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

that declar,d opinion, how Gao he now DC jus
tiled In violating this solemn pledge, and IN
snsailing upon his country peflious preee-
dsni, iraught with the eorruptnt tendency
which he Described
II is in vain TO say that tho Constitution, rs
"a now stands, does not forbid thsse appoint
mems. II does no, enjoin them. II there DC
IN inherent defect In the theoretical character
of the instrument, President Jackson was
bound TO have redeemed his pledge "nd en-
ployed the whole influence aud we'ght OF ms
name, TO remeoy the defect, IN It's pfhetieai OPP
Grafton. The Constitution admitted of the
service of one mao IN the residential ONCE,
during his lie. II h. could secure successive e
lee,ioos. That great former as President
Jackson describes MN. shom he Processes &c
initiate, did not wait Tor an amendnrn oil the
Constitution % eorrrc, that detect but, after
The example OF tks Father ofhs Country, by
declining 10 serve lnnger than two terms. es
tsblished practical principle, which 10 not
likely 10 bs violsted.
There vas another class OF citizens upon
whom public offices had been showered IN the
greatest prnfusion. do not know the mum
Der Of Editors Of newspapers that have been re-
Gently appointed. but ! have noticed. in the
public prints. some fifteen or twenty. Aud
they were generally OF those whose papers had
manifested the greatest activity IN the tate can
vass, the most vulgar abuse Of Opponents. and
the most fulsome prsse OF their favorhe candl-
date. Editors are as much entitled to be ap.
pointed AZ any other class Of the community
but, IL The number and tie quality OF those pro.
raoi.d, be such 10 render palpable the mo
tive OF their appointment ifihey are prefer.
red not on account Of their fair pretensions,
and their ability and capacity TO serve the pub.
lie, but because Of sheir devotion to a parilcu-
lar Individual, | NIX IL the necessary sonse-
quence mus, no, be TO render tho presl vensi
and Ia time TO destroy this hitherto justly cher.
ithed Palladium of our Liberty
the principle OF all these appoininenis--
this monopoly ofpnblic trusts by members of
Congress and partizsn kdi'ors--be exception
able (and would not have alluded 20 them
but from my deliberate conviction that they
are essentially vicious) their effects are truly
alarming. will not impute to President
Jackson any design TO suhyert our liberties. ]
hone and believe that he does mol now enter
tain any such design. But must say, thai il
an AMBITIOUS President, sought the overthrow
of our government, and ultimately TO establish
a different form, he would. at The commence
ment OF his administration, proclaim. by his
official acts, that tho greatest public virtue
was ardent devotion to him. That no matter
the sacrifices vi iDcumbenis or applicants for
office what their experience or ability TO serve
the Republic. if they did moi bow down and |
worship him, they possessed no claim 20 his |
patronage. Such an ambitious President " onld |
say, rs monarchs have said - am The state"
He would dismiss all from public employment
who did not belong To the true faith. He
would stump upon the whole Official corps Of |
government one homogeneous character and |
infuse into IL one uniform principle OF action
He would scatter, with an open aud libr, al |
hand, ufiices among members Of Cong ess Civ. |
ing the beat 10 those who had spoken and writ. |
ten and trnnted most in his behalf. lie would
substitute the press. II would be- his earnest and |
constant aim 90 secure the two greatest en- |
gncs Of operation upon public opinion. Con
gress and the Press Tie would promugate a |
new penal code, the rewards aud punis hments
OF which would be dis ributed and regulated |
exclusively by devotion or opposition 10 him
Aud when all this powerful machinery was
put in motion, ifhc did no, succeed in snbvert.
Jug The liberties of has country aud in establish.
ing himself upon throne. il would he because
some new means or principle of resista lce
had been discovered which was unknown ~
other times or 20 other Republics.
But if an administration, conducted in the |
manner Just supposed, did not aim at the drs.
truction OF public liberty, il would engcnder
evils Of magnitude So great a. gradually TO
sliennte the affections OF the people from heir
government, and finally TO lend TO its over
throw According TO the principle now avowed
AMI practised, all Offices vacant aud filed with
10 the compass Of the Executive power, are 10
be allotted among the pariizans of the sue.
cessfnl candidate. The people and the service
Of the State are 10 be- put aside, aud every
thing is to be decided by the zeal, activity,
md attachment, in the cause of a particular
candidate, which were manifested during the
preceding canvass. The consequence Of these
principles would lie TO convert Tho nation into |
one perpei ual theatre for political glndiaiors
There would be one universal scramble for |
the public Offices. The termination of one |
Presidential contest would be only the signal |
Or the commencement OF another And on the |
conclusion ofearh, we should behold the vic.
tor di'tributing the prizes and applying his |
puni'hm.nts, like a military commander, i'm
media,ely sher he had won great victory.
Congress corrupted, and the press corrupted. |
general corruption would ensue, until the sub. !
stance OF free government having disappear.
ed, some Pretorian baud would arise, and, |
With the general concurrence OF a distracted |
people, put an end TO useless forms.
arr aware tina, the late acts Of the admin;.t,a
ton on which il has been my dsagreesle duty
20 animadvert q hope ~ithou, giving pain 10
any Of my fellow citizens, Ms most SINCERELY
wish TO give money were sustained upon some
vague no,on or purpose of reform. And il was
remarkable that, among the loudest trumpeters
Of reform, were some who had lately received
appointments TO lucrative offices. Now il must
he admitted that. as 10 them, a mos, substan.
tial aud valuable reform had ialSen place; hutI
trust that something more extensively bench.
cal TO the people at large was intended by that
sweet sounding world. know that, at the
commencement, and throughout nearly the
whole progress, Of the late administration, a
reform in the constitution was talked of, so AZ
10 exclude from public office members Of Con.
gress, during the periods for which they were
elected, ana limited term beyond them. This
proposition appeared TO be received with much
favor, was discussed In the House of Represen.
tatves. session after session, at great length.
and with unusual eloquence and ability A
majority of that body seemed disposed TO &C.
cede IN H. and 4 though for sop,a ,;,,o ,h.,