Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-21

abandoned, President
in the instructions to MIR. Gaatn THAT the
United States consent to tc0ice the demand which
they had heretofore made of the admission OF their
productions into British Colonies, ut the same aud
no higher of duty, similar articles arc
ch1rgcablc with when imported from one into ano-
thcr British Colony, with the exception OF
produce descending the ST. Lawrence and the Sor-
rcll." Now Sir, whatever difference there may he
between the words ..raircr," and "dbdRd0nmcnt"
IN common parlancc, it is i'll this case Il comPtcie
dbdndonmeHt in diplomatic language. What in
supple truth is AFTER all, the great ground OF oiJec
ton! 1t is ths.-IM. McLone has 'nGde a" az
rdngcmcm coRform0bic 10 the preceding t"Str"ctonS
tram Mr.. adams to Mr.. GG!!atin. H'nc Hte lacry
me-.
| The dissolution OF tho late Cabinet, Mr.. rrcsi-
dent, has been charged upon Mr.. Van Buren,, and
,chot IS there at hoinc abroad that tce hdre not
heard charged 10 Hmm Tho elder Adams chang
en all ms Cabinet except the Secretary of tho Navy
Tho change was approved by the Democratic party,
ana disapproved by the Aristocracy of the day -
a change of the Cabinet is therefore, hing ow.
| we now gricvc and lament over the late change,
and yet never was Cabinet more traduccd than
| tho iato one, by the whole body of the opposition
throughout the Union The Cabinet certainly was
| such an one, did not meet the views or approba
ton of tho friends of the administration. They re-
GREETED in silence the selections which the Presi
dent had made. The gentlemen selected were hon
est and honorable men. They my political
friends and L may say, of them were my
| personal n.imatcs Their dismissal has done no |
| harm to the nation. The Cabinet is, Il believe
| more acceptable to all parties. The members |
| OF 1T are known to be competent to the special |
duties of their several departments, and equally So
as advisers in the great affairs of the nation |
/ w hat is IT to the pcoplc whether A, b. G. or d. |
be at the head of affairs? All the people ask, is |
that their duties shall be ,re pcrfrmcd X that they
act IN harmony. But the present President has |
| held no Cabinet Councils for two years, and Mr.. |
van Burcn Is charged as being the adviser of the |
President 10 that coursc--is this mode new! believe
| not. think Gen. Washington held no Cabinet Coun-
Gill; during the first two years of his administration
and remember well, discussion in strong terms,
against the Presidents holding them On the ground
oil their being unconstitutional. think THAT &c
neral Jackson al that time member of Com
grcss, and perhaps he then imhbed the opinion,
that Cabinet Councils were not conformabc with
the Constitution. Reasoning thus, | must believe
that the not assembling his Cabinet was his o,cn
act, and not in consequence of the reprcscn tatons
of Mr.. Van Buren,. The objectionable crime of
| this gentleman has always been that the President
| has great confidence in his talents and abilities
which all will admit, he possesses in an eminent
| degree.
The Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Webster
says, that constructions showing Il difference of
opinion in the dominant party, with that of the
defeated purity, had never been given by any Co
! vernmcnt." L ask, MIR. President on what ground
does the Senator make that assertion? Few ma
tons, II any except our own, have published
| the Instructions TO their Minisers.-We, there
fore cannot know what has been done. But
hardly think it possible that such instructions have
| never been given. They natural, and were
for MIR. McLanc alone, and shown by him
to any other pcrsOn.-But, | infer from Mr.. Hart
| lcy's language to our Commissioners at Paris
when treating for peace, that he must have had
some other instructions, he would not other
wise have talked of change of Ministry as hold
ing out faIrcr prospect, of ultimately leading to
| Il general peace.
| Mr.. Van Burcn has also been charged
with being the father OF what has been improper
| ly called the ''proscriptive sytcm"-or IN other,
and more appropriate language 'thc removal from
! office "-Whcro is the proof! Mono can be pro-
duccd:-all is surmise and con lecture | act on
| no such ground. When n assertion such as this
| is made | want proof Of it's being well founded.
but absolutely deny the charge, and will offer
umqucstionablc proof Of the correctness of the
dcnial.-Ihc charge cannot possibly be substan-
| tiatcd, unless the Senator who AIDE it, can salts.
| iy this Senate, that Mr.. Van Barren could be nj
| Albany and at Washington at one and the same
time. will simply state the facts. MIR. Van Blu
rem was at Albany, acting as Governor Of The
State OF New York when the extra session Of the
Senate met on the 4th of March, 1899. think
he, (Alr V. 49, was nominated on the 9Th of March
At this extra session of the Senate, seventy. five
officers were appointed, principally To fill vacancies
accustomed by removals from Office OF these Of
| ficcrs Mr. Van Buren, could know nothing. The
advisers to this course, if there were any, were
the members of the cabinet then present. Mr..
Van BurcR could know but few of those removed
or OF those appointed. | well remember that |
saw Mr.. Van Buren, in Baltimore after nv return
home, and therefore concluded that it must have
been at least month between the time of his APP
| porntment, and his arrival at Washington. | !
think, NJ. President, that | nave proved that Mr.
| Van Buren, could not have been the father OF what
is improperly called the representative svsicm;''-a
system adopted by some ofthc States of this Union
both before, and after this administration came into
office. For myself, am opposed to removal from |
office for opinions declared. But, sir would re- |
move any officer, who made use of his Office to |
force interiors to act contrary to their wishes
would remove every Postmaster, who had been |
| known to frank the Coffin .handbIgs" or any |
other abusive papers of either Of the candidates !
| Few removals of consequence have been made in |
| Maryland. | think four in Blllimorc where the
most important Offices One Of these reno.
walls regretted. II proceeded from the best feel
| ngs of the heart.
Before [ finish my remarks, Mr.. President |
will notice what passed between the then Secretary
of State, (Mr. Clay,) end myself in relation the
act OF Parliament of July 1925. | first saw !
i copy of that act in Baltimore, and mentioned it 10
the Secretary. He said that he had TIC act in his
possession, and handed if to me. I asked him |
| whether tire terms proposed satisfactory
tlo said that he considered they were all we could
ask L then observed, why not issue proclamation
under acts, and thus open the lradc lie rcpli-
cd, that he would prefer negotiation | asked |
why! Tor what will you negotiated We have no
thing TO do but to give assent and the trade is
at once opened had the act printed, and hand
cd copy to Mr. Adams, who had never seen it
before. lie agreed hut The terms ,cCre SatisfGc.
tOry. | then pressed him to issue his proclaIna
ton, and told him that if ne did not, | should be
compelled to introduce a bill lie remarked, that
he wished would do so, and that he would not
only sign it, but sign it with pleasure. | did pre-
pare bill under the order of The Senate, and
doubtful whotlor it might he correctly drawn, SO
as 10 effect my object sent it TO the then Sccrc-
tary Of state, (Nr Clay) with request that lac
would correct it if necessary. He replied in wri-
ting to ihs effect: 'hat the bill was drafted to
''mcct my object, that il was so doubtful Whether
cit best, 10 act by law, or by negotiations
'that it Indifferent which course should be