Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-04-27

Custom House officers, & nure .s.,- -1r
class ofour money gathering Agents,
theirs as made removc;:' le by him, for
lating to their official conduct, or fitness 4
stations; but such removal suspension Is subje
Tie restraining powers of the Senate, on cause SLOW
IlIc public interest and safety require 1t should be
su anu institutions are cunformed to the Ell
getlcy This, like other powers, is public trust,
and to pcrvert it from lis original purpose Is an abuse
aud not lawful use of the power. The cause OF
removal generates and gives life to the power OF re-
inora as the overt act of TREASON gives application
and life to the power hung for VIII amy
Senator here uyo the opinion that these Offices and
their enolumens, or the provisional removing power
of the President, were designed either the means
OF bribery instruments of punishment, in the hands
of candidate for the Presidency, of President
IN Office, to buy votes punish the opposing votes
Ill our Presidential contests? Not one man Will u
vow this. That would be grossly abusing power
conferred for the public good, and corrupting the
ry sources OF republican,, elective and representa-
tive govetnment-the great elective franchise itself
removal OF this class OF public officers is, like
dnon:naton for oCe, only provisional and iuchoate,
until it becomes absolute and deiinilive by the sbse
quent sanction of the Senate, be given in
tablshed and long Practiscd maiiner of proceeding
| upon Executive business
AS Ill nominating to Office so also in removing,
dispacing from office, i'll this class Of the public Off
GERS, the originating act Isl and for the public
nence ought 10 be WI the President; aud III ordus
ry cases and times tile of the President receives
the undlsputed sanction of the Senate. s il past
experience shows this to be the fact either becasc
nated removedknow his sutablcncss or qualilica-
ton for office, the of his removal or because
Presidents are not ordinarily disposed to abuse their
powers but for the security of the public if there be
an allegation or suggestion Of the unfness of the
nominee, OF the legaty of the removal it be-
comes the duty ofhe Senate inquire into the mat
ter, and act accordingly, by active exertion Of
their restraining power One design OF rerresen-
taton is to avail the public of the better lights from
the scenes of appointment removal than a Presi
dent, pent up i'll the Metropolis, cln have
But let me examine the true nature and extent of
the despotsm now proclaimed by the majority, the
arguments by which they attempt to- sustain them
selves in their new MISUNDERSTANDING to all their
arguments, reports and votes heretofore; and if pos
slble the causes and practical consequences Of this
! astounding proclamation
| TIE founders of the Republic, ana the people of
the United States, when they adopted the Federal
Constitution, especially jealous OF the powers OF
I tive viii.
10 that point all their principal fers were concern
tfated; and the history of that day shows that it was
yIth some difficulty the people of the United States
could be induced to adopt the Union lest the Presi
dent with the porsers then accorded to bin, should
become the destroyer of their liberties.
| Their fears OF Executive encroacIment were not
idle chimeras Of the fancy; were they affected
from mere Impotence of regulated liberty and gpv-
eminent of laws. TO them they we're devoted. The
histories of all nations which had lost their liberties
lay open before them and they saw on their pages
that arbitrary Executive discretion and WILL awaiting
and the wunt of frmness among their Representa-
tves IN governments where the Representative prin-
cple adopted had bce, te destroyers of nation
al liberty throughout the greater part of the world
where Wild anarchy had not sgpplanted them. and
that they had effected their cDuquess by gradual ap
proaches and by corruptng the santnes ofliberty and
the fathers did intend. and the Of them have le
this world in the paiernal confidence that they had
fecfed the object, TO establish government Of law,
and of Checks and restraints upon Executive will in
which case should exist In which the fate of the
huTnbest citizen, whether in private public life
could depend upon tho arbitrary will OF single man
No. their fears were not idle; and with such lights
before them; and the then recent claim to arbitrary
power urged by the British Crown thrilling in their
bosoms they never would have adopted the Federal
Constitution without the restraining power and duty
of the Senate during the Presidential term when If
ever he would be disposed to violate the rights the
citizen.
Tbepower is now boldly asserted this floor by the
majority tor the first time the foundation of the
Republic, of removing this class of Federal Officers
by the President ut discretion without the slightest
restraint by the Senate, and without the right
of culprt to ask the cause Of condemnation, upon
blind and servle presumption the part of the Sen
ate that the cause was lawful and goodl
And trayersing the line Of their whole lives, aud
their recent under the late administration, the
majority have proclaimed over this subject abso
Lutte despotsm aud right of dark and ex pare Dqui-
eltion! 1t fell upon my like the anathema of the
minority pronounced from the modern Vatican. 1t
sounded like the kneil of Constitutional liber-
| ties!
| And let not the Senator from Tennessee (GIr.
Cruudy) lay the flatlering JUNCTION to bis SOUL,
deceive HIMSELF in the moments of the Intoxicating
victory OF the combination, by supposjng the public
mind can be diverted from the great and vital prnci
pies at issue between us by telling them he dispute
Is about the miserable Offices of the country, or com
pairing the struggle for these great republican pnci
pies to an attempt toagitate the Ocean by throwing
pebbles into it, as he has done.
we admit the people Of the United States caDno
be agitated~thoy ought not to be agitatcd--on ac-
count OF the offices or the e1nolumeDts.
i Was it the value Of the ten tax, let Inc ask him
that induced some of the fathers of the revolution
throw the tea chests into the harbor Of Boston, ant
commence the American Iievolutions Or was it tht
principle assumed by the British Crown aud Parlia
ment- 20 bind the Colonies, in all cases whatsoever
by an OK parte, arbitrary will in which the ColoBie
had no voce--for the British Crown never advanced
! the claim 10 do so by dark and secret inquison
The victims might be present in the Capital Of Eng
Ia, I'd, and in the House of Parliament, and know
all the causes of their condemnation.
L, lions would not bear the tyrannical principle