Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-04-13
SPEECH OF MIR. CLAYTON,

is.ratc to Office review his administration Of the past
year, apply o the ties, oftcsc principles and cl-
ly inquire whether any constitutional nNcrpositi"n
% the senate be requisite check tic alb of pow
rr. This anniversary recalls the pledges Of The In
umgural address, to keep steadily in view the iilta
TONS we'll as the extent OF the Executive un'horl-
-, respect ard preserve the rights oi the SOW
.'rrign members of union to manage by certain
searching operations OF the public rcvcn'e, to observe
n strict and faithful economy, to councract shat ten
iency to private and public prot'igacy which pro-
fuse expenditure of money by tho government is but
too apt TO cl,euder, depend for The advancement
of the public service tho integrity aud zeal
If the public officers ,haa their humble s, and
ulrticuarlv to correct ihnsc abuses which, il was
hcm charged hal brought the patronage ofthe Fed
era! government into conflict with the freedom of O.
ccioas and couIltcract nlcsc which had pla-
ccl or continued pnwcr in unlaithfu or iucnmuclcn.
hands. The launcSs OF tic hour warns nc. that
ought not TO trcypass on your attention, by inTrrg
how far al these pledges have been redeemed; and
The examination OF all the topics presented by such
general inquiry iniglt lead me beyond the scxiguo
iinc' wiiha which ain ndmonisllFl that au hmcr-
can Senator should continc himself, when speaking
of an American President. But it is true, and ought
TO be observed on this day, that public officers
increased in number, an! diminished in sala-
r.; that the promised retrenchmcnt has terminated in
recommendation TO csta biish additional bureaus
.ts' ri'lin ngnnts, ard increased demands
the Treasury, to swell TO an almost boundlcss extent
tilc influence ofthc Executive by general xtcnson
or the law which limits appointments to four vcnrs,
and by the establishment ola government bank and
that general system of prescription for manly cx
crcse OF the right "l opiniOn und2r h, prctpncc of
rotntion in Office has brought the patronage Of the
yecu,ve INTO full conflict with the freedom Of cleo
lions. Turning from the investigation Of minor sub
iccts which might by possibility be considered as
mere topics for partisan effect, and with noJlcr p,r-
pose than t" subscrvc the petty interests Of any sect
any party, orr attention is fnrcibly arres,sa by
some instances IN which these Pledges have been 50
vicllted, that I'll. j. tcrtnn"y # ro i:ncI,a,c,v nj
lc2st conscqucnaIiy. and by III, fore, Of example,
Is shvcrsivc Of tie dearest Interests of our rcorc
and of the most sacred institutions OF cur rrpi,Iic
When wclook TO the manner in which the picdr-c
to observe strict and faithful economy has been re-
deemed, fud the expenses OF the government in
crease, through the nStrumenality OF these rcyyar
and puniShnents for political opinion. Outfits saia-
res and ali the incidental expenses Attending the
recall of nearly The whole CT or diplomatic corps,
and the appointment ofohers TO supply their r.uacs
have caused large drafts upon the Treasury and laid
the foundation for increasing demands upon 1t. But
without dwelling to estimate how mary los, or foods
OF thousands of doliGSs have been expended in nun
ishing opponents mqulring how profiscy the pub
tic bounty has been lavlshed upon tivorcs VIC have
sonnet hing important to consider. We know
that funds tor such purposes have been taken from
the strong box without appropriations the PrcJent
must have dipped his hands into the nations
IN opposition TO tie Constitution, which is du-
~ to support Money cannot be drawn from the
treasury except III consequence of approximations
made by law, and the radical Of the first @! Nav
1920 alter limiting the powers of the President in
relation to transfers OF appropriations in the army
and navy provides, in the fifth section that no trans
ers of appropriation from other branches Of ex.
Penditurc shall thereafter be made May we not
inquire now, fran " ba: fund The money has hon,
drawn to desray the greatly Increased expenses of
our foreign missions? These expenses were not
provided for during the last session of CONGRESS- bv
any law, for they were not foreseen anticipated
If them the diplomatic fund insufficient for these
purposes, either the nation has been BROUGHT into
debt to accomplish them, the constitution and the
law have been vouted by unauthorized drafts on The
treasury 1t IS certain that now called upon
TO appropriate largely either TO pay debt incurred
or To supply deficiency in some other fund not or
propfated Tor these expenses If the Executive can
recall orr foreign agents, for party PURPOSES or to
promote friends even where Legislative npprorri-
alton has been made for these objects, Coprrcss has
virtually 10 control over our foreign intercourse and
we may hereafter expect that our Ministers abroad
VIII hc withdrawn on the accession of every peyy in
cnnrocnt of the Presidency; that new men viii ba
sent to supply their places and that the whole rela
lions OF the country wiih foreign powers viii be
changed or thrown into confusion at The end Of cvn,y
Jour years Admit The power oftl!e Executive without
appropriation to recall IL appoint Minister'S and by
the operation to bring the nation in debt for the Du
lie good--yct show us how the public GOOD rnnuircd
tins increased expense. Take cnse for eyor,nla
and let some ingenious advocate of tho Admnistra
ton assign why our late Minister near fbo
Nonft OF -. James was recalled Dir Barbour had
acquitted himself faithfully in every public trnst
Which had ever before boon corfidcd TO him and WIS
at the time of his recall discllaroin0 with bcnor -
himself and ms country, the high duties of his mis-
s'on III what respect was Re thought to be either
Incompetent or uniaithfuP Was any new policy to |
be adopted in relations with England, which no |
would not espouse? Take another case, and inform
us why the gallant Harrison the hero of Fort Mejas
me victor at Iippacanoe and the Thames, veteran
In council as well as III the field, distinguished for his
virtues in all the relations of the citizen the soldier
and the stntcsman-why, ask, lie prescribed as
mint to represent his country abroad and withdrawn
from Colombia to make room for Thomas p Nooroo
lie had scarcely arrived at Bogota-,hc ink was sti
fresh on The Executive record, which informed the
resIdcni that 1T was the advice of the Senate that bo
should represent us there when the order of his
removal announced. This could not have
been done for any official misconduct There had
bcen no time 10 inquire into that. Was his fidelity
the: or how did the public good require his
DISMISSAL Think you it will tell well in the annals of
history, that he who had so often perled life and limb
III the vgor of manhood to secure the blessings Of
liberty to Others punished for tho exercise Of the
elective franchise in his old agc' Sir it was an act
disguise it as may, wbic by holding out ile idea
ihnt be bad lost The cnuGonncn nc lie