Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-06-22


the vital principle ola epubic IL a difarfnt
principle prevail. and q Government he so adj
miniStered a. TO crafty the passions or pro.
mote The interests of particular individual,
the torns Of free institutions INDY remain but
that Government Is essentially a monarchy.
The great difference between the two forms Of
Government is, that in a Republic, all power
and authority aud all public officers aud honors
emanaie from The people, aud are exercised
and held FOR their benefit. Ina monarchy, all
power and authority, all Offices aud honory
proceed from the monarch. His interests, his
caprices and his passions influence and control
the dssiinies of the Kingdom. In a Republic
the people are every thing aud a particular
individual nothing In n monarchy, the mon
arch Is every hing and the people nothing
And tho true character of the Government IL
stamp, not by the forms of the appointment 10
ONCE alono, but by It's practical operation IT.
IN one, nominslly tree, the Chief Magistrate. ~
soon as he 10 clothed with power, proceeds TO
re1ercise II so us 10 minister 10 his passions and
TO crafty his favo,itcs: and systematically
distributes his rewards aud punishmen,s in ihc
Application OF the power OF patronage. with
which he ~ invested for the good OF the whole,
upon the principle of devotion and attachment
TO him, and not according 10 The ability and Il.
deity with which the people are or may be ser.
we'd. that Chief Magistrate, for The iims being,
and within the scope..of his discretionary power,
Is in fact II not IN form a monarch.
II was objected 20 the late Administration
that il adopted and enffoed a system Of pro-
scrip'ion. During the whole period of il not n
solitary officer of Government. from Maine TO
Louisiana, within my knowledge, was disn ssed,
ON account OF his political opinions II was well
known 10 the late President that many officers
who held their places subjec, TO the power of
dismission, were opposed 10 his election, aud
were actively employed In behalf Of MS com
: pei,or Yet not one was discharged from that
cause. In the commence, meni aud early part
of his admintira,ion, appointments were pro.
miscuonsly made from NIL the parties IN the pre-
vious canvass. And this course was pursued
onlil an opposition was organized, which de-
0ounced all appointments from ,is ranks NJ be.
ing nude Tor impure purposes.
| mn aware that II may be urged, thai n
change was made In some OF the publishers oi
the laws There are about 80 annually desie-
nnied. OF thee during the four years of the
late administra ion. about 10 or 10 were char
gtd Some the changes were made ir' IN
geographical or othe, local considerations. In
several ins,anecs one friend was substituted ior
, another. In others, one opponent for another.
Several papers among the most influential IN
the opposition, but otherwise conducted with
= decorum, were retained. OF the entire number
| of changes, not more than four or Eve were
made ON account OF the scnrrilous character OF
= heir papers, anu not because of the political
sentiments OF the Editors. II was deemed ipju-
rious 10 the respect and moral influence, which
the laws should always command, TINT they
should be promug gated in columns of public
: paper parallel with which were other columns,
in the same paper, Of the g,ossest abuse Of the
Government, and its funciionaries.
On this subject eau speak with certainty
and embrace with pleasure this opportunity
for explanation. The duty OF designating the
printers oil the laws appertains 10 the Office
, WHICH lately filed The selection 10 usually
made at the commencement oi every session oil
u Congress. II was made by me without any
" particular consultation with the President OF
y any member Of his Cabinet. In making IL,
fell under no greater obligation 10 select the
, publisher OF the laws Of the previous year, than
an individual feels himself bound to insert q
succeeding advertisement in the same pnpe,
y which published his last. The law does no
reqnire il, but leaves the Secretary Of Stete n
. liberty 10 make the selection according 10 hi
u sense of proprety. A publisher OF The laws II
not an officer of Government. II had oeen ju
!, ideally so decided. He dolds no commission
u The accuracy of the statement, therefore. tina
= no officer Of Government wac dismissed Ivy th,
l. late administration, in consequence of his 20
. liiical opinions, is not impaired by the few
:, changes Of publishers of the laws which we''
u made.
= But, IL they had been officers Of Government
d who could have imagined tina, those who oh
J. ieetcd 10 the removal would so soon have thrm
e selves put in practice q general aud sweeping
system of exclusion
o The President is Invested with the iremen
y dous power of dismsson 10 DO exercised for IN,
public good. and moi to crafty any privat,
n passions or purposes. II was conferred TO pre-
e vent the public from suffering through isithles
E. or incompetent officers. II was made summa
ry, be cause If the slow process OF trial before
Judicial tribunal, were rekoried 10, the publ,
n might be greatly Injured during the progress,
E mud prior to the decision OF the case. But il ne
! yer was in the contemplation OF Congress, tina
D. the power would or could be applied 10 the re
u moyal of competent. diligent and faithful OH
s. GERS. Such an application Of il Is AN act OF mr.
Is bitrary power aud great abuse.
regret extremely that feel constrained "a
i notice the innovation upon the principles and
D, practice Of our institutions now in progress.
" had most snIous'y hoped that ! could heartily
y approve the acts nd measures Of the new ad
II ninis ration. And yet hope that il will pause
r. and hereafter pursue a course more in unison
IS with the spirit Of a Il ee Government. l enfrea
D, nv friends and fellow citizens, here and else
VI where, to be persuaded that l now perform \
} most painful duty aud that il is far from my
: wish to say one word that eau inAict an,
I" wound upon the feelings of any of ,hem.
think, indeed, thAtit is the duty OF all Of then
l. 10 exercise their judgments freely and indepen
IDENTITY on what is passing and that none
h ought to feel themselves restrained by falls,
p pride, OF by any part which they took in IN,
A. late election, f. ON condemnng what their hearts
Il cannot approve.
I. Knowing the impu,ations 10 which expose
e myself, would remain silent, II did not SO
e lemnly believe that there was serious cause o
, alarm in the principle Of removal which ha
E. been recently acted on Hitherto the uniform
ID practice ofihe Government has been, wher'
d charges are preferred against public officers
foreign or domestic, to transmit to Them co
D. by OF the charges for the purpose Of refutatoi
II or explanation. This has been considered al
'e equitable substitute to the more tedious and for