Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-12-21
IyNCHBURG, DEC. 81. 1929.
TuE PRESIDENTS MEssAGE-No. g.

Hce."- SHARs.
". do mol approve of that portion OF the Pre-.
sident's Message which recommend" gener-
al extension of the law which, limit. appoint
meats TO four years '-lst, because il will not
sf.ct the object which The 2 esidenl seems to
think would grow out OF it and 2dly, because
i, is unnecessary. We'canuot conceive by what
train of reasoning the President brings him.
.elf to the be lief that such law would promote
" the efficiency of the government" aud Sc.
cure Official Industry aud. integrily'--on the
contrary, we believe i, would impair, If not de.
,roy. both. We will illustrate our meaning
BY supposiag case: A is appointed to an
office, from which he may be at any nomeat
removed: B is appoinled TO a similar situation
which he is to hold for four years, but TO re.
lire at the end of that time we ask which o.
the two has the strongest stimuleRt TO be indus-
uious and faithful Surely he, who may be
at any instant removed. The very un certainty
ofihe tenure by which he holds his Office, win
urge him to be diligent and faithful. Therefore,
SUCH law "uulu pTbnuCt tHc WHICH
the President SAYS it would. But such an ex-
tension Of the law is likewise unnecessary, as
the events of the last nine months clearly de.
monsirate. NJ such law now exis,s and yet,
almost every day. we have heard Of Off
GERS removed not because they had been un-
faithful and indolent. or because they are 9TH
er,ise incompetent. but merely because the
power 10 remove them exists, and because eager
and clamorou. expectanis demand their eject
ment. Surely no law can be necessary, where
The power the President TO do what he plea
unshackied We can conceive, therefore, of
90 motive for introducing this recommended ion
into the Message, excep, it was to create be
ld among the people that ese'y officer who
his fallen a victim 10 The proscriptive policy Of
ihe administration merited his fate. If such
was the des;ga Of the President, we must, out
ofrespect 10 his Office, suppose tha' he .ntei-
tains that impression ; though, dsnteres I'd
spectator would be apt to wonder al The mrac-
ulons sngulariiy OF the fact that the President
could discover 80 many dellnq nents anon lis
political opponents, whilst no, one of Dis own
supporters had done any act, either of omission
or commission, to cali for the searching ops-
Talion' OF dismissal.
Another highly reprehensbe portion Of the
Message is that which refers TO the prosecution
ofD,. Watkins. II was certainly correct and
proper that the President should have directed
t5e attention oil Congress to the ,nsdegnacy Of
the aw under which DR.. w. was ,rled 10 effect
the great end OF salutsry punishment for which
il was enacted, 4 to recommend an amendment
Of lis provisions so that no criminal should
hereafter escape through its mes shes. But he
surely travelled out Of the record" and not
only transcribed his duty. but violated that
respect which he owes 10 coordinate branch
OF the government, when he insnua,sd thai the
Judges who presided in that trial DID not faith
fully administer the laws, which they were
sworn impartaly 10 execute. What would be
said, il, at the next term of that Court. Judge
Cranch should comrnent harshly upon this poT.
ilon OF the Message, and attribute the " inuen
10 u throws GU, against him and his brother
Judges to spirit writing ander the moftifca.
ton ana chagrin of bailed revenge Sup
pose they were TO charge the President with
having exhibited an mly anxiety to stretch
she laws beyond her true intent and meaning
with view 70 nfici punishment upon a crimi.
nal whom. for certain political reasons, he ha-
ted with more than ordinary vinaictiveness !
Would not the public voice and press TEEN with
denunciatons Of such conduct, and very
Correctly too Most undoubtedly II then,
il would be INDIGENOUS in them to re-
pei gross impuia,ion on their iu,egr-
" or their understanding, because. for
sooth, il is made by the Pre- sident OF the U.
States, surely il is more ndecorous in the Pres
'dent 10 make that imputation, nd thus reduce
them 10 the dissgreeabe necessity of remain
ing silent under it, or of resisting it at the haz
ard oil drawing down upon their heads the cen-
sure OF the people. II will be a lamentable
state OF ,hinas, indeed, If the officers of the
o'nefent departments of the governme nt shall
''e' become seriously engaged in such an of.
etai contest The constitution has assigned to
e"ch OF them different orbits, and they can and
'"ohid move IN them, without " shooting mad
y IRON their spheres TO jostle against
each other in their course. The people are the
o'''inate tribunal to which all of them mus,
appeal and their condemnation will always,
'oo"ef or later, .overtake the unfa,hfn aud
u's"ones' "ihcer, withou, being drected,in their
augment ny the prejudices even of Presi-
dent.
we concur with the President in lis views OF
ouf policy with regard to the Indian tribes.
lucy are very clearly and forcibly expressed
ana We cannot see how they can lie controver.
'eh IL IS. q admit al, and