Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-06
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED,
DAILY,
BY sMoWDEM & THORNTON,
Fem the Missouri Republican,.
TORCH LIGHTING. v.


1.-THE people have just cause 10 distrnst any
Of the public servants, IL must De taose VINO
have developed their evil propensitIes, by the
treacherous desertion of their friends aud prin-
cintes. and the fawning baseness of attaching
themselves to their declared enemies-men who
after having iosted, reviled and eliminated
each other. in their struggles Ter preierment,
united their skill and cunning 10 create and TO-
ment confu sion in the administration o. the gov
erpment Yet the Opposition, (who .are suti-
ciently designated by this descripton,) alter
subtluine. with wonderful forbearance. the
smartings of the deep and still fresh wounds,
which they had received from each other IN
very recent political conflicts, and endeavorlng
70 concea! the deformities exposed by their Dat
Ties. by decorating each other 9th the trap
pings of panegyric, set up an exclusive claim
to public confidence; and, modestly proclaim
ing themselves TO be the very "quintessence OF
integrity wisdom, moderation, and hrmneSs,
undertake, radically, to reform the government.
According to the new and sublime system or
politics which they have adopted Tor the occa-
sioo, the National Government has been blum
dering in error ever since its organization under
the Constitution, and total change In the ex-
listing orderof things is held essential to the
preservation of the Republic. Considering,
however, the every suspicious circumstances
under which these unreformed gentlemen pre-
sent themselves as reformers, the people whom
!, they have insulted by assuming TO act IN their
name, ) had right to expect some evidence oil
their danger in continuing state Of things UNI
der which they have prospered near forty years,
or at least a proposition for improvement COM
mensurate with the lofty pretensions OF their
volunteer guardians. But, as ifthey expected
the people to resign the use of their eyes and
ears. and, without knowing why, resolve TO be-
lieve every thing which might favor their am
bition. they announced list of imaginary grlev
ances, without attempting tc support them
otherwise than by a parade Of defamation
With apparent earnestness they undertook the
task Of reform, but their labors, as might have
been expected, proved to b." the parturience OF
a mountain, and the neyer-fa:ling delivery OF
mouse
During the last session Of Congress, the same
committee who reported the proposed amend
inents TO the Constitution, which were consld-
cred in my last number, were instructed 10 IN
ouire into the expediency OF reducing the pat
ronage OF the Executive Government OF the Y.
States This committees with Col. Benton
at their head, betook themselves to eNplor-
ing the Statutes, the "blue book, and the re-
cords of the different Departments, in search
ofsfood for pre- conceived opnion,' and alter
some weeks of unremitting exertions, they dis
covered causes OF great alarm. First, In the
duty required of the Secretary OF State, to cause
the orders, laws, and resolutions, passed by Con-
gress, to be published in one, and, ii necessary,
m three of the newspapers printed IN each State.
Second, in the limitation of The duration OF of
fee Of the faithful collectors and disbursers OF
public revenue. Third, in the mode OF APP
pointing deputy postmasters Fourth, IN the
manaer of appointing cadets Filth, IN the
present mode OF appointing mldshlPmen. ana
sixth, i'm the terms of the commissions OF the
officers of the army and navy. These, Id the
opinion of the committee, "tenc to suliy me
purity of our Institutions, and are SO pregnant
with imminent danger to the liberties oil the
country" as 10 require the immediate ln'efpo'
si,ion of the National Legislature Accord
! inely, when they Travelled, they brought forth
litter OF six lit,le bills, which were read, iald
onsthe table and suffered to expire for want OF
nourisbment. The report which accompanies
them, (for any reasons it contains IN their sup
port) might have been manufactured IN Dous-
terswiyels newly invented steam-loom Tor weaV-
ing novels. 1t is composed almost entirely OF
new and not very happy combinations OF the
various epithets which have been employed by
the Opposition, in all their reports and speech
es against the Chief Magistrate. Nevertheless,
the whole, taken together, may be considered as
affair specimen of the wisdom, moderation,
and disinterestedness of the "people's men,
II has been the fashion Of the Coalition (inclu-
ding their printers to cry down the presses au-
thorized to publish the laws, as the hirelings OF
corruption. The editors who were the most
troublesome and noisy in their application for
selection TO print "by authority" are now the
most cIamorous and vehement in denunciations
of their successful competitors. Indeed, if the
onnosition are to be believed, the editors and
publishers Of newspapers are all Swiss, ready
to suppor, any party, ar any cause, Tor avery
small reward, and the presses, "the moving
According to the description of this machine, a:
p;yen by the sGreat Unknown" words and phrases
intended to be often repeated to be placed in
sort of frame work. and the operator changes then
combination by mechanical process similar to tha
by which weavers of damask alter their patterns,
whereby any variety of defamation may be produced
5 whhe the author stirred of the prohtess "labor Of
pumping hls exhausted ssbrains, may have an agreea
BILE relaxation IN the use of bis fingers"