The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-08-29


of Rewards and Punishments, for opinions
sake. was ever dreamt of. Mr.. Jefferson
has been referred to as authority ioi tins
ubuse of power by those who seek shelter
from the reproach of it, The memory oi
MIR. Jefferson has, in this respect, as III some
others, been illuminated. In the very Hush
of triumph, and in the first thrill of enjoy !
ment of Presidential power-eten then ne
wrote March 23.i, l60l,) thus:- Good !
men, TO whom there is no objection but
difference of political principle, ptartised
on only ms far as the right OF private citl-
zen will Justify, are NOT proper subjects % re- |
moral, eycept in the case of Attorneys ana
Marshals.n We dissent, toto cello from his |
execution: but the general principle, thus
laid down nv Mr.. Jefferson, is undoubtedly |
lust. All former Presidents have thought
it so, and acted accordingly. i
In Gen. Washington'S Administration OF
eight wears, there were but nine removals
! in John Adams's, OF four years. hut ten
in Thomas Jetforsons, of eight years. hut
! thirty-nine; in James Madison's, I'm high
party times remember } there were but hve'
| of which lnrec were deiaulters, and the
others were certainly not for political rea-
sons: in James Morroc's eight years, hut
nine, of which it is believed not one was
! for political reasons in John Quincy Aa-
ams's four years, there we're but tico, and
| neither of these had any concern with par
tv. How glorious the contrast between the
reigns of federation and magnaninAty AMI
the dark days of prescription through which
we passed IN the first year OF the Reform
/ A n:ilder sway has indeed prevailed within
! the two last years: the prescription has
made less havoc, but the evil has ahated
much in the same manner as the pIanFue he
comes less mortal in an infected city from
the reduction CT the number OF It's SUBJECTS"
| Filthy. These removals were made IN
utter disregard of the public interest. DUAL
| iiieh skilful. and experienced Officers, were
dismissed, TO make place for persons whose
qualifications were not SO much as inquired
into. The inquiry seemed to be, IN almost
every case, not whether the individual was
fit for the place. but whether the place was
fit for him. The consequence was what
might have readily been foTeseen. He who
had earned his salary Ivy his electioneerIng
services, could not lie expected TO under
stand by intuition the duties OF the office to
which he had been assigned, as it were by
lot. The affairs of the offices i'll which the
greatest changes were made have suffered
greatly by them. Additional appropria-
lions for clerk hire, &c, have been made
necessary, and many such have been asked
for, which Congress, decidedly friendly in
both branches to the Administration, have
yet been obliged to refuse.
Upon Il general view of the first six
months of the Administration Of Gen. Jack
son, it is apparent that he came into office
with rather good dispositions THAI ne was
wrought upon by those about him 10 adopt
policy different from his Intentions; that
he came TO believe, by The force of persna-
sion and hattery, that he was entitled to the
spols of the conquered. which il was no.
thing but natural he should distribute among
his followers. Il has been so with conquer
| ors in all history. Without going back 10
remote antiquity, we know that William
the Norman, entering England as a con-
queEor, was obliged to reward his followers
Ivy dividing the honors and titles Of the land
among them. Much later than his day, and
more closely parallel, James |, of England,
entering that kingdom by election rather
than force, within six weeks after his en-
ers ny bestowing the Order of Knighthooh
on two hundred and ihirty-seyen persons.
1t is for all intelligent People to decide how
far such examples as these are fit to be i'm
ltated by Republican President.
The postpOnement Of the Reform" until
after the adjournment Of the Senate-pro-
roguns that body that he might reign and
rule with uncontrolled sway--showed il dis
respect for the coordinate authority Of that
body, of which we have recently seen other
memorable instances. Convinced, apparent
= ly, that he was "born to command" as he
has since hcen publicly told, every resist
ancc of his will has been resented as a
sort of contumacy deserving Of the seyerest
punishment. And if mllder has been in
filcteG, we may thank eur Constitution,
which allows the President no other arms
against rebellious Senators hut the arrows
OF an inscriptions press. Furious denun-
Citations, Coarse lnvectiyes, aud Icrogatory
lnsnuhti0ns through that channel, are the
/ signs of his displeasure.
from this hasty summary of the ats of
the present Administration, the candid read.
er VIII readily comprehend how it was that
those even who were disposed to Judge the
Administration by its measures, found them
selves. IN the very outset, in decided oppo-
: slton 20 its whole course.
We shall see, IN the sequel of this exam
nation, whether its subsequent career Was
such as 10 reconcile them to its support.
Even within this hour we have read in the OC
hcial paper coarse dcnuncation OF individuals IN
/ a public office, as being dsloyal TO the Powers
that be, and deserving punishment therefor
JUDICIAL PR0sTITUTION Judge Irwin, the
u. ). diSirtci jHsge for the WeStern District of
PsHhSyirdRia, (says the Wheeling Gazette
has Just Perlnruned tour Of duty in Ohio.
where prop To sustain The sinking fortunes of
the hdcheH cabinet was wanting He haG sew
eral thousand of the electoneerlnr Veto printed
at st. Gainesville, with the declaration hat all
'1aS lost uHieSS Il reaction could be produced
am0Hg Tie PeOpie."
This IS probably the first instance in our
country in which judge So far prosliluted The
'rmne, as 10 become pander for an Executive.
who, In an c6itiai document, declares that ..th,
opinion 81 the Supreme Court has no tnnte an
thority over Congress than the opinion Of Gun.
gress has over the judges, aud IN that pont
the PRESIDENT Is INDEPENDENT or
I BOTH"
This is the scheme Of publication, and befnec
Jackson can lac sustained in il, by tho peonlo
they must rW that Confusion and disorder shall
/ TAKE he place nf order and law. The element.
of our government would necessarily be thrown
into political chaos
| Is THE BAEK RUINOUs TO THE WrsT3 lie,
as see. says Kentucky paper man in ,hi,
| neghborhood one year ago borrowed 30 600
dollars at LonIsvie, and laid ont the same in
the purchase OF pofki thereby scattering that
amount among our citZeus-took Tins nnrL
dDwr, the river GOLD il FIR nc,r An nm / i,