The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-01-04
LETTERS FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26.

to-day, and the city has been on the move,
paving visits, as is the custom in New York
on the first fthe year. |; was duly adver-
tised in the Globe, on Saturday, and again
this morning, that the Palace would be open
this day, in order that the people might
have an opportunity of paying their respects
to the "good old" President. The doors of
the Presidential Mansion, or the Iennes-
see Hotel" as t is famiiaIly called by some
wicked persons, in consequence OF suppos-
ed favoritism in regard to the clouds OF IA
vorites from that State who surrounded the
throne, were thrown open at IL O'CLOCK.
The crowd of people was great; but they
were, for the most part, of the lowest char
acter. A comparatively great number OF
gentlemen attended, and ladies' were par
tieuarly scarce. When the Refreshments
were being" carried into the East Room,
the oriental splendors of which, before it
was furnished, once so dazzled the vision Of
Missouri Senator that he was unable to
speak the truth about it, the "Sovereigns'
attempted each to snatch portion of them {;
but the waiter in attendance as a guard to
the delicacies, raped them briskly over
their heads, backs, and shoulders with rat
tan, and preserved as much as he could from
the rapacity Of a hungry and thirsty people.
Such at any rate is the story current in the
city. believe it is true, but will not vouch
for it; as was not IN the way of receiving
any of the thwacks and strapadoos Il ore.
said +; having, as Lady Fairfax said of her
husband, too much wit to he there. What
u monstrous indgniiy was this What an.
suffrage against the majority of the people !
Only think of it Is it not the peoples
house! And were not all these delicious
things. the pungent sandwiches. the cakes,
the lines, and the punch, all bought with
the peoples money? And shall the free
and Independent citizens Of this glorions re-
public, and the friends of this stillmore glo-
rlous administration, have their backs strip
ed with rattan. for wishing honestly to de-
YOUR what is their own! Could any thing
better have been expected from people who
boast of going the whole swine 2" What
would have been said of President Adams,
if he hat scourged the backs of the people
who came to visit him? But it is all right
and so "hurrah for Jackson! !"
There is anothe amusing anecdote, which
cannot omit relating. Among the visitors
to-day was the Rev. Mr.. M, the agent
of the Temperance Society. Yesterday lie
preached II good. sound sermon before Mr..
Posts congregation, on the subject of'Tem-
perance. Gen. Jackson was present To
day, Mr.. NJ. took occasion to ask the Gener-
al how he liked the sermon. "Oh very
WE'LL" said the General: "my administra-
ton is doing all it can for the cause often
perance"-and yet at the same time the SER
wants of the palace were ladling out the
drinkables to the sovereigns!
The hero has been in great rage ut the
rejection of the nomination of Mr.. Gwin.
This rewarded patriot is said TO have been
one of those who conspired with Maj. Eaton
and lay in wait to attack Mr.. Ingham, last
spring. He was therefore doutly entitled
to "reward." Bnt that such a patriot
should have been rejected by an obstinate
Senate, is too hard. Gen. jackson was bor-
ing his visitors upon this subject on Satur-
day, and reading the Constitution to show
that he has a right to appoint whomsoever
he pleases. The scene in the Senate was
high one. may be at liberty to say more
about it hereafter. Our friends sat with
folded arms, leaving the party to tomahawk
each other to their hearts content.
.Neto York Commercial advertiser.
WASHINGTON, Dec. %.
The refusal of the Cabinet tc allow of.a
greater reduction of the Tea Duty, at the
present time, when the excess of revenue
has already produced an Overlooking Treas
ury, and when still greater excess is like
ly to give the government more money than
they know what TO do with, is fact of which
the public sentinels should not lose sight.
Year after year have the dominant party
been bewailing the sufferings of the poor,
because of the taxes which they are indi-
rectly compelled to pay, upon the necessa-
ries of life, in the shape of duties. But now,
when the national debt has been SO far re-
duced, that the balance not yet fallen due is
not felt, the moment that the opponents Of
the administration propose farther reduc-
ton upon one ofthe necessaries oflife, which
enters into the consumption of every family
in the United States, the government raises
peremptory objection to granting any far
Their relief to the people. The payment of
the national debt, to the utmost farthing, is
interposed as an objection against meas
ure, which, although its adoption would he
manifest relief to the people, could not yet
such is the fourishing condition of the
Treasury, protract the final payment of the
debt q single day. But the Debt-the Debt
that is the hobby of the moment-and the
President is gallopng away upon it at pro-
digious rate. Somebody has taught him the
words" GREAT MORAL sPEcTACLE"-and
for a week past the old gentleman has been
distressing his visitors day after day, with
the same round of remarks about the great
moral spectacle" which will he presented
ty the payment of the debt-all of which,
he really seems to think, has been, and will
be, performed "under my administration.
Both the President and his ministers, how
ever, seem 10 forget, that the credit is due,
not to them, hut to the system The act
under which the debt is paying, was passed
in 1915; and it is under that act that the
Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, and not
President Jackson, are paying off the debt.
When that act was passed, it WAS in con-
temptation that the debt should he paid in
1882; and if you will torn back to your
files, You will find that in the year 1894, Mr..
Louis M'Lane, then at the heal of the Com
mittee of Ways and Means in Iiaking an
expose of the financial condition Of the roun-
try, declared expressly that the debt would
he paid in 1832-the very year in which il
is now vainlv boastcd that it is all to be paid
by Gen. Jackson
But there is another consideration, in re-
gard to the expedency of the present re-
ductlon of the Tea Duty, which deserves to
be noted, because it proves that continu
nnce of the duty is in noVse necessary to
the payment Of the debt, even upon the
ground assumed by the cabinet Every one
acquainted with our system of finance,
g 1 L. e.. &C