Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-06-03
SPEECH OF MIR. HOLMES, or-MAlsn.
COSCLUDED.


Nov, sir, What has been gained By all this devas
taloa, tins prostitution of all principle this conce
tration OF oil Executive power in single Chief
Cnce, the pcop!s of the United States would never
nave made their rights and liberties question of pro
fit and loss Eut ever making it a mere matter Of
caicuiatloil, repeat the question have We
galned' Draw your comparisons between The pre-
S''t ana !ast years expenditures, and with all the
suollety ana cunning which belongs to the head of
,6o treasury, and what Gv you make, The attempt
10 slic the truth has been detected and it is mani
lest even to the of superficial observer that your
expenditures are, ond must be, necessarily more
ne iact mas been proved bevond controversy But
Whether less or more s not the question. The ques-
ton Is, have the expenditures be they what they
ncen prudent or prodigal more, jast much, US
the public eXigencieS require? Ifny agent last wear
expended 100000, all tor iny benefit. have no
right tn blame him. lie, this year, has eXpcnded less
than half that sum, and has wasted in this expcn,
ture one half i: is lame apology to recu 10
comparison OF the two wears. We ask vcn then
shat was wasted iii the last year Of AR A,lanss ad
I9inistraioE? Put your finger upon tho spric item.
40 YOU rcto.t the question: WE are ready with the
answer. In the removal and appointment oF foreign
ministers IN tie recess OF the Senute f,ry thnrsand
Cellars have hccn drawn from tie treasury AGAINST
tAe aw aud the constitution, without cuy earthly be
rii' end for no ohcr os:cusib!c purpose but to re-
MaEd ;ir less qualified than their prcdcccs-
s"rs In The collecting of, the revenue tina, search,
ing operation what have you gained, ITnv add
tonai ofncers III tins gle department.;
SiT In the faithful execution Of this duty Of col
c'' money ant payment into the treasury to nioe
the cXiTencies CT the government and DISCHARGE lie
national debt the people have deep interest Thi
DUTY requires not only perfect fidelity but lone eyne
Hence The complicated machinery CT the system i
;ot 10 pe iearh' IN day-it requires years. Now
you make general change re- even if you suppIy
the place OF those removed with tha best men !, IS
inoruly eeran that, from their want of experience
hoanns bn' miracle can save you from losses
Take the case at New York whore marc tI,,n on,
ihird OF your whole revenue is collected; al your
principal and twenty FIVE Ct your subordinate officers
disPacrd, and about the same number la We been add
ca, Here, besides the chief officers, you find liity
EcW ones all without experience, 10 iuana re that vast
comcern so mpoTtan TO the in ercsts of the country
VIII any say, in sober arnes that eli This
Tor the public good9 Under the arranrrp,cut and
severe discipline of Mr.. Thompson every thiur was
oone with perfect sysicm-Scarcely az error ESCAPED
the government was perfectly safe, and 10 one Lut
he who Sled for an opportunity To vina:e the laws
iad the least dsposi ion to complain. Now why ;s
tue Whole system subverted? Why is this dangerous
cAperinent attempted. when all was So well b,.torc2
II Is tor no reason under heaven but 10 reward the
hiilions vi tie present administration
Sir If your party had talents and as penesol re-
marx, DO not thok they burdened is it pos
stoie that machine SO complicated as the Yreosurv
Depa' tmsnt, can be successfully n,anaped With ,o,
hands, Can me- land lubbers' navira' G the sh,s
pun inns guess TO experienced stacsInen to SEN
utors and ask them frankly r in oil this tho, c,,
SEE any thing OF public good,
w nat has been gained, ask. in REMOVING ono
thousand connected with the Posi- Office Denartmc,,5
NT. M'Lean was no partizan, and certainly h. had
done nothing to throw the influence nf b;st rs.
,neht INTO the bands of the late Administration
Nnat good motive could have induced this un;rorsaI
prescription: Every post officer whose emolomen,s
are worth even less t!an dollars wear. # he ba
hot hEZaed for the Chcitain Is b,,-frd 5,,,n .N
fhrocous wild beast, and every hole evorv cor-,
searched Tor this small game. All tia socnoee -
''retrenchrent, and Yet we learn that more Off,
n'usf be provided, or this sapient chief of this new
department cannot make The n. chine ,oort ~
thus Is not strange all. Ihe General Pct 0tG.'
Is IN utter confu1onercry thing is in error and
ana seTens, the Assistants aud Clerks have bnen
running againss each other, and have got into sch
confusion tha. they don't know where 10 no nv ,gb.
10 do, and very prudcuty conclude ther,fnea Z,
STILL and do noih hing. 1"o
Ent this Is not all; they asking for MONEY Mr.
McLean had made the Posi- Office support itself: and
it has hitherto produced surplus In re vaa gu
Ind that there is likely to be deficit of S,Oo aon
Vow, how does this to pass, This on, sion !.
casiy aaswered-it is by rcrlovinn the eyner;e,no5
ana faithful, and placing IN their stead those who
chnnot or Will Tot fulfil their duties IF ;c ro-,aI
too that contractors hayo been remupor,toJ -,
their contracts At any rate we are redrced 70 ~;
We must add one hundred thousand doIl.rs ~, . Us,
LUNGS OF 'hls department. strike off some FORTY ar
1tty routes and thus deprive he people in the sca,
tered sci tlculens of the means of infnrnot; - .t
this rctrenching, reforming Admnisr ration. VI
wo OF thfee examples will serve Illustrate this
conduct OF This Administration Florida is ter,;,
~ not ten years old. The President was ;t co. ;.n
Governor, and when he left the government. j, 10 -
ne presumed the officers satisfactory. ~ ,hs
last election this territory had nopolitical influence
Whatever 1t had no vote, nor could it command ono
any where else Its preferences for one or the other
OF the candidates could therefore have no off,, ~,
the election. Yet, we find that removals Icre bo("
1een made WITH the same relentless prescription rs
II 1t had been in It's power to setle the contest Re-
inovas-Navy Agent and Store Keeper at Pensacola:
surveyor OF live oak timber, and Aren't for ts pro
serVation; Postmaster at Pensacola and Marshal.
Two commanders of Revenue Cutters; Law Agent:
Indian Agent; Unifed States Attorney, Collector md
m Al, at Key West; Surveyor Of Fernandna;
lachcola-sixicen! and four other Execr,it,o orn;.
ihents made since the 4h Of March last, to sunnlg
vacancies created by his removals Now wbatt
other motive could have induced all this bu, ,bat or
yided for any where else9 f'0
VIII go now into all opposite extreme of the Uni
ted s5tatrs--ino Milne tVIen ,vo ,,-;,.I ~ Op'-