“I intend that all new appointments shall be of men honest and capable. I do not intend to remove any man from office because he voted against me, for that is a freeman’s privilege; but such desecration of office and official patronage as some of them have been guilty of to secure the election of the master whom they served as slaves is degrading to the character of American freemen, and will be a good cause for removal of friend or foe. The office of the government should be filled with men of all parties; and as I expect to find many of those now holding to be honest, good men, and as the new appointments will, of course, be whigs, that will bring about this result. Although I do not intend to allow an indiscriminate removal, yet it grieves me to think that it will be necessary to require a great many to give place to better men. As to my cabinet, I intend that all interests and all sections of the country shall be represented, but not, as some of the newspapers will have it, all parties. I am a whig, as I have always been free to acknowledge, but I do not believe that these who voted for me wish me to be a mere partisan President, and I shall, therefore, try to be a President of the American people. As to the new territory, it is now free, and slavery cannot exist there without a law of Congress authorising it, and that I do not believe they will ever pass. I was opposed to the acquisition of this territory, as I also was to the acquisition of Texas. I was opposed to the war, and, although by occupation a warrior, I am a peace man.” His subsequent conduct tended to realise the hopes created by this opening avowal. But a life of hardship and an age verging on sixty years, prepared him, but indifferently, to meet the renewed exertions required by his new position. Resigning the panoply of the general to assume the garb of the President, he gained a respite from the toils of war to accept the still more soul-wearying contests, jealousies, and responsibilities of civil government. With soldierly determination, however, he addressed himself to the task, and, like a true hero, fell with harness on his back. He was born on the 9th of November, 1786—he died on the 9th of July, 1850. His last words were:—“I am prepared. I have endeavoured to do my duty.” May all deathbeds be consoled by the truthful utterance of such a sentiment. * * * * * Monthly Supplement of “HOUSEHOLD WORDS,” Conducted by CHARLES DICKENS. _Price 2d., Stamped, 3d._, THE HOUSEHOLD NARRATIVE OF CURRENT EVENTS. _The Number, containing a history of the past month, was issued with the Magazines._ ------------------------------------------------------------------------