITH] to the brief remarks I made when the resolution was first called up, there are certain statements which need, I think, to be corrected, and positions that require examination. The subjects involved in this inquiry are worthy of the attentive consideration of every Senator. The great subject of Executive patronage,|| its constitutional extent, the mode of its exercise, and the means of restraining or correcting its abuses, are topics which have engaged the attention of the ablest minds of the country. Our time, then, may be quite as profitably employed on this question as on those which have almost exclusively monopolized the attention of the Senate for

the last four months.

6

to speak from authority, which give point to his more general assurances, and show that reference was had to the subject of proscription from office, and the mode in which the executive patronage should be administered. I cited those of the present distinguished Secretary of State, made in a speech in this body, after the Philadelphia nomination, to the effect that," while he (Gen. Taylor)

!'

will do his duty in removing corrupt, or incompetent, or unfaithful men from office, he will not be 'the supporter of that infamous system of proscription which distributes the offices of the country as the • spoils of party victory !" I referred to the late Senator from Kentucky, (Mr. Crittenden,) who, in a public speech delivered in this city about the game time, is reported as saying of General Taylor, "he hates, lealhes proscription! God forbid he should proscribe any man on account of a difference of political sentiment. He would as soon think of running from a Mexican!" I referred also to the inaugural address, which specifies, as cause for removal from office, the want of honesty, capacity, or fidelity, and intimates no other cause whatever; and to the construction which was placed upon these pledges by reputed organs of the party when the work of removal was commenced. I then referred to the sweeping removal of Democrats from office throughout the country, without any apparent regard to their honesty, capacity, or fidelity, and the appointment of zealous partisans of the Administration in their places; and then presented the dilemma, that either the President had been deceived by a wholesale system of fab

When I addressed the Senate upon this resolution some weeks ago, I confined myself mainly to the effort to show the propriety of its adoption,||ricating false accusations against faithful and honupon the ground that it sought information which est men, or he had changed his position, and the President had made necessary for us, in the adopted and carried out the system of distributing faithful discharge of our official duties, and which the public offices as the spoils of party victory. we could demand without any invasion of his In either case, it ought to be known which was constitutional rights. Indulging in no personali- the fact. The friends of the Administration were ties, and avoiding all terms of unkindness or dis- || called upon to answer whether there had been a respect, with that deference which is due to the change of policy or not; whether these removals Chief Executive of the Government, I referred to were made on account of the political opinions of the declarations of General Taylor in his pub- the officers removed, or for moral or official delinlished letters, while he was a candidate for the||quency. The public, and especially those whose Presidency, "that he would not be the candidate of a party or clique;" "that he would not permit himself to be brought before the people || exclusively by any of the political parties;" that he had no party projects to build up, no enemies to punish;" "that if elected to the Presidency, he would not be the mere President of a party;" and "that the national good and the good of all parties would be his great and absorbing aim. 39 I referred to the declarations of leading and confidential friends, who might be supposed"

characters were involved, had a right to know. And how has this great inquiry been answered? We have no direct response to it, sir, in all the remarks of the eight hours' speech of the honorable Senator from Connecticut. Strange as it may seem, this question remains unanswered. The issue which I tendered has been evaded. We have not that distinct and unequivocal reply which justice to those whose reputation is concerned so imperiously demands. Instead of it, we have skillful evasions and ingenious digressions, adapted

enclosure, is not more firmly fixed upon its pedes tal than was General Taylor upon that platform.

99

The Philadelphia convention was held on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of June, 1848; and I now read letters of General Taylor written after that time, in which he gives the broad denial to the Senator's position that he had then become the Whig candidate, and asserts that he is "not a party candidate, but still remains in the position given him by "the earlier correspondence." The first and most remarkable is in answer to a letter from Mr. Lippard, of Pennsylvania, the scope and object of which may be best understood by an exammation of the letters entire, Mr. Lippard writes as follows:

❝ PHILADELPHIA, July 5, 1818.

GENERAL: Will you regard a word from a friend as impertinent or obtrusive? It is after a good deal of reluctance I am induced to trouble you again; but having faith in you now, as I have had ever since I pledged what literary reputation I possess to you in my book- The Legends of Mexico, or Battles of Taylor make bold to say a frank word to the General of the people.

