Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-08-18

The first step was to present to Mr.. IIenshaw the
following representation
f).cd HewshT,o Esq. Collector OF the Port of Bos-
-toU aud Charlestown.
%n Sir,--W: -the undersigned, Merchants OF this
city, have had frequent III the of
b:sincss with the Custom House, to observe, with
approximation, the ability, case and prouiptitude with
which MIR. John Johnson dispatches the business OF
AS department
We believe express the opinion of large
!oyity OF the Mercantile Interest, when say that
should very much regret his removal from the
lice, and sincerely hope hc may be retained. With
-@Pcct, we arc
.s- Your obcdicnt servants.
Signed by Benz. Il. Reed, and upwards Of 200
others, ISce Mass. Journal, July Cyl
Att,a meeting of the Merchants of Boston, oppo-
,-se3 70 the recent removals. in the Custom House of
fl:s City, held at the Exchange Coffee House, July
2is, 1929, benjamin. Rich, Esq chosen Mode
gator, and Samuel Ellis Secretary
s- GU motion Of Joseph Eveeth, esq Committee
81 Ike chosen retire and report the names
% thirteen persons whose duty it shall be to
report at an adjourned meeting, 70 DC holden ut this
i!s place on Monday evening next, such measures
tey may deea' proper 20 attain the objects for which
this meeting called.
hicssrs. Henry Williams, Henry Hall, Jeffrey Rich
"rGSon, Augustus Newman, and Joseph Evclcth,
were appointed OH the first named committee. They
rct'rcd and reported the of the following gen
te;9en to compose the committee OF thirtcen:
Messrs. Henry Lee VIM Sturgis, Isaac Winslow,
Joshua Blake, Benjamin Rich, Robert q. Shaw,
William Lawrence, George Bond, Ebcnezer Chad
" Hams and Charles Barnard, Esquires.
1t was moved and unanimously voted, that the
aonva named committee have power fill any vacan-
c.C:' that may happen in their body.
The meeting was then adjourned to meet at the
same place on Monday evening, July 9th, to hear
the report CT their Committee.
BENZ. RICH, Chairman.
Attest, SAMUEL ELLIS, Sec'ry.
An adjourned meeting was held at the Exchange
Coffee House on Monday evening, July 9th.
1iin record OF the proceedings of last meeting was
rad; Henry Williams, Esq. behalf of the COM
,h.ttec appointed, made report and submitted reso-
lut;ons.
i. was voted unanimously, to accept the report of
the committee and that the report be again submit
Ted to the committee with power to publish it in the
papers OF the city, at such time as they may deem
eNpedicut.
The meeting was then dissolved
BENZ. RICH, Chairman.
Attest, SAMUEL Ellis, Sec'ry.
The committee who Instructed to consider
aad report what course 1t Is expedien to pursue
inc subject OF the recent removals at our Custom
House., have attended to the duty assigned them,
and respectfully
REPORT:
Your committee are deeply impressed with the feel
ing that so generally pervades this community, that
for prvotecitizens to interfere with, and endeavor by
combined effort to influence the administration of
public affairs, is delicate office, and should be
resortcd to hastily and without great consideration;
anu that even wien tie abuses OF public trust be-
intoernbe, and the public interest are evident
ly in danger, are already suffering the reluctance
TO lnteere hardly be overcome without n conf
dent expectation that such interference will be sue
cessfu But your committee of opinion that there
Is a point beyond which silence is neither honorable
ID the community respectful TO the government
aud hat we owe 1t to ourselves to show that hen the
conduct OF official agents deeply affects the public:
W1linre, shocks the public sentiment and endapDcrs
The stability OF our national Institutions, we do not
cOuntena nee such abuse by silence, nor impute
10 the constitutional authorities of the country an
appreciation OF the wrong an Indifference to the
removal vi IT.
Before have right to infer that the feelings
ana sentiments OF tins community dsregarded By
the government, decent respect for their authority
and an honorable confidence in the uprightness of
their intentions. require that should present the
subject their consideration with frankness becorn-
ing free people, and respect due to constitution
al government. In fact your committee do not be-
iege that the acts which we assembled to consid.
g., huge been, will be, sanctioned by the President
but ascrioc his hitherto apparent acquicscence to
misrepresentation regarding their character, the result
Of a system OF misrepresentation and intrigue, of
WHICH we have had no former experience in the CON
dict OF public affairs, III the effects of political par
lies. Your committee have learnt from many sotlrc-
entitled to their full confidence, that the President
ias often expressed deep anxiety to ascertain and
regard the sentiments of our people;-and if some
oi his principal appointments in this quarter have
deeply disappointed wishes; if men of inferior
p7eensions and qualifications, have been placed in
public trusts OF great dignity and responsibility are
there grounds for believing that these selections
we're made, not because the public sentiment was
aisregardcd, but because not sufficiently made
4r0"n: At any rate, In the opiniou of your corn
H''ttce ought not to despair of a remedy until we
nave rnnde all just and proper efforts to effect it,
Within few months, under the appointment OF the
present Collector of this port have been called
11on 10 Witncs5a of conduct, with which Moth
Dg IN the past political history of the country can be
compared a system of prescription, unbounded an
nsparing, has been adopted, by which large proper
non oi public officers have been displaced, and an ex
-ene OF misery and suffering carried into the bosons
private ianies which calls loudly for sympathy
and GsappTcbatIOn. We not insensibc that chan.
ICs have and migh! still be made for the benefit
1.-The public but numerous cases have occurred where
nc public interest it woni could have been
.'mardcd and has in fact been deeply injured; where
-,e most temperate and honest independence of
cruiou has been punished and trusts cTeated for the
.--l-c and niGm!eh for tho n.lhLic h-nnht har