Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-01-12
EXTRACT FROM GOV. VAN BURENS
MESSAGE TO THE LEGlSLATUREO OF


IN Office VINO was one Of the most distinguish
ed and efficient Of the civil patriots of the re-
yolu,ion, tina, "few circumstances are more es-
.entiaI TO The duration Of civil liberty and the
we'll being Of free people, than that he depart
men,. and officers Of the goveinmen, do, on
the one hand, exercise on proper occasions, all
the powers & authorities cons,itu ionally COM
mi,ted 10 III. m; and on the other hand, that
they do no, exercise On any occasion, powers
and authorities which are no, consututiona!iy
committed to them The enforcement ct
these excellent and saving principles, so far as
they relate to most OF the departments OF the
government, rests with you; and with the right
Is the duty TO exercise II.
1t is also truth, confirmed by the experience
of this, as well as every other country, that no
people are SO we'll served as those whose laws
exact the most strict account ability from their
public servants, and enioih frugalily in e1prnd>
| itures. as a cardina al political virtue. Acting
| upon these principles, do not hesi'str, !" tal'
fiment Of the duties imposed upon me- hy ne
constitution, to recommend 10 you the Propri'
ETY. Of faithful survey Of the Existing aws r.
iaiinp 10 The powers and duties Of public N,
GERS, and the enforcement, as tar as posstbe'
| Of sric, conformity TO their provison>-of hm-
L
discretion, always RENE m bering, as u G. neral
rule, it canno, be confded TO any on, W .houi
danger of abusr-of ascertaning whether n
securities now required from those in'rnh'"H
with public moneys, NAV no. 10 increased OF
making the instances in which ,b- government
releases those, who, forge,fu Of the sa:red ,hsr
ae,er Of their trust, wrongfully apply the public
funds TO their own use, as rare as may be con-
sIs,eu, with ,hr claims of humau,,y-and, gen
,rallv, Of compelling vigilant accountability,
and srric, economy IL the public disbursements
through all their famihe atoms. There is no
] re- ason 10 apprehend impedimen,s to success.
tui administration Of the government, through
unreasonable jeslousies upon these points. As
long as public sentiment, the great lever "f our
polite al machine, remains as now, Intelligent
and patriotic, we need no, fear that any inca.
sure with which the pubic interest is essential
ly connected. will fail Of support.
| Let me not, however, be uDd. r>iood as incul-
eating any thing like parslmonv or IL justice oi
anv description, towards he servants Of the
| public. The diff renee between hat course u
the one have referred to, is wide and 2alpable
Although il is Incompatible with the spirit Of
I our poli,i, al sy stem, thai Tho @molumrnts n'
Office should he such as 10 enrich the incumo'
ents, il is nevertheless due to its character aid
| preservation, that our public func'ionarIes
should receive a just equivalent for the servl-
ces they render. II is your province to deeine
whether such is now, in all respects, the case
I I have no ason to believe iha, the gross a.
mount received by the puolic officers OF this
state, is not an adequate reeomDense Tor their
services: but am fslly persuaded that The com
/ pensa,ion allowed by our laws, is unJus'ly aud
IN, qua!ly distributed. The salaries paid 10 the
! chancellor and Judges Of the supreme and cir
cult courts, IN particular, IS less than what Is
paid to Judges Of tn same grade in several OF
the states Of the Union; aud considering the
expenses TO which they are unasoidablv expos.
ed, fear insufficient 10 save them from actual
| loss, do not believe that our constituents
could reconcile II to that strong sense OF naiu,
raj Justice, Nv which they are Influenced TO re-
cei,e The entire services Of any Of their fellow.
citizens, without yielding them compensation
at least suffie lent Tor their supports ahd am
vet 10 lrsrn, tina, they would wish to see rule
applied 10 their public concerns, Of which they
would not approve in those that are person
al !hsye therefore no hesitation In saying
,ba, any bill which shall correct the insqua't' y
that a, prrsen, exists, and place the salaries 10
those to whom have particularly alluded, up
on just footing, shall receive my cordial con-
curren"e.
TIE relation in which we stand to the Fed
eral Government, occasionally imposes upon VI
the discharge Of delicate and highly RESPONSE.
plr duties. Ofthe iuvariabe disposition Of thi.
state 10 sustain the federal arm, in the exercise
of all its constitutional power, it would be su
perauou..,o spe ak; it has been fully rxempii6'
I'd both in peace & in war. Blu, whilst We thu!
e,ince our undated loyalty to The general gov
eminent, we mus, no, be unnndiul Of our OBJ
legations a, home, or forget that il is only Il
the principles upon which the confederacy wal
based, and which were intended to be enfor
ced by ,hr provisions Of the federal constitution
that our support is justly due. As the theor!
of our general go,ernmen, was without prece
dent, its practical operation could only, at thu
period Of lis formation, be matter Of eonjec
|, iure. The motives Of those who framed il, were
doubtless Of the purest and most elevated
eharac, er. The grea, question that was agi
,a,ed BY them, was the distribution OF the pow
ers necessary to good government between tn
federal and state authorities; and the conflict
ling speculations Of the men Of that day, as {
vi hat was TO be hoped and feared, from thos
respective sources, divided them into parties
: rsaI oIer