Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-10-26

"'chiEehce OF the People, II created those tcryl
'o"scs, and carried them To great length. Thus
the Chief Magistrate himself, before he came into
INC chd'r, IN II formal public paper, denounced
'nc practice "f appointing members of Congress to
""''e. lie sall, that IT that practice continued,
corruption t5UUld become ne Of the duU; and
as 1t 10 fas,cu. aud nail down his own consistency
TO mat point he declared that it was "due 10 han
seq 10 practice ,chm hc recommended 70 Others"
Yet, SIR as soon as he WAS III power, these fasier-
inSs gave way, the nails al iew and TIC promised
consistency remains, a striking proof, of the man
ncr IN which political assurances sometimes
FULFILLED. For, Sir lac has already appointed more
members OF Congress t" Office than any OF his pre-
deceSScGs. in tn longest period OF administration.
Before his time, there was reason To complain
of these appointments. They had not been numcr
| Gus, under any administration. Under this, they
have been numerous, and some OF them such as
may well Justify complaint.
Ano,Ecr etriaiug instance Of the exhibition of
the character stics, DO found in the
tim ,nts oiihc Inaugural Address, and in tho sub.
sCQucn; practice, IN" subject OF interfering uUh
the hcciom Of elections. The Inaugural Address
declares, that 1t is necessary to reform abuses which
have 6,oUght nc pat, onags If the Government into
conflict ,chh The Freedom If elections And viva,
mas boon the subsequent practicel Look To the
cwspopcrs;lpol to the published letters OF Off
GERS of tho Government, advising, cxhortinC, So
liciiing friends and par'zans To greater cxcrous,
In tho cause Of the Plrty;-sce all done. every
where, which patronage and power do, To aiicc,
not only elections in the General Government, but
also in every State Govcrnmcn:-aud then say,
how wei! Iris promise of rcormng abuses has boon
kept. At what former period, under what former
adminiS'r ration, did public officers of the United
states thus interfere IN nicctiuns2 Certainly, Sir,
never, In this respect, then, well AZ in others
that which was not true. AZ charge against pre-
vious administrations, would have been true, if il
mad assumed tho form OF prophecy, respecting the
acts OF the present. But there another attempt
to grasp, ana To WELD, power over public opinion
OF stu more daring character, and far dan
gcrous effects.
In all popular governments, FREE PRESS
| is tho most important Of all agents and ins,ru.
lncnte IL not only expresses public opinion but
To very great degree, IT contributes form, that
! opinion IL is an engine, for good or for evil us
may De directed; but an engine, OF which no.
'hhg can resis, the force. The conductors of the
press, in popular governments, occupy a place i'm
! ne social and political system of the very highest
consequence. They wear the character oil puh.
! nc instructors I" matters OF intelligence, they
add matters OF opinion. Their daily lubors he ar
directly on the intelligence, tho morals. the taste
ana the public spirit oil he country. Not only are
they journalists, recording political occurrences
nut they discuss principles, they comment on inca.
shrcs, thcy canvass characters; they hold a power
over the reputation, tho feelings the happiness OF
I individuals. The public Is always opsn to
! their addresses, the public sympathy easily made
responsive 10 their sentiments 1t is, indeed, sir,
oistlnction OF high honor that theirs is the only
| profession expressly protected and guarded by con-
s''tutionai enactments. Their employment scars
so nigh. III It's general consequences, it is so init.
!
| It's sccurtv ~ provided tor by The tundtmenta 1
/ law. While it acts in Il manner worthy of ,hi.
di$tinct!on the press is fountain of light. and
source OF Gladdsuipg warmth. 1t instrucis tho
Fu2ic mind and animllrS the spirit OF patriotism.
lie ouu voice suPpresscs every thing, which would
RAISE itself against the public liberty; and its blast
Ing rotuka causes nciPlenl dcspolism to perish in
me bHd' i'ut remember. sir, That these the
/ tributes al FREE PREss, omiy. And il a Press
1 that is purchased or pcnsinncd, more free than !,
; press thai Is tcitercd? Cen tie People look for
truths to partial sources whether rendered partial
! through lear, or through I:vor2 WHY SHALL not
| manlclcd press he trusted it'll tho maintenance
! ana defence u. popular rights? Because il is sun.
; posed to be under the infuonae of a power which
may prove greater than the love Of truth. Such a
press may screen abuses iii government or ho ST.
lent IL may tear tospcak. And may it not fear
t"spedh, too, whom It's conductors if they sneak il,
any but one way, may lose their means OF liyelj.
h"odi l. dependence on government fer bread
ma temptation o screen it's dhlses2 VI i'll the Press
always speak the truth, though the truth if spo-
Ken, may be Tic means of sicncinr it for the fin,
turc? Is tho truth in danger, is the watch,n IN
under temptai Ion, when he neither proclaim
| the approach of national evils, seem to dccry
| them, without the loss OF his place?
Dir. President open .ttcmpt to secure the
aid and friendship Of tho public press by bostow
ing the enolumen;s "f Office it's active conduct
o:s, seems to me, OF every thing havo witness.
cd, to he tho most reprehe nsbe. 1t degrados both
the government and Tho pross. As far us its natu
raj effect extends the palladium of liberty
| in'o an engine of pa ~. 1t brings the agency
activity, on"rgy and patronage Of government, all
t. boar, W. tn united !orcs on the means of gene
raj inlcGencs ard the adopt or reject on of
| o,i;ical opinions. 1t so completely peryerts The
| rae object of government, it entirely rcvolu.
tonnes our whole system, that tho chief business
OF those III power is directed rather TO the propa
CATION OF opinions, favorable 10 themselves than
To the execution OF The laws. This propa CATION
OF opinions, through the press, becomes The main
administration duty. Some fifty or sixty editors
OF leading journals, havo been appointed to Office
by the power Executive. a stand has been made
against this proceeding, in the Senate, with par.
tal success; but by means of appointments which
do not come before the Senate or other means. the
numhsr has been carried to the cXiont have mem
toned. riHnly sir, the editors of the public
journals are not To bn disfranchiscd. Certainly
they are fair candidates for either popular elect.
IONS, or a JOINT participation III Office. Certainly
they reckon, III their number some Of the first ro
muses. the best scholars, and the most honest and
we'll prnclpled men, in tho country. But the
complaint is against the system, against the pr0c.
hcc against tho uHd'srGiscd atom 10 secnre the
favor "t the press by means addressed to It's pec,l
| MARY interest. And those means too drawn from
/ the public treasury; being no other than the an
! pointed compcnsItious for the performance of Off
cial duties Sir, tho press itself should resent this
its own cha racicr for purity and iudepeudcnce is
/ at stake. IL should resist Il connection randerino
/ 1t obnoxious to SO many impTtatons. We should
/ point 20 it's honorable denominations in our Com
stituiions of Government, and it should maintain
! the character there ascrbcd 10 il, Of a FREE
! PRESS.
/ There can, sir, be no objection to the appoint.
mcnt OF editor to Office, If he is the fit
test man There can oc no objection TO consider
ing the services, which, in that, or any other ca
| paCliY he may hIvu rendered his cOuHfry He
may have dons much 10 maintain her rights AGAINST
foreign aggression, and her character araIust
insult. lie may have honnrcd, as we'll as
defended her; and may therefore, be justly re.