Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-12-26

ARMY, winch would have enabled aim, had he
known how to turn it to account, to carry
ON the government with cKtraorJiuU-N facility.
Under tins 0Onbiuati,n ofoireuInsiAnccs it is be-
heved that had theppblic affairs boon managed with
tolerahlo prudence and discretion, General Jackson
might have gone through HE tsrm OF official life
without show of oppostion; aud have been ro-
elected, had no been eut as to desire it,
by vsry uHaaiuous vote.
Nor wore the friends of tho eoautrv without
strong hopes hat such II result ~ oul follow Do
hcirnt - the President known 10 be in tho
qualities and accomplishments most essential 10 Z
civil u'agietrAts, 1t was yot anticipated that he
might DO found TO possess the courtesy, tho gene
rous feelIuga, tina high sense OF dceorun and pro
p'i-ty which form tbs appropriate ornaments Of
tho military shuractsr, and would have secured hjra
from any oPsn offence ns,in,t the dignity OF his
ol!ics. Aftsr the letter 20 the venerable patriot
Monroe, in which h, had enpha,icaT recon /.
Inended the o5liv,u Of the oil party aistne sions
i, wan eon6d,ntly expee.sa thu. nothing would be
done by himself that should tsnd TO roviye thom.-
he had given, On several PoSlic occasions OPT
Mons on points Of administration which-hoyo-
Yor at tho timo Incorrectly applied-woua have
ssrvsd oxcellsntly we'll g1idss fer his own oon-
duct N Office; and i, rcrhs not unreasonable
TO hope that his actions would correspond in some
imperfect degree at lsast with his previous
siens. Had this been the case, his administration
would have given eompleie satisfaction TO tina
try Whether its complete and acknowledged failure
has been owing to defects 10 his own character, or
10 the influence OF evil counsels hs mind and
4 ]
wond Sc ang,etsful, TO discuss. we should re-
greet to vit with too the last dnTz Of
ono who, in another line &c duty hes done the
Slate hareh services, and whom nsthins bat the
imPradenss or nludIoiols friends, or rather the
efforts OF political Psrtisans, who foaad it
nient to Elnke Of his and po eularity for
their own selssh purposes, has prevented from go
ing down to postoriiy with high military rcputa-
ton and Sling an honorable place in hiatory.
Ne arc rather willing 10 Solisvs shat, placed in
situation for which ho was sy education and
character wholly unfit, out by tolls, nfrmi-
tiss, and tho natural proersss OF age no acted I'M
ae' influences which, morally spoa&ing, he could
not vol control. However this may be- il il
certain that tho expectations ana ho7e= which somo
persons may have been dHposed % Indulge OF the
success NJ hip administration, have been sirralIv
disappointed, and that his failure hsa hsan moro
complete than sven his eneFnios could hrvo posi-
bly, anticipated. Tho politics. history Of tbs uni
on for the last thrso yoars exhibits soriss ofnes
surcs plaIaly dictated N all their prn cpel features
ny blind cuPidiiy or vindict7e party spirit aar&cd
throughout by disregard for good policy, ju.tice
and every high and generous sentiment, and ter
minatinE in dissolution of the Cabinet undar cir
eumstancss mora scandalous than any Of tho kind
TO 5s mot with in tho annals ofthe civilized world
The voluntary dissolution oftho S;abjnet authorizes
the remark which we have made above, that tho
failure Of the administration Of Gen. Jackson was
not only siEnul and complete, bat Authenticated;
ans 1t is remarkable that, eHer this ruhlio ocsno
of his incapS2iiy 10 eSscuto this dhtiss OF
his Office, through agents appointed by himself
even TO his stisfacsien, ha should daea il expo
disnt 10 offer his services to the aation fer second
term.
This fret official act of tho President Indicated
in a striking and painful ma nor, in how small
degree any favorable antiopations that might ha
been formed of HE conduct vcro ikoly to be re-
allEce va allude to HE Inaugural Address to
tho Peoplo, in which he loye!icd Gainst the Adni.
nistrstion of his predecessor sweeping charge of
ines pncity and corruption. 4 charge of incapacItv
to conduct the civil 'aiTs of tho country, preferred
ny andrew Jackson against such men as Mr. A
cans, Mr.. Clay, and thoir distin guishsd colleagues
in ofrico, of course merely Iudicrous: bal tho
CT corruption OF more acrious cha
racter. Had there been tho lcast foundation for it
IN fact is obvious shat tho last person 81 no ought
10 have made il his business to Clononnce il TO the
public wss tho President of the United sta:es, who
has no other constitutional sgoEcy in regard TO
Hush offences but the power of pardon. Tho in
ascorum of this pronunciation was hardly less gla-
ring than its essential Injustice and Gun cnly be
Parallelsd by that of the subsequent denunciation
OF tho administration, on the Same authority
to foreign government.
This proceeding awakened liz tho mind of cvory
good citizen very painful forobodngs tho con.
sseacacss which TO follow upon such com
msncsmeRt.
These forsbodnss wero too soon realized. The
asxt oct of the Administration 7 ., n general ro
moval Of sseh OF the public aecu;s as 1rere not re-
commended by attachment to tie person or party OF
The President. Is oytSnt TO which ihis system gas
carried is strikingly o7nced by sio fact: that with
II month after the Inauguration CT Con JackFon
sors persons were removed from Office than during
he whole forty ysarB thu; had elapsed since The
adoption Of the Constitution. Tho motive which |
ed TO THE policy Is illustrated by the fact that 1t !
vas applied principally III Etatc5 where the maio- /
ty OF tho people were opposed 10 tho Admiuis.ra-
on while in tho others tharo were conlrErativoly
oW removals Such was trio prSctioul sonlrns Mt on
Tho text of the Inaugural Address which dsnoun |
'sd the preceding Administration as having |
brought tho patronage of the Government into |
conflict with the purity Of elections 'Ths Fo- !
eign Ministers were abruptly recalled at large ex
'enss to tho country, in zone instdnecs before !
hey had reached their daetinatien and in all with
ut me observation ofta comm on forms OF cigltv
owards thom, the Governments near which !
hey were accredited. Among the victims Of pro-
oriPtien At home wore Of te most respectable
nd interesting psr5ons in tho onlmunity-veerans
'ho,safteT Sighting the bottles OF tho war Of indie
Guidance, had been placed hT tho iuasieo or the |
government m the Offices thoy held and were now
adely THIRST out Of thou 70 endrre rs an ed7aresd
&c, sae zolssrias .! actual want, a. a reward for
no devotion of their whols ivos so the public COR
leo This wss not oil. This universal sroacrip-
ion, taken in connection with the tonor or the In
ugural Addrss7, mounted TO charge ofunivsrsal
eruption. Common inssIss required that tho in
lvIduals against whom suoh charge was brought
heuld have opportunity to defend themselyos-
one was given. No enquiry ordered. No
were maSo. No examination cyns !
I'D. When Publio 5orvant Of unblomis,ed cha.
actor, now Member OF Congress, do-nanioi CT
10 late 5ecrctary Of State explanation of this
nplIsd charge Of corruption, under which ne Ind
cen removed from his place Clerk - fhs De
Ertmcnt of State, no cUolly informed chat no
arm was meant, and that no explanation would DO
wen. Even this was not the worst. Afto-1ats |
ero made in moro than ono inetancc, under pro
AT Of Stristor control Of tho public 1csounts, 10
spT,VC These Vict;Do Of persecution Of the raonfy