Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-04-08
THE TINES.


a venal Executive 1t was expected that, "a
live to its constitutional duty of acting, on
proper occasions, as a check on the Presi-
dent, and mindful Of its dignity as represent
ing the Sovereignty Of the States, it would
put ats Ueto on the open prostitution by the
present Executive of the power and patron
age of the Government, to the object OF re-
warding and inviting electoneering services.
This reas enable expectation was strengthen
ed by the fact that majorlty OF the Senator's
were known, By their own declarations. as
disapproginy the proocripiive and rewardlug
system ofGeneral jackson. From some re
cent proceedings Of that body, itwouid seem,
however, that portion at least OF the conf
dence in its presumed independence. which
the public SO literally rePoikg nayn that soo,
nominations involving an abuse Of the reno
wing power by the Executive, have been
confirmed; and the combinations followed
caucus which, 1T Is reported and generally be
lIeved, met for the purpose of determining
whether the jackson Senators should be per
mitted to act according to the dictates oftheir
/ conscience and their judgment, or be ,chiped
4 IN, on pain of political accommodation, to
register the rescripts of the ''GREATEsT AND
BEsr." The time and place of the meeting
I of this caucus have been designated; and
there is, we fear, but too much reason for
connecting with it the proceedings which
subsequently took place in the Senate.
Let the people be upon the alert. A most
alarming crisis is ut hand; and it behooves e
very patriot to rally round the standard of
his liberties, If he wishes to rescue his coun-
try from the hands OF an enemy more insidi-
GUS and fatal than ever yet invaded it. When
we see gross and manifest corruption tainting
every branch of the Government, when we
see Senators reiinquishing, at the nod Of a
/ despot, the rights which the Constitution has
guaranteed to them, for the benefit Of the PEG
pile and the States;-whcn we see these things,
we see enough to alarm the patriotism and to
souse the indignation of the American peo-
pie. If any consideration can add to the in
tensty OF these emotions ,ltls the reason which
Is assigned out of doors, and, for aught we
know to the contrary, may have been assign
4 ed within doors, for the votes of some Sena-
Y t. rs in the majority who do not conceal their
4 diss2pro!ntion of General Jackson prostitu
u ton ol-the removing power. Will posterity
believe that this ''reasoa" is, in plain English,
THAT as tho removing power is 10 be exercised
Xby the President according 10 his discretion
the President himself is the sole Judge OF
the soundness or unsoundness of that discre
u ton? Truly, unless these gentlemen are
& grossly slandered, they seem resolute to re
n alizc the fancy sketch, define lted some years
ago by Mr.. Calhoun, by making. if possible
"a stbe Senate speedily sink into body to re-
II Fgister the DEGREES of the President, and sing
b 'hosannas in his praise, and be as degraded
'as the Roman Senate under Nero"
But though majority of the Senate have
& thus far disappointed the just expectations of
81 the Public; we are, nevertheless, slow to be
81 lieve that the Senate will sanction, in mass,
Al, E o. bo
fore it. The nominations which involve the
most fragrant improperly on the part of the
8 President are still not decided on. Should
4 these be all confrmed-should an American
#Senate sanction the assault on the freedom OF
opinion. the corruption ofthe press, the great
land the little lntFigues IN which many APP
appointments wers engendered. and the palpa-
bic scheme of administering the American
government as if it were the personal property
of the President-then, indeed, to whatever
period the forms of the Republic may linger,
hn essential Despotisn will exist--a despotism
hot exceeded by that which prevailed in
Rome while the forms of the Commonwealth
Remained under the reign Of Augustus We
Flo not mean to violate historical truth or
rood taste, by insinuating general parallel
between the second Caesar and the present
Chief Magistrate Of the United States;-for
was a man of abilities and Of letters, and, at
ene period at least OF his life, could practise
plodaution. Should the majority in the Sc
bate sanction ali that they are invoked to
sanctian, what then will the surviving friends
liberty say of that Senate on whose indie
pendence, virtue and energy they had relied
aS sheet anchor?
II is understood that discussion of vital
lnterest has taken place in the Senate on the
Question of the power Of removal, as exercis-
81 By Gen. Jackson II is due 20 the People
4lat this discussion should be made pu5lic -
ct not MIR. Bartons declaration, thai .'iiglt
Oilers ,.Os there" be fatally realized.
Nat. Journal
"Whlther, Oh whittier shall flee I" was
&c exclamation ofan ancient parsonage, while
euelling upon his mislortunes: and the same
hnight, at this time be uttered perhaps with