6154. OFFICE-HOLDERS, Half-breeds.—
I never did the federalists an act of injustice,
nor failed in any duty to them imposed
by my office. Out of about six hundred officers,
named by the President, there were
six republicans only when I came into office,
and these were chiefly half-breeds. Out of
upwards of three hundred holding during
pleasure, I removed about fifteen, or those
who had signalized themselves by their own
intolerance in office, because the public voice
called for it imperiously, and it was just that
the republicans should at length have some
participation in the government. There never
was another removal but for such delinquencies
as removed the republicans equally. In
this horrid drudgery I always felt myself as
a public executioner, an office which no one
who knows me, I hope, supposes very grateful
to my feelings. It was considerably alleviated,
however, by the industry of their
newspapers in endeavoring to excite resentment
enough to enable me to meet the operation.
However, I hail the day which is to relieve
me from being viewed as an official
enemy. In private life, I never had above
one or two; to the friendship of that situation
I look with delight.—
To William Short.
Ford ed., ix, 51.
(W.
May. 1807)
