Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-08-11

the occcdsion. The practice indeed, borrowed from
England, is familiar to nll parts of the Union, and
furnishes medium of communication between the
people and public men, and it is only when Henry
Clay speaks, that the voice OF ccnsure is raised or
the bastdrd wit of Walsh employed to ridiculeit.
To the case of Mr.. Hawkins, late Postmaster ut
Frankfort, we claim the attention Of the reader IT.
is another proof OF the vice or weakness of Pos
Master Barry's character, who coming to Washing
ton with fine professions of berality his lips, has
sold his principles to power, and consented to play
second fiddle to Duff Green and the Central Com
mtee. II is another example off1at hcish practice,
of justfying removals, by attempting to destroy the
character of the removed. II is another example of
the tyrannca conduct of this detestabe Admnistra-
ton, Ill refusing officers whom they intend to pro-
scribe, copies of charges against them, by which
they deprived of every free mans right of know
ing of what he is accused, and defending himself
against it-and when such officers apply to them for
such information, Of disdaning to make the least
reply. Can any just Jackson man approve of this
conduct? Can any party spirit So dry ~ the springs
of Republicanslu aud natural justice i'll the heart; as
to persuade any man that it is right destroy anot
er's reputation, because excuse is wanted to
remove him from Office, to refuse him the sight of
charges made against hin, by private enemies.
as If these charges were proved, when the party
accused, has not seen or heard them, and contemp-
tuously to withhold all reply to respectful applica-
tons for the causes of removai Such has been the
course towards Mr.. Hawkins. Mr.. Coyle MIR. S!ade,
Mr. Lee and many others If this is not rank, uli-
sophisticated, tyranny, then We know not what ty-
ranny Is. Party men feel NATURAL reluctance to
md fault with their party leaders The contest has
warmed their feelings TO them and to Omit that the
leaders do wrong, seems to imply that the followers
nad Deen mistaken. But there is point at which
this natural feeling ought to When the rights
OF persons are sacrificed by power and the spirit
Justice aud equality i'll which our institutions were
conceived, overstepped, men who love the country
more than their party, ought 80 Join in making stand
against tyranny. is not that point already attained
by the administrations That the President is vested
with tire absolute power Of removal is not denied
But was 1t given him TO be exercised without cause
without discretion, without the rcGuiston of public
necessity public good: Was it given him as the
instrument of furnishing his enemies and rewardine
his friends" Or was it given him shield to protect
the public interests? To be used with sound discretion
and only when positive or negative mafeasance re-
quired its interposition? Madison, Page. Baldwin
the best and soundest Republicans, contemporary will
the constitution, of them assistant at its fornIa
ton, thus viewed the power and declared that tie
President who used it differently, was liable to i'm
peachment Shall We confde in james Madison
IN Gov. Page, in Abraham Baldwin, or shall we con
hde In Duff Green and Amos Kendall? What car
be moro tyrannical, more odious, than the renoya
OF nien who have devoted themselves to an under
standing OF the duties of their office, who in doing
this have disqualified eplselvea for other pursuits
their removal without a~fadt orthe mputaiion of
fault? On the other hand, what more unjust wl,a
more Satanic, than to throw bernsh on the cha
racters Of the removed, that power may stand iust
fed, the refusal to let them know who their ac
. cuser is, Or what the accusation? Was the l.ion's
mouth ut Venice, the forms of secret trial and
condemnation, more Ubiquitous and despotc than this
People try to evade the force OF these things by
persuading themselves that they are moi true The,
do not wish to believe, and therefore Will not believe
But the time was, when the suspicion that such tv
ranny was exercised, would have raised flame
Are the people really Indifferent to the iniq,itons
deeds done at Washington or ar they reservlng the
expression of their Indignation for filter season,
AS to not 6eleUing, that is impossible They NAV he
sorry to believe, they may withhold tie acknowledc.
ment of their belief, but they must Jeliere VIII the
peop.e of Virginia, who rose masse against the
the Alien and Sedon Laws, and hurled their autbnr
from pewer-wiil they who construed so seveyelv
every equivocal and many harmless act of that an.
thors son-will they now sanction in a southern Pre-
sident, deeds more despolic, more anti-re,mbl;can
more dangerous to liberty, than the united acts Of
the elder and younger Adams? Will they le, it he
said that their opposition to the man and not to
the measure-that 1t was prejudice and not principle
that removed the father and son from power? Or
because trey contributed to elect Gen. Jackson will
they on that account, look complaccnty Oh, while
with savage ferocity, he tranples Justice generosity
and the constitution under his feet?
1t is necessary to explain the occasion Of Mr. IIaw
kins' Appeal to the Public. When Amos Kendall
was appointed Fourth Auditor be procured as a sub
stltute to conduct bis paper, the Arrus Mr. Lewis