The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-01-30
WORCESTER,
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 80, 1922.
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:" In foolish hope steal each others trust;
"Both caesting both sxuiting. both deeeiv'd
"And, s'met@e,, both Qet earth rejoice ralen,."
At this distance from the centre of intrigue, |
the people cannot discern all the nice and in |
tricate movements of the political machine,
much less detect the numerous springs which |
impel and direct its various parts. They are |
forced to depend upon those on the ground,
many of whom may be either too blind to dis
eliminate, or too interested not to misrepre- !
sent; and to be content with general appre- |
hension of the course and causes of events !
which take place within the precincts Of the
Capitol.
Notwithstanding these Disadvantages, it is |
now very generally understood that much !
which is done at Washington-much that
might seem to be connected only with the or
binary administration of the government, or to
proceed only from natural watchfulness of
one department over another-has relation not
30 much either to the one or to the other, as to
the question, Who shall be the next President?
Even now, during the first session of the first
Congress under the existing Presidential term,
the Representatives of the people, IL IS SAID,
are warmly and actively interesting themselves
in determining whom the people will, three
years hence, think deserving to succeed to the
Chief Magistracy.
The Secretary of War asks for an appropria-
ton Of seventy thousand dollars, to enable him
to carry into effect the policy of the govern
1nent in relation to the Indians; and day after
day is spent in animated discussion, ostensibly,
it is true, of the propriety of granting the mon
ey, but, in reality, of the merits of the Secre-
tary: for he is Candidate for the Presidency
three years hence. While, therefore, many
good people are perplexed upon this subject of
Indian affairs, and are studying very diligently
the reported debates on the subject, il is re-
garded, perhaps, atWashngton, as business
of very different nature-as having more
connexion with Mr.. Calhoun's hopes Of the
Presidency than with the expenditure of the
peoples money. The Secretary of the Treas
ury, too, is Candidate for the Presidency
and there is a call for information as to the
e'unavailable funds'' of the Treasury depart
ment, while some sharpness is manifested in
relation to his conduct. Whether this is, or
not, wholly attributable to his being Candi-
date, the people can only conjecture. The
Secretary of State is, also, Candidate, and
though his conduct has not been drawn into
discussion in either House, yet we find him las
Ihe, too is obliged to stand on the defensive)
gravely publishing in the newspapers an old
letter to Vice-President Tompkins, in which
he urges with much seriousness that he ought
not to be held bound to pay the first risa to
every Senator.
What spectacle do the members of the
Executive Cabinet exhibit! The President.
just elected by an unanimous vote, who is
constitutionally and properly candidate for
reelection, (or he has not yet declined re-
election is surrounded in the Cabinet by men.
nearly all of whom are aspiring to his seat, and
who, Of course, look upon each other with
jealousy II not with hatred. Instead of being
solely intent upon discharging, in the best
manner, the important duties of their depart
ments, they must, necessarily, have an eye up
on the goal they have aimed to reach, and
cannot but be quite as solcitous to outstrip
their competitors as to bestow their care upon
objects which may impede them in their
course. To a person having opportunity near
ly to observe and closely to watch their course,
itmust be amusing to see them "playing the
game of faces on each other.n
But the evils to be apprehended from the
existing state of things in the Cabinet are not
small. The people, from the little they have
already learned, have much reason to fear
that personal advantage will be more the mo-
tive and the object of their principal servants,
than the prudent administration of their af-
fairs. 1t is time this premature contest be dis.
countenanced. They who seek for the high
est honours of the people should be made to
feel that those are the most likely to succeed
who appear to be the least solicitous for them
that those are the farest candidates for pro-
motion who aim intently and exclusively to dis
charge well the duties of the station TO which
they have already been called.
The Courts.-Since the Court of Common
Pleas has been newly organized in order to
promote more effectually the administration of
justice, the terms of the Court ought not to be
sn arranood n q r. haross orl J:.-.....4