[ocr errors]

"This is the case: With thousands of Democrats in this State, I depend upon your declaration, that you would in no case be the President of a party, but the President of the people." On this ground the Democrats of Pennsylvania will vote for you by hundreds and thousands.

"But we are now told that you are exclusively the Whig candidate, to be run as a Whig, elected as a Whig, and under Whig issues.

"Ifthis be the case, the State of Pennsylvania will be lost to Taylor and the country.

"I do not believe this to be the case. Those who think with me in this county do not believe it. But, to set the matter at rest, will you answer this letter with one line? and with that line the Democratic hundreds and thousands of Pennsylvania will move in a body for you.

"General, do not reject this appeal from a man who loves you for your battles, and the moral grandeur displayed in them, but loves you, first and last, because you have taken the position of Washington-not with parties, but in the hearts of the people.

"And as for the line, say simply: I am still the candidate, not of a party exclusively, but, if a candidate at all, the candidate of the whole people.”

"GEORGE LIPPARD.".

To which le ter the following reply was received by Mr. Lippard, on the 9th of August following its date:

[Private.]

BATON ROUGE, (La.,) July 24, 1848.

"DEAR SIR: Your letter of the 5th instant, asking of me a line or two in regard to my position as a candidate for the Presidency, has been duly received.

66 In reply, I have to say THAT I AM NOT A PARTY CANDIDATE, and if elected, shall not BE THE PRESIDENT OF A PARTY, BUT THE PRESIDENT OF THE WHOLE PEOPLE. "I am, dear sir, with high respect and regard, your most

obedient servant,

Z. TAYLOR.

"GEORGE LIPPARD, E`q., Philadelphia, Pa."

Where now is the honorable Senator's position, that "after he was nominated by the Philadelphia convention, and had accepted that nomination, he was a party candidate ?" The contradiction is positive and complete, not only in substance, but in language. The very words are traversed. "He was a party candidate," says the Senator; "I am not a party candidate," says General Taylor, nearly two months after the Philadelphia convention! The object for which this letter was sought appears in that to which it is a reply. General Taylor is told that thousands of Democrats in Pennsylvania depended upon his declaration that he would in no case be the President of a party, and were prepared to vote for him on that ground; but that they were now told he had become exclusively the Whig candidate, in which case the State would be lost to him; and he was assured

that if he would give the answer prescribed, the Democratic hundreds and thousands of that State would move in a body for him. And the writer says, that with this answer in his hands, he addressed the Democratic masses, and, on the security of General Taylor's unbroken faith, assured them he could not become the President of a party, and appealed to them to sustain him as the independent candidate, who had no friends to reward and no enemies to punish. Mr. Lippard also declares, that without the assurances contained in this reply, General Taylor could not have obtained the vote of Pennsylvania.

I now present to the Senate General Taylor's letter of August 9, accepting the nomination of a meeting of Democratic citizens of Charleston, South Carolina, on the same ticket with General W. O Butler, the Democratic candidate for Vice Presi dent:

BATON ROUGE, (LA.,) August 9, 1848.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt or your communication of the 25th ultimo, officially announcing to me my nomination for the Presidency, by a large meeting of the Democratic citizens of Charleston, South Carolina, held at that city on the 26th ultimo, and over which you were the presiding oflicer. This deliberate expression of friendly feeling existing towards me by a large and respectable portion of the citizens of your distinguished State has been received by me with emotions of profound gratitude, and, though it be a poor return for such a high and unmerit ed honor, I beg them to accept my heartfelt thanks.

Concluding that this nomination, like all others which I have had the honor of receiving from assemblages of my fellow-citizens in various parts of the Union, has been generously offered me without pledges or conditions, it is thankfully accepted; and I beg you to assure my friends in whose behalf you are acting, that should it be my lot to fill the office for which I have been nominated, it shall be my unceasing effort, in the discharge of its responsible duties, to give satisfaction to my countrymen.

