Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1831-03-21

Z
ted the law and the constitution tbet If we sui
Ter yonr COMMITTEE To examine his principle
OF oihcial action viii a view TO restrain him
we may be compelled 10 try him on an i'm
| peachHeni! Will not deny this sir because i
| mas Doubtless been permitted 10 these gentle
! mru 10 learn much more of tho secrets of hi,
Department han myself; and. as 10 DOT love
10 contradict gentlemen when | can avoid it,
agree mat the apprehen sions they express
may he well grounded. lClhe proof he moi
crested scene of barter aud juggling for
office may be Disclosed the like of " HIGH never
before disg'aced lhs or any other country |,
NAV o", that the people W al stand aehast al il,
ana every honest man, OF the political party
winch has elevated the Chief of this Depart.
neh' 10 his present station shall view his scene
ni political corruption with horror Does the
| department cover under these charges, sir I
Does Il IN the tsce Ct an honest but deIuded
people shll shun the light under the hypocrili-
cal preience that We cannot inquire into I'M
peachaole matter Yes, sir, it dare do MS
and II has found a supporter here. who, W lille
! ne ex res"s his 'ears, that we are ferrptting
out crimes OF which we may aiIerw ards beco me
Judges, denounces US a. petty constables Tor
our iIouble. Yet, he il remembered. that this
comes iron the Chairman .f The Committee
| on executive patronage, aud as the Senator
IRON haine, who was member of H. has ale
ged without con radirtiou in The d,ba,e here.
IRON the very author of the report of that Com
'ni'tee, which in 1926 examined eueru Dppart-
meat OF thr government for abuses a ID reno .
'ed six bills 10 check the current OF executive
power. W tn voiuminous exposition oil facts
ana alleged crimes, TO lay the foundation for
legislative interference Lo,k al the report.
O"e OF the bills Contains Ia clause % COM ell the
president TO assign tho causes for every re-
moval from any Office referred 10 In that bill
u MAS not only deemed proper then 10 disclose
impeachabe matter, but necessary 10 compel
mat disclosure Tor executive AS ell us leRisl-
tive purposes. .Notc, The very couse recon
nended al that time is right for no pur.
pose. Another Of these bills provided that no
Postmaster, where the prnfs of bis office a..
mount TO certain SUN, shall he appointed TO-
or removed from Office but by The President
and Senate. The argument in favor Of this
bill then pressed upon the people, was, that the
influence aud patronage oi the DEPARTMENT
we're so vasf, that il had become one of the ar
bi,ers OF human tate OF this country. The
Committee, instead of telling us they we're H.
iraid TO ieiiet out crimes, say they hold
themselves TO be acting in tie spirit of The con
sta uton in laboring 10 multiply the guards
and close the avenues TO the pO sible abuse OF
power and the impedcha6te matter which is
nOlD 50 Objectionable n featUre IN its inquiry
was men SO 9loIlOhs discovery IhAt ODOU CO.
pies Of tine report were printed by the Senate
and scattered throughout the country. We see
nere ~ho were The petty conslaJles oil that da,
sod il "A change of tltne his not produced u
change OF ptiaciplr too We shall now pIOceed
-G,ariess.y in teri.tIng out abuses of every DIES.
,ri;diun which we can reform OF Inalbt. II for
doing s., We receive the appeIlatlon of petty
. nst,blp., let US rely for oar ~ = ard on the
APPRECIATION OF our conscienoeS and our couh-
ny, taking care TO merit no more humble title
than that OF honest Gonsiabies, who never
charge double compensation Tor Their trouble.
But il is alleged thai this question was de
ided by the Senate at the last session. when
tney refused I, iNqIire into tue causes which
induced the President to sweep the list OF civil
officers, and the aid of precedent is invoked
10 effect suppression OF this investig 1t ION
SIR am not aware that This Senate ha s. IN
the gloomles; period OF subservieDcy 10 eXecu,
tive wil, decided the abstract principle, thai
even the President is above tie la ", o. that his
principle Of action, while administering the
consInu. ion, are mol liable 10 investigation
| know we'll tnat in the executive sessions, du.
ring the last year, inquiries in particular cases
of removal were repeatedly refused, solae
thinking the inquiries inexpcdient in those
particular instances. The power of thu Repr, :
sentatves of the states was held la slig h e,ina-
ton by the advocHtes of executive influence at
ihi day, II 10 nosI true hub even then, no ma !,
nr. tended that all the subordinate OIL GERS Of
the government should be covered with the
,ame egis which protected their chief. lhe
ugumeat then was, sir, that the President was
nswerabe only TO the people who elected h i'm
at he 10 Is, aud not TO their Representatives. n
distinction TO which never bowed with any
rrspect, and which still think is entitled TO
none. Bat the chiefs of Department are nei-
theT elected by the people nor the States, nor
answe, able TO tlher IN any other way than
through their Representative htre, by whom
their " hole powers are Conferred. Ito Post
master General, like the rest OF these chiefs, is
an officer unknown to the constitution, AMI
tue creetuie o. the law only. Congress en-
acted the Law winch constitutes his whole an
thoriIy tor action. 1t made hun. Ii Tan re-
peal that law and unmake him. Upon the very
principles conceded by those who shielded your
President from scrutiny he het OF this Depart
nent is anne naLlr, ike every other create the
law to his creators, Aud not then 10 every a.
tn reYecutl, officer of this government. ~ all
times K under all Circunsian crs.aOove the very
law which esl ablsned MS office, You cannot,
on this principle, investigate The conduct VI the
most peity officer in the customs, without in
vading the royal prerogative; aud the prIn-
chile that the King can do no VIC ag, which
even England knows only 10 theory, is here
transferred 10 every subordinate oil the Gov
ernmeu', until every pelting petty officer
becomes a /, rant amenahIe 10 no human uiou
nal hut the viii OF hls political chief.
There does not exist in the Government a
Department which by law is held so ures
pons,bIe 10 congress or the People as the Pos
ottice. II discusses annually from its o"i
funds, 5 / 49, 900 among the people, of whicl
$685., 900 is paid to Postmasters, all subject t'
he removed for IA smile or a frown AT any IN"
ment by lis chief The sum OF Sl,271,Ooo Il
paid for transportation oil tue aah TO '"u'
v,duals who are equally liable Tor smile or
frowu to be embarrassed by the regulations o
tue Department, (such, Tor instance, rs Tue los
of a siopl. t,ip1 AMI driven from It's employ
ment. II a so1ler OF the Revolution apply io
n scanty pttance of one hundrrd dollars pei
annum. his claim must be sctuilnized, ana tn
will of Copg,es, tardiy expressed, must sane