The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-06-24

1t is not, however, my opinion, but that of
President Jackson, which the public has
now to consider. Having declared to the
American People, through the Tennessee
Legislature, the danger of the practice;
having deliberately committed himself to
act IN consonance with that declared opin-
ion, how can he now he justified in violating
this solemn pledge, and in enteiling upon
his country a perilous precedent, fraught
with the corrupting tendency which he
described
There was another class Of citizens upon
whom public Offices had been showered in
the greatest profusion. do not know the
number of Editors of newspapers that have
been recently appointed, but | have noticed,
in the public prints, some fifteen OF twenty.
And they were generally of those whose
papers had manifested the greatest activity
Pin the late canvass, the most vulgar abuse
OF opponents, and the most fulsome praises
of their favorite candidate. Editors are as
much entitled to be appointed as any other
class of the community but if the number
and the quality of those promoted be such
as to render palpable the motive of their
appointment:--if they are preferred not on
account of their fair pretenslons, and their
ability and capacity 20 serve the public,
but because of their devotion TO particular
individual, | ask if the necessary conse-
quence must not be to render the Press ve-
nal, and in time to destroy this hitherto
Justly cherished Palladium of our Liberty.
eff the principle of all these appoint
ments-this monopoly Of public trusts by
members of Congress and partisan editors
be exceptionable, land | would not have al
luded to them but from my deliberate con-
viction that they are essentially vicious,
their effects are truly alarming. l will not
impute to President Jackson any design to
subvert our liberties. hope and believe
that he does not now entertain any such
design. But must say that if an ambitious
President sought the overthrow of our Gov
eminent, and ultimately TO establish a diff
! ferent form, he would, at the commencement
of his administration, proclaim, by his Off
cial acts, that the greatest public virtue
was ardent devotion to him. That no mat
ter what had been the. character, the SER
vices, or the sacrifices of incumbents or
applicants for office, what their experience
or ability to serve the republic, if they did
not bow down and worship him they pos
sessed no claim to his patronage. Such an
ambitious President would say, as mon
archs have said, 81 am the state" He
would dismiss all from public employment
who did not belong to the true faith. He
would stamp upon the whole official corps
of Government one homogeneous character,
and infuse into it one uniform principle of
action. He would scatter, with an open
and liberal hand, offices among members
of Congress, giving the best to those who
had spoken and written and .franked most
in his behalf He would subsidise the press.
1t would be his earnest and constant aim
to secure the two greatest engines of oper-
alton upon public opinion, Congress and the
press. He would premulgate new penal
code, the rewards and punishments of which
would be distributed and regulated exelu-
sively by devotion or opposition to him.
And when all this powerful machinery was
put in motion, if he did not succeed in sub
verting the liberties of his country, and in
establishing himself upon throne, it would
be because some new means or principle of
resistance had been discovered which was
unknown in other times or to other Repub-
lies"
J Mr.. Clay treats the cant about Reform with
much severity and afludes to some removals
as acts of fragrant IMPROPERLY.
The latter part of the Speech relates to the
affairs of Kentucky, and would suit, toerably
well, our own meridian. He sees, he says, the
wants of Kentucky. It's finances are out OF
order, and it wanted an efficient system of In
ternal Improvement. Congress, he thinks, will
aid the State in the contemplated improve
ments, and he advises them to put their own
shoulders to the wheel, and then to call upon
Hercules.
We are sorry to perceive that Mr.. Clay de,
clines acceding to the wishes of those who de.
sired to him again in Congress or in the
State Legislature. Retirement, unqualified re,
tirement, from all public employment, is what
/ he says, unafectedly desire; but he promises
hereafter, whenever, at a more suspicious pc.
Rod, there shall appear probability of his use
fulness to the Union or to the State, promptly
TO obey any call which the people may be pleas.
, ed to make.