Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-12-23


Sir. Ishoud be more disposed to rely on tne
declaration of the President concerning his anx'
IONS desire TO separate the Banking and Exeeu'
tive oou.r. were II not for the experience we
have already had of the woetui discrepancy DE-
tween professions and practice. agree WIN
late distinguish member Of the Cabinet Mr..
Duane) in at least one thing | do not attribute
this striking discrepancy to any thing IN .he
President like wilfu duplIcity. beiieVe tna'
when he makes the profession he ieeIs as no
speaks, but believe with that gentleman lnat
the President - has no fixed prnciPes-'hat ut,
does not arrive at conc usiuns by the exercise oil
reason, but that impulses and passions have ru'
led" But what, in point Of fact, has been the
difference between the Presidents professions
and his practice? | had been told little aoou'
the principles Il beg pardon for using the woru'
believe it 10 nearly out Of fashion) on which tne
President came into power: for stood, then. IN
the very midst of the brunt in the contest waglns
with prlncipali,ies and powers; aye SIR, when ,ne
miserable sycophants, yes, when the m'ser"o'e !,
sycophants who have since then hteral'Y cra"ie"
in their own slime, to the footstoo o! Executive
favor stood upon the side OF thnse who sili ho'o
patronage ADD power When, therefore, SPEAK
of the principles on which the present Chiei Ma
Eistrate was brought into office, claim 10 kho"
sonnet thing about it. We'll, sir, and what were
they? Why we all had an idea that the officers
of the Federal Government were somewhat 10"
prasmatical and interfering in the political con:
tests of the country; and that, as matter OF
principle, they ought to be restrained; and the
President, when he came into power, told the ma,
ton that one of the crying evils OF Those wh" had
been his predecessors was the meddllng OF ONCE
holders in the politics OF the country.
Now. | nut il 10 all men who have eyes ana
ears, whether ever there was time, since the
foundation of this Government, when all the ON
GERS of the Executive Government, from the high
est to the lowest, approached SO nearly TO an ar
nv of mercenaries in the hand OF the President
WHY, sir no man now can breathe the air that
surrounds the palace OF the President, who does
not think precisely as the President thinks; and
who is not prepared to stretch himself at com
tnand on the bed of PrOcrustes, to have his poll
teal sentiments locked or stretched to the true
Executive dimensions. What is the meaning Of
all this change that appears! Oh. that Is Reform
The Government has been reformed. Yes. Sir,
and the reform has proceeded until the word has
become synonymous with turning man out OF
office.
A reform Is made when one man is turned out,
and another man is put in. And the rule on
which the operation proceeds seems to he this
to turn out the man who has only his merit to re.
commend him, and put in the man who will with
the readiest obsequiousness adopt the Executive
opinions, and bow TO the Executive pleasure
Every body knows that the meddling OF office
holders IN politics has been refoi by putting
out every man who did not vote tor the President,
and putting In the most notorious open-mouthed
partizans in their places. This Is truth known
TO the whole world. When, therefore, the Pres
ideni tells NE he is anxious Ia separate as Tar as
possible the control Of the banks and the curren.
cy from the political power of the country, IN
ders,and him to mean that he is exceedingly anx
ious none shall have the control of any Bank who
dares to oppose the present Administration.
And now, sir. let me enquire what will be the
course Of things, If we decide that the Public De
postes shat. remain in the State Banks, and it
shall hereafter become a matter OF bargain with
the Executive who shall have them. Sir, we all
know the game that Is going on. dcpIore 1t as
much as any man can do, but there never will be
a time when the election of President will not be
an all expressing topic with the greater part OF
all politicians. And what, again ask, Is now
gong on? Why, sir, the feeling has insinuated
itself into the Palace itself. The great question
is this who shall be the successor TO the Presden
tial Chair? The contest now Is tor the success
sion, and all the powers Of this Government are
organized aud in action to secure the election OF
an heir apparent Every body knows. out Of
the House, what it is almost treason to speak
within it, that such is the fact. And what more
do you want than the control Of the State Banks,
at once to settle this question
And this brings me to another point in this en-
quirv. 1t is here said by the President, and
by his Secretary, that the great reason tor re
moving the Deposites at this time from the Bank
OF the United States, was the expiration of the
Bank Charter in 1856. Now, Of all the rea.
sons that could have possibly been gwen, this is
empnatica'ly the reason Why he should have alb
stained from removing them The Bank, IN the
natural course Of things, and by the mere force
OF law, was about TO cease from having any
farther influence. The D.posites, are told.
were removed from the Bank because the ins,itu.
ton was of dangerous tendency. and the public
liberty was not sale so long as its powers con-
unued There might have beeO some weight in
these reasons. # the prerod had not been so
near at hand when its powers of every kind
were 10 have come TO end. Indeed, al
hy fho