With assurances of my high estorm, I have the honor to be your obedient servant, Z. TAYLOR.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

party candidate,

[ocr errors]

He would not lay violent hands upon public officers, good and bad, who might differ with him in opinion ! This is what he meant by not being a party candidate! These often-repeated declarations did refer, then, to the subject of proscription. We have the authority of General Taylor himself to that effect. And now, what we complain of is, that he has done precisely what the public was assured he would not do that he has laid violent hands indiscriminately on public officers, good and bad, and pro

scribed those who differed with him in opinion from nearly every office of importance within the Executive control.

interest in the indiscriminate proscription of faithful officers, or the extent to which the system of removals has been carried, the Administration stands without a parallel in the history of the country. I do not desire to judge harshly. I present the facts, and ask others to form their own opinion. The bonorable Senator draws particular attention to the clerkships and subordinate positions in the District of Columbia; as if the state of things here would necessarily give a view of the general administration of patronage throughout the country. This District is not the United States; and, whatever may be the case here, it has little to do with the great question. The subordinates in this city are non-combatants; they have not the right to vote on national affairs. They are sepa The Senator supposes General Taylor had an rated from their business associations in the disaversion to the Presidency, and that he did not tant points from which they come; it often causes write his letters for publication. It is not a little || great individual distress to deprive them of the remarkable, then, that his letters, from the begin- employment which brought them from their || ming to the end, should relate to the subject of the homes; and they stand on different ground from Presidency, and that they should so uniformly get that of many at home, who can hold or leave office into the public press. without severing their business associations, or exposing themselves or their families to inconve

But the honorable Senator contends that General Taylor refused to give any pledges whatever, and cites expressions from some of his letters to sustain this position. A fair examination of his letters will lead to a very different conclusion. It will be found that General Taylor refused to pledge himself to party; and that he did again and again pledge himself to the people, that he would not be pledged to party. Now, because he said he would not be pledged to party, but would act independent of it, the argument of the Senator is, that it is consistent for him to be the mere exponent of a party. Sir, || this position needs no further comment.

Yet the Senator admits, that since the accession of President Taylor to power, one hundred and wix have been removed in the different departments in this city, apart from the appointments that have been made in consequence of resignations, deaths, or increase of officers. To justify this proscription, reference is made in general terms to what is represented as the proscriptive policy of former Democratic Administrations. There has been so much misrepresentation upon this point, that the true state of the facts ought to be known.

He wrote, too, "with all the frankness of a soldier," as the Senator assures us. I will be greatlynience, obliged to that Senator, or to any supporter of the Administration, to inform me in which of his lettors his position is defined upon the exciting question of the day, the Wilmot proviso? Will any friend of his be so kind as to point out the letter? Is it not notorious, sir, that during the entire canvass for the Presidency, he was supported at the North as the friend of the proviso, and at the South as its reliable opponent? In some localities, he was averred to be a better proviso man than the Buffalo nominee; and in others, as the only candidate on which the enemies of that measure could de

pend. Even to this day we cannot be said to have any administrative policy upon many of the great questions that divide the country. No standard is raised anywhere. It appears to be furled, and under the arm of some Secretary, moving from position to position.

[ocr errors]

It has been so often asserted that President Jackson adopted a course of general proscription in the departments here, and that the same policy was pursued by his Democratic successors, that it is really supposed by many to be true. The very reverse, however, is the fact. There is great misapprehension upon this subject; and the Sen. ator from Connecticut seems to have fallen into it. I trust he will allow me to set him right by pre

When General Jackson came into office on the 4th of March, 1829, the clerks in the public offices in the city of Washington stood, more than four Federalists to one Democrat. The whole number of persons employed in the executive offices of the General Government in the city was 296; of whom 56 were Democrats, and 240 were Federalists-being a majority against the Democrats of 184.

At the Philadelphia Convention no declaration of principles was promulgated; and, according to my recollection, a resolution was offered by a del-senting a few facts. I hope they will be underegate from Ohio, to the effect that General Taylor, stood, and that they will not be forgotten or lost in accepting the nomination, should be pledged to || sight of carry out Whig principlea-the proviso, tariff, &c.; and it was declared to be out of order! Yet the honorable Senator contends that the position of General Taylor was unequivocal, from the moment that he accepted the nomination of that Convention; and he adduces certain remarks in the Union, and extracts from a speech delivered by the late distinguished Secretary of State, (Mr. Buchanan;) in | support of the assertion. These extracts show that there were those who were not misled by the noparty professions that had been made; but they by no means established the fact that this was universally true. The experienced and sagacious politician was incredulous; while others, more confiding, believed and acted upon the faith of declarations which they regarded as solemn and reliable pledges.

