Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-04-09

rfodS 81,
highly were the principles of this report then annrov
cd that six thousand copies ordered 10 be pr;nt
co. ana the arguments contained in it were tLc, do
o,a, r' 10 DC unanswerabet These inquiries were
establish court of inquiry did occur to the corr
mittee SO too the House of Representatives in Nh,
exercise OF Its legislative power has scrutnized tho
motives OF the Heads of the Executive Departments
That House demanded, by resolutions ON the 9th or
May 1922, from the Secretary of tire Treasury sa mar
tlcuar and minute account of each transfer of the
pubic money from one bank to another, which bod
been made after the first of January, 1917 and the
reasons and motives for making the same:' and in
March, 1929, they obtained the information demand
cd IN u report by us the right to look into the can
ses OF executive action claimed as an incident f
the mere legislative power of the Senate but of it's
executive authority, and therefore stands Oh much
stronger grounds
! In 1921, the Senate thinking CHARGE opo9o;,cS
not proper representative of this government at Rio
Janeiro, lnerered to recommend the appointment Of
Minister. Their opinion that subject had NOT
been requested, when, by their resolution of tbe al
OF that year, their advised the President to apno;n.
such minister: The act was voluntary and gratu-
tous ihey did not then regard as an obicctiop
their advice was unasked, nor consider themscI,,o
confined TO the fitness unfitncss of the ctarpe c
yares. They did not feel bound to remain silent IIe
the slaves around the throne of despo and opsu,o
only WHOM spoken to. And it appears to me tbat AZ
subjects connected with either treaties or npno;n.
ments, before the election of the present Chief m.
gstrae, they have considered themselves in the chi
nv OF the CONSTITUTIONS and under the solemn ob)ign
ton to advise the President which it imposed m9on
them' equally bound to him of approaching dan
ger to the country, and to consult with him on e.
means OF averlng 1T; equally bound to give him in
formation which could tend to increase the welfare
and prosperity OF that country, and to discuss with
HIM the means of securing and promotinp if wbetber
he had or had not first asked their advice Would Won
sir regard him faithful adviser and true friend
who should never warn you of danger or give Won in
formation until you asked him to do SOP And g.
are We acting in the spirit of the Constitution when
we restrict cur advice to the President to the more
fitness or uniitnesS of his nominee?
Inc treaty making, as well as the appointing pow
err Is vested IN the President and Senate The advice
ana consent oi this body an indispensable prereoi
site to the ratification of all treaties, and is an
ri tal component part ofthe power to make thorn II
necessarily looks well to the unnuled as to the an
milling slipuations with other nations; has ALWAYS ra
Jected new treaties when preferring old ones and
.hougn inauglng me utmost laue of inquiry int all
the reasons, and all the facts connected with both il
has never yet been met with objections to the most
: ample exercise ofthese powers.
IT Is wei understood, sir, that within the year of
which this day completes the circle. great revoIn
ton has been effected In the public Offices by the
discharge of the former incumbents and that tho
representatives OF many of the States anxious to
spSead upon the records here the benefit of ms
erty as we'll as Of the present age the latent cause
OF this great Executive reform. We have another
motive to make the effort to effect this. We desire
that the simple facts should appear in Justice to ali
those who have been dismissed from the public service
without charge or accusation against them We
consider TINS necessary as an act of justice only
to the sufferers, but to their families their friends
u and their posterity. We seek to distinguish the
innocent from the guilty, to exhibit to pu5c v t,
among the searching operations of this government
now many nave been removed the representations
OF secret foes, or vndictive political opponents: how
: many nave been dismissed on suspicion, and how
many ~1ouI suspicious and how many have been
condemned without having been suffered to learn the
nature OF the accusations against them If rnmors
founded IN many cases the statements of the VIZ
inns OF the proscrlplve SYSTEM be true, many have
: Dech hurried from stations, which thew have fIe5
with honor TO themselves, and with advant,oa - ~
pnohc' without the assignment of any reason for tho
ac ana IN many instances, it is said, the files of de-
partments here have been filled with foul calnn,r;os
by aspiants TIC office, and their secret agents u;,bn
: giving the accused even the Formally of trial.
IL ms be So here is real nquisition to rack and
torture not the bodies indeed, but the character, rs
men, Is more than act ofiustice to the v;,;, -
t that the truth should appear The nccrsat;n
against thep though strictly er payte, are vet the
0 avowed foundation of official acts of den,y,n..
here, which may be resor ted to by all fi,ture ]
tons to blacken the memory of these men. and ~
Disgrace their families when they shall be laid in tbe;
II graves. In government of laws properlv a3n,;n;c
e tered, the discharge ofa public servant yy;tbon, ms
assigned reason for the act must ordinarily cast s
lmputa,ion upon his character. No matter how in
nocent be may Bono matter whether any cbaro h,
or has not been preferred against hin, Tot th 10;
tence OF such charges will be presumed Under sncb
circumstances the breath of calumny is sure To
5 even though acquired by long life of
faithful pubic service and exemplary private Conduct
Inc hireng libeller, the protituted wretch who nav
have gained the very Office from which he has ban
VIII SOUND the tocsin of SANDER and if the
press mas been generally subsidized by the oovern
ment snrmses ofoical delinquency viii be CAREFULLY
P1oPagated as proved e, until the victim Ioses
character as well Office by the action of Evac,to
vengeance: TO what tribunal then should he appeal
tor Justice' answer to the Senate of his country.
party TO the contract by which he was employed
ana winch by fairly showing the causes of his dis
nlssa may repoi the iDpuatons resting on his re-
Pntatlon, and 'se history right" thus forming bar
re! agan5 the influence Of spirit of malcyolencc
wmlcn ID thcse latter days, have seem can pur-
suea man to his grave for vengeance on his posteri
i ~ NO good or honorable man will dismiss a faith
tni servant from bis private employment without
furnishing ra at his request with certificate of bis
haeity' TIE same justice which we dispense in nri
vae iie should be yielded to faithful public servant
wren dismissed from public employment; and unless
as Puolc men we intend to abandon those rrnc;,Io