Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-04-12

question, whcthcr their public servants shall /
also be governed by this rule, or adhere to the
old-lashioncd principle, that the nations af-
fairs ought TO be administered for the com
mon benefit of all--and we believe. that they
are not prepared to reprobatc a measure
merely because the national treasury is likely
to be benefited by its adoption.
Not content with msrepresentng the Pre-
sidemS own acts and opinions, his enemies
have charged upon him the executive and le-
giSlatlyc acts OF former administrations dis
totted and dlscolorcd, for the purposes OF cX-
citing prejudice. Thus, it is grayely alleged,
+ that ''he caused large bodies of land TO be
Illegally reserved from sale, under the rotor
o"Sly fuse prctcXt that ii all contained lead
mineral" 1t is we'll known, that bv an act of
/ Congress, passed many years since, all lands
containing lead orcare required to herescryed
from sale. Yhe President being charged by
lay with the disposition of the public lands
was bound TO make the reservations designed
I by Congress. The means by which he was
/ 10 ascertain what lands contain lead ore,
! were not designated by law, but left to his
discretion. II was not expected, that he
should make tho examination III person. oil
cause mining operations to be carried on IN
search OF lead ore. The examination OF the
! IL
contemplated by Congress, was, therefore
! necessarily committed to subordinate agents
ihe surveyors OF the public lands were ac-
cordingiy charged with this duty, and, upon
their reports, large bodies of land were re-
served, under the present and former admin
l$lfutlonS. During the administration of NJ
Monroe, Ii was asCCrialncd, that some of the
most Valuable lead mines had uoI been re
served: and the then Secretary of War, now
! wee President of the United States, dos
patched al agent to this state charged with
/ The superintendent Of The mineral lands Of
the Union. This agent. acting under instruc-
tons from Mr. Calhoun, examined and re-
ported Tor reservation from sale, ii large body
| OF land Us containing lead ore, and The OIL
GERS who nave iii charge the sale OF the pub
nc lands have withheld from sale all tue
lands SO reported, which then remained an
sold 1t appears, that several quarter see
tons had previously been sold and paid for.
but not patented; and the Commissioner OF
the General Land Office, acting upon the
opinion OF the Attorney General, withheld
Tie patents, and instructed the Receivers of
fubic MONIES to return to tl.c purchasers the
amount pad by thcm;-and TINS act is also
lmpn'"d 10 Mr.. Adams, and denounced as
illegal.
From this plain statement of facts, it is ey-
idcn', that Mr.. Adams is not charecable with
any of the acts complained Of The laws
reserling lead mines from sale may be impo-
iItIc, but they do not owe their origin TO him,
nor could he repeal them, unless he possessed
Ihe extraordinary power OF suspcnding the
operation OF the Constitution, which has been
so often cNcrted by his rival. Whether the
appointment Of the agent for the mines was
right or wrong. MIR. Calhoun is entiticdto all
the praise or blame. We are not so adven-
tIrous as to undertake a yindicatiCn of the
pubic acts Of Mr.. Calhoun, OF hazard the
consequences ofhoiding Mr.. Adams account
able for them. It may be that some of the
lands reserved contain little or no lead ore.
and we admit that, III our opinion. the rcser-
VajIon OF the patents for lands sold, was an
error, but we deny that Mr. Adams is to be
held responsible for the errors of all subordi-
nate officers, until 1t is shewn that. with a
knowledge OF the facts. he approved them
we 90 not recognize the proprioty OF the
rule lald down by General jackson, wien he
attempts 10 ascribe to Mr.. Madison he exc
ci.tnn of six Tennessee militia men. ordered
to be shot 10 death by himself, on the ground,
that Mr.. Madison, being President, was also
commandments OF the land and naval
forces, and, therefore, responsible for all
orders issued by subordinate officers
III seeking for causes Of dissatisfaction
against the present Administration, lis oppo-
nenis IN this state have (perhaps unwittingiv)
converted one Of the tavorite measures OF
Mi. Monroe. the purchase of Florida, INTO d
SUBJECT "t accusation against Mir. Adams
because, Whit Secretary of State, acting
under the direction and immediate obsefya-
u"n 81 tine then PScsdent, he conducted the
negotiation on the part of the United States,
winch resulted in the acquisition of the Flo
F"aS' ne is grayeIy accused of having seeded
10 the king Of Spain half of the Arkansas,
and tWo-thirds Of the Red River, and all the
country beyond them, which are now filled
with indians who rob and murder our citi-
zcns on then way to Mexico Such is the
description which, for the purpose of effect,
IS gwen to the treaty dictated and approved
by Mr.. Monroe, and ratified by an almost
unanimous vote Of the Senate.
Among other means unfairly and unwar-
ranfaby employed to prejudice the public