I now come to consider to what extent the system of removals, justified by the honorable Senator, has been carried by this Administration.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

On the 1st of January, 1832, after all the changes made in consequence of removals, deaths, and resignations, in a period of nearly three years, there still remained a Federal majority of 63--the whole number then being 307; of whom 122 were Democrats, and 185 were Federalists.

Mr. BELL. Will the Senator allow me to interrupt him? Of course, I do not mean to answer his statements; I merely want to know where he got the information that the persons whom he speaks of as being in office in 1839 were Federalists. I want to call the attention of the Senator to From the best means of information I have been the period of time at which they were appointed able to obtain, I am constrained to believe that, to office, and whether it was not under the adminwhether regard is had to recklessness of the public !! istration of Mr. Adams, or Mr. Monroe, or Mr.

Madison, or Mr. Jefferson? and how many removale were made by Mr. Adams of the old republican corps?

Mr. BRADBURY. The honorable Senator I used it appears to object to the word Federalist. to designate those who were opposed to the Administration of President Jackson, as the term Whig had not then been applied to the party that I was not discussis now known by that name.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

Office
Treasury Department.

First Comptroller's Office.....10
Second Comptroller's Office...2
First Auditor's Office...... 2
Second Auditor's Office..

ing the origin of parties, but comparing the extent
to which proscription had been carried against Third Auditor's Office.
|
political opponents under General Jackson and
General Taylor.

The honorable Senator from Tennessee is informed that those statistics may be found in the Extra Globe of May 19, 1841; and they were obtained under such circumstances as are likely to insure very great accuracy. The Daily Globe of May 5, 1832, published lists of the names of all persons employed on the 4th of March, 1829, and on the 1st of January, 1832, in each of the depart ments, designating the politics of each individual, and specifying each case of removal, resignation, and death, and showing who remained in office in January, 1832. These lists were carefully prepared, and corrections were invited at the time of their publication. During this period of nearly three years, the number of removals in the several departments was as follows:

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

1899

1831

[ocr errors]

D. F

D. F.

D. F.

1

0 13

9

:

1 10 5

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

I have been assured by a gentleman, who was at the head of one of the departments for four years from 1831, that only a single removal was made in it during the period, and that was of an individual guilty of a criminal offence; and by another gentleman who was at the head of different departments for about ten years, commencing at the same time, that no removal was made by him in either department while he presided over it. Such was the manner in which patronage was administered under "the proscriptive administra-solicitor's Office. tions" of General Jackson.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

First Auditor.
Second Auditor.
Third Auditor
Fourth Auditor
Fifth Auditor..
Auditor Post Office Department..
First Comptroller.
Second Comptroller.
General Land Office.
Treasurer's Office.
Register's Office...

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

0

[ocr errors]

General Post Office..
War Department..
Pension Office.
Ordnance Office...
Paymaster General's Office

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

7,400

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small]

3,000

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

4,200

3,650

1,947

1,000

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

4,650

1,000

8.450

2,200

$286,715 $331,328

34,850 34,850

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

Office Indian Affairs
Chief Engineer's Office......
Subsistence Office.....
Topographical Bureau..
Quartermaster General's : füice.

The same liberal policy was continued by his successor; and, on the 4th day of March, 1841, when General Harrison took possession of the government, after it had been in Democratic hands for twelve years, the Whigs (for they had then taken that name) still retained a majority of 52 in the public offices here. A list of all the officers in the several departments, with a designation of their political preferences, as indicated in the pre-surgeon General's Office... ceding presidential contest, was published in the Daily Globe of May 5, 1841, with an invitation to all concerned to furnish corrections, as it was intended to republish it, and the corrected list will be found in the Extra Globe, of May 19, 1841, with the salary of each person placed against his name.

I will not give these several lists in detail, as it would occupy too much of the time of the Senate, but will content myself with an abstract, giving | the results without the names.

[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]

Commissary General Purchases

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors]

Total salaries 19th May,
.$251,865 $366,178
Excess Federal salaries 4th March, 1844.......... $44,613

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »