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

prcf ent Chief Magistrate, have been appointed to
uficc by HIN within the compass of single year, I
than lave been appointed by Any other President
during the whole course of administration of eight
vcars The Consequences Of this were forcSecn and
deprecated by the Plumbers OF cur government: but
the provision which they Inserted III Tic constitution
to prevent them has proved Inadequate TO It's object
Such was the opinion Of f,yorite CONSTITUTIONAL
lawyer, who, in address to The Tcnnes sec Legsla
ture un the 7h of Oct. 1928, explained his,suiect
fully, That shall be pardoned Tor producing large
extract from that valuable stare papcr--cspccially
after The gentleman from Tennessee has adverted
it. and made an argument upon IT.. with view,
says he, 80 sustain more ciictuulfy practice the
axiom which divides The three great classes OF power
into independent constitutional checks would i'm |
pose provision rendering arg ,nembe, IF Congress
ineligible TO Office under the General. Government
during The term Tor which he was elected, and two
years thereafter, except in cases of Judicial office.
The effect OF such constitutional provision is ohvi
ous. BY il Congress, Il considerable degree, would
be free from that connection with tie Executive De-
partment which, at present. gives strong ground OF
apprehension and jealousy on tho part q: the people
Members instead of being liable TO he withdrawn
from legis!ailng on the great interests of the nation
Through prospectsof executive patronage, would be
more iiboray cuEiidcd in by their constituents, while
their vigilance would be less interrupted by party
fcc'ings and ,ra'y exc tcments. Calculations
from intrigue or mana cement would fail; would
their diiheraiion or their Investigation OF Subjects
consume so much time. The ruorais of the country
would be improved, and virtue uniting with the Ia
hOrs CT the Representatives, and with the Official
ministers Of the law. would tend to parpcntc rlic
honor and glory of the Government. BIT if this
change III the Constitution should not be obtained
md Important appointments continue to devolve
tic rcpresc tativcs III Congress, it requires depth
OF thought to perceive that corruption will become
the order of the day. and that, under the gar of con-
sccni ious sacrifices to establish prnCcden:s for the
public good, evils Of Importance to tic t:er-
dom and prosperity Of the republic may arise. 1t is
through this chann2 that thu people may expect to
be uiackcd N their constitutional sovercuntv and
q leIt
in s"n:c favorable emergency Against s,tt Il nronts
creFy Sur" ouSit 10 he inicrposed and better
occurs than that of closing the suspected avenue
with scnt necessary constitutional restriction.
IT IS interesting to examine how far this admins
tration has actually practisct these ma xs WHY.
within the very first year six members of the SnnGte%
Beng one eighth! ot the whole body as it WIS conlpo
scd during the goth Ccngross have been apnoin cd 10
some Of the most important oil with Il the sf OF
the %ecutirn. Anal yet the sage oi this session
rcltera'cs Tie principles Of the Tcnncsscc letter. wiki
slight reservation y way of cover ne tho case as it
now exists. Fly that letter Judges alone might bc
eo cted from the members OF Congress. b. the late
message We are informed that the necessity OF seen,
ring III lie '"b'nct end in diplomatic stations cf the
Highest ra' the best talents and political eypcrcnco
should perhaps lcvcn here we have Gucrel cycent
those from he exclusion. If ii be 'pcrha rs ncces-
ssry to change the Constitution 10 save US from, lor
wrong, why not do right without the chance, Thu
nay reservation Is fiat departure from the naxims
OF 1928, and st that does not cover the ac;s
OF the Executive, for we have only dpar,a,ists
and cabinet ministers, ;'n.Poriart oicers) chosen
IRON the members &C Conrrcss within tho term far
which they elected and two wears thcrc.0
out important appointments Of very different char
acter even III the Post Office and the Customs con-
TIME to dcrolve on them, convincing those who have
become prOscy'es TO the Tennessee doctrine With
out any great depth Of Thought that cDr-t,Dtio
become the order of the day. and that under the rarb
OF conscientious sacrifices Tor the public coud evils
OF serious Importance to the freedom and prosperity
of the republic may arise But the gentleman from
Tennessee, who called attention to TIKI letter
and without whose notice of should hardly have
advertcd to it, says
llfcrc MIR. Gruudy explained He stated that he
had alluded to the letter in reply to the Senator from
Indiana, (Gcn. Noblc.}l
Mr. Clayton continued. Sir the hon een,ler,an's
reply was that the people ought to have changed the
consultation, but that without tutiona! re-
stralnt the President under Obligation to prac
tise what he formerly preached However valid
mot defence may appear, is not the opinion of nv
constitutional lawyer for IN tiut Same letter ho s
II IS de to myself 10 practise upon the naxims re-
commended to others These and similar pledres
obtainch for him thousands of votes during tho can
va5s oi 1928, and ought 10 have been redeemed
w ilen the blood burns, how prodiral the soul
''l.ends the tongue vows"
Moreover 1t will require muc, depth of thsurht' 70
convince rs, that President cannot 90 what lie
thinks right without some constitutional restriction
to prevent him doing what he knows is wronc or
tlat man OF sound mind and good disposition cnn /
not avoid the destruction of his own family no,esz
you treat aim like mailman by tying bis arms and
doprlVing HIM OF the means of doing iniurr
more was, boweyer, no pledge in the Inaugural
so STRIKING or SO important rs the recognition Of that
obligation, then sal; to be inscribed on the list off,
ecutve duties by the recent demonstration of pubic
sentiment to counterfeit those causes which brouob
the patronage OF tie General Government into con
tlict with tho freedom of elections. Sir, your posi-
master General, welding the patronage Of bis de- |
partmcnt over clerks, deputies, contractors and |
agents IN numbers amounting to nearly eight thou
sand men, has, for political effect removed from pub
Hc employment IN pursuance of general systom so |
vast proportion Of the old and fahfa public scr
wants connected with that immense establishment. |
that Its resources and IFS energies impaired pub
nc confidence is diminished, and suspicion darkenirr
this great avenue to light she spreads her dusly
P'pon over 1t, whispers that of It's rccesses have
oeen converted for political purposes, into posts If
e$Pfa PA on the private intercourse ofyour citizens.
which alone this republic might bo prostra,ed by the
influence OF which President might be ewcled into
Il Monarch, has boen--not slackled by rao law.