6187. OFFICE-HOLDERS, Removals.—[further continued]
Although I know that
it is best generally to assign no reason for a
removal from office, yet there are also times
when the declaration of a principle is advantageous.
Such was the moment at which
the New Haven letter appeared. It explained
our principles to our friends, and they
rallied to them. The public sentiment has
taken a considerable stride since that, and
seems to require that they should know again
where we stand. I suggest, therefore, for
your consideration, instead of the following
passage in your letter to Bowen, “I think
it due to candor at the same time to inform
you, that I had for some time been determined
to remove you from office, although a
successor has not yet been appointed by the
President, nor the precise time fixed for that
purpose communicated to him”, to substitute
this, “I think it due to candor at the same
time to inform you, that the President, considering
that the patronage of public office
should no longer be confided to one who uses
it for active opposition to the national will,
had, some time since, determined to place
your office in other hands. But a successor
not being yet fixed on, I am not able to name
the precise time when it will take place”.
My own opinion is, that the declaration of
this principle will meet the entire approbation
of all moderate republicans, and will extort
indulgence from the warmer ones. Seeing
that we do not mean to leave arms in the
hands of active enemies, they will care the
less at our tolerance of the inactive.—
To Albert Gallatin. Washington ed. iv, 543.
Ford ed., viii, 303.
(May. 1804)
