Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-06-16

exclusively by devotion opposition to Ann And
y; wn.n al TINS powerful machinery was put in motion.
II he did not succeed in subvcrtng the iberties of his
country and in establishing himself upon throne il
would be because some new means or principle of
resistance had been discovered which was unknown
In other tirnes or to other Republics
but II nh administration, conducted IN tho manner
Just supposed did aim at the of public
nocrty, II would cngc nder evils of a magnitude SO
great az gradually to ALLEVIATE the affections OF the
people romtheir government, end finally lead to
It's overthrow. According to the principle now
ed and practscd all offices vacant and filled within
the compass OF the Executive power are TO be alot
ted among the pariizans Of the successful candidate
The people and the service of tho State are TO be out
oside anu every thing is to be decided by the zeal,
activity and attachment, in the cause of particular
candidate, which were manifested duripp the prace
ding canvass The consequence of these principles
would be to convert the mutton into one perpetual
theatre Tor political gladaors. There would be one
universal scramble for the public Offices Tho ter
mation OF one Presidential contest would he only tho
signal tor the commencement Of another. And on
tho conclusion OF each, We should behold the victor
distributing the prizes aud applying his punishmei,s
like a military commander immediately inter he had
won great victory. Congress corrupted and the
press corrupted, general corruption would cnsuc un.
til the substance of free government having dis
appeared, some Pretoran band would arise and with
the general concurrence OF distracted people, nut
nh end to useless forms.
am that the late nets of The administrator,
on which 1t has bcch my disagrceablc duty TO nn.
madvcrt Il hope without giving pain TO any of INV
fellow citizens, as most sincerely wish 10 give none)
sustained upon some vague notion or purpose of
REFORM Audit WIS remarkable that among the loud
est trumpcters of reform, some who had latc-
~ received appointments to lucrative Offices. Row
It must he admitted that to them, most substan.
tial aud valuable reform had tnkcn place; but trns.
that something more extensively beneficial 10 tho
people at large intended by the sweet so,Indnr
word. l know that, at the commencement, and
throughou nearly the whole progress, of the late
administration reform in the constitution was talk
cd of so to exclude from public office members OF
Congress, during the periods for which they were
elected. and limited term beyond them. This pro.
position appeared To be received with much favor
was discussed in the II. of Representatives session
after session at great length, and with unusual co
1ucncc and ability majority of that body seemed
disposed to acccde 20 it, and thought for some Time
tat there was high prohabilt passage at least
through that house. Its great Champion tGen
Sfnyth OF FrSinia pressed it with resoute pe.scyer
once. But, unfortunately at the last session. after
the decision of the Presidential question: il was man
ltest that the kindness with which |, had been orig
inally rereivcd had greatly abated. It's determined
patron found It extremely difficult to engage the
House to coiisiderit When at length. he prevailed
by his frequent aud earnest appeals to get taken
up, new views appeared TO have suddenly struck tho
rcforTnsts. II vas no longer amendment, in their
eyes so indispensable to the purity of our constitutions
dnd the majority which had appeared TO be resolved
to carry il, now by direct vote rave il the no bp
That majority, believe was composed i'm part of
members who after the fourth OF March last gnve
the host practical recantaion Of their opinions hy
accepting from the new President lucrative appoint
ments IN direct opposition to the principle of their
own amendment. And now Gen Smyth would fnd
1t even more impractcabe TO make amongst them
proseytes TO his conservative alteration in the coll
hution than he did to gain any to his Exposition Of
the Apocalypse.
Reform, such as alone could interest whole poo
p.c can only take place i'll the constitution or laws or
policy of the government. Now and thcu under
every administration, and at all times faithless or
incompetent officer may be discovered who on pht 10
be displaced. And TINT in all the departments of
Governments presume that the correction of
such occasional abuses could hardly be expected TO
fulfil the promise Of reform which had been solcm-
ly made / wond then ask What was the reform
intended? What part of the constitution was to be
atcred' What law repealed; what branch of the set
tied policy "tthe country TO be changed? The
people have right TO know what great blessing was
iptcnded by their rulers for thenI, and TO demand
some tangible practical good, i'll lieu of general,
vague, underlined assurance Of reform
know that the recent removals from Office are
attempted to be justified by precedent dawn from
Mr. Jciferson's administration. But there is not the
most distant analogy between the two cases SIEVE
m! years prior to his election, the public Offices of
the country bad been almost exclusively bestowed
upon Tie E=-.y to which. that, at the head of which
he stood was opposed. When he cc,,,,nei.,,.,l hjs
administration he found a complete monopoly of
them in tho hands 9th adverse party. lie dismiss.
led few inc,mbents for the purpose of Introducing
in their places, others of his own party, and thus
doing equal justice TO both sccts. But the number
Of the removals far short oftloge which are now
IL p:ogress. When President J5ckson entered on
MS administration he found fnr different state of
things. There had been no previous monopoly
Public Offices were alike filed By his friends and
opponents IN the late election. If the fact could be
aseonnined. believe it would he found that there was
larger RumhPr Of officers, under the govcrnmen
tached than opposed to his late election.
Eufthc I'M I ".
the consequence Of the people having Determined
radical change Of systeW. There general belief
among the majority who brought about that event,
that their opponents had violated the constitution in
enactment nj the aleu- ard Fcdou laws; that they had
committed uher great abuses, aud that sf
contemplated an eniire change in the character 81
governments to give il mona tchca cast state
the historical fact without intending the dis.
CUSTOM or drrming Il necessary examine whetisr
such design existed But those who, 81 that
day, did believe IL, could r be expected 10 aequi
esce IN the possessions BY their opponents, the minority
of the nation. Of all the eSs of sova'nr,sai which
some Of them hrlisved 20 be hostile ~ principle.