Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-06-12

the right, and liberties Of the people be
projected and maintained. IL they shall 6n1
themselves deceived in any Of these respects
should principles avowed during the canvass
be violated during the Presidency, and new
principles, Of dangerous import, neither avowed
to, nor anticipated by them, be put forth, they
will have been betrayed: the distinguished in.
dividua' for whom they voted will have failed
to preserve his identity, and they will be urged
by the most sacred Of duties to apply The pro.
per corrective.
| Government is a trust, and the officers of
Government are trustees. And both the trust
and the trustees are created for the benefit Of
the people. Official incumbeuts are bound,
therefore, 10 administer the trust, not for their
own private or individual benefit, but so as to
promote The prosperity Of the people. This is
he vital principle of a Republic. If a differ
en-, prime ple prevail, and Government be so
administered as 20 CRAFTY the passions or TO
promote the interests of particular individual,
! the forms Of free Institutions may remain, but
'ha' Government is ess, niialIy monarchy
The grea, diff renee between he Two forms OF
government, is, that, in a Republic, all power
AMI an ,hority, and al publ Offices and honors,
emana,e from he People, and are exei cised and
! held for their benefit. In a monarchy, all
power and authority, all Offices and hpnors,
proceed from the monarch. His interests, his
caprices, and his passions, influence aud con-
vrol the des'inies Of the kingdom Ina Rrpub
lie, the People are every hing, and par'l ular
individual nothing. In monarchy. the mons
arch Is every hing, aud he People nothing.
And the true char acter OF The Gorernmrn, Is
stamped no, By the forms Of the appointment
to offi,e alone, bu, by its practical operation
IF, in ohe, uom'naliy free, the Chief Magistrate,
as soon as he is clo'hed with power, proceeds
to exercise it so as to minister TO his passions,
and To CRAFTY his favoIiles; and Systematically
dis,rbu his rewards and punishmenls, in the
application Of the power OF patronage, win
which he is invested for the good of the whole,
upon the principle OF devotion and attachment
10 him, and no according 10 the sbii'y and
6d-liiy with which The People are or may be
SCI yea. that Chief Magistrate, for the lime be-
ing, and within the scope OF his discretion airy
power, is, in fact, if no, in form, monarch.
I, was o6iec'ed To the late Admins ration
that il adopted and enforced a system OF pros
scripton During the whole period of u not
solitary Off er of Government, from Maine 10
Louisiana. within my knowledge, was dismls
sed, on account Of his political opinions Il
was well known to the late Presiden that ma
ny officers, who held their places subJ|c' 10 HE
power OF dsmssion, were opposed ~ MS re-
election, and were actively employed IN behalf
of his competitor. Yet no, one was discharged
: from hat cause. In the commencement and
early part Of his Administration, appointments
were promi,cuously made from all the parties
IN the previous Canvass And this course was
pursued until an opposition was organized,
which denounced all appointments from lis
ranks as being made for impure purposes.
| am aware that il may be urged, that a
change was m ade in some Of he publishers OF
the laws There are abou, eighty anDnallY de-
sigua,ed. OF these, during 'hr four years oil
the late Administrator, abou' twelve or fifteen
were changed Some Of tie charges were
,de from geographical or other local consi-
der,,ions In several instances, one friend was
substituted for ano' her: in Others, one oppo
nenr for ano'her. Several papers among the
mos inepeauaI in tn Oppose ion, bat other,
Use CnnAnctrd with decoruR, were retained.
Of the entire pumoer OF changes, not more
, than four or five made on account oil the
, scurriinus charsc'er of their papers, and moi
Lecause Of the political sen,imen.s OF the Edit
ors 1t was deemed mi u;ious To the respect
and ii influence WATCH he laws should al
WAYS comm nd, hat :hey sh,uid br pro nol
ga.rd in III. o,iumns OF public pager, 2aral-
IL vi IN whic h were Other Colu inns, IN he same
paper, of tn. grossest abuse Of the Government
and us functiondries.
On this subject can speak with certainly
and rmbracr with pleasure this opportun' !
for explanation. The du'y Of designating the
printers of The laws apparatus TO the "fii T
wsioh lately filled. The selection is usually
. mode a; me commencement -feNe'y session o'
Congress. I was made by me- without any
particular consultation with the President "r
, any member Of his Cabinet. In making II, frl'
under no gres'e- obligation 10 selsc, the pub
Usher Of he laws Of The previous year, than an
{ individual feel, imsef bound 20 insert sue
creding advertisement in the same paper which
published his last. The law does not require
it, bu, leaves the Secretary OF State at liberty
TO make the selection according 10 his sense oil
proprie,y A publisher Of thr laws is not ar
offiter OF Government. II had b.en Judiclally
so decided. He holds no commission. The
accuracy OF The statement, therefore, that NJ
off er Of Governmen, was dismissed, by the late
administration, in consequence OF his political
opinions. is no, impaired by the few changes