Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-04-01

tcblich hanks, WISub
to eslSaanie How much more perilous will 1t De
the Po ~ together, link by link, numerous State
to cnaI dsnendent on Executive favor, and bound
bahnnI the ties of interest, to the fortunes and
by - of the President of the United States
w + history of that Empire State from which
lne sxempiar Of the present invention is derlv-
u ~ presents to us, in its past or existing condl-
Gu, Nothing inviting in the plan, and much that
uoi ntbocking in its practices. If we look to the
$50 there is but little of consolation in the
iu su John Randolph of Roanoke, declar-
~ IN one of his public speeches, that neither In
gS%saIand. nor in this country, had there ever
lruhs;sted very cordial relations, between the
suSnant and expectant Prince there; nor be-
Ven the first and second officers of govern
W.T. W. here. That this tendency of one of the
inms If Our nature, would always be most ad-
snta oeous with us, he was well persuaded
wno dancers of a close adhesion of passions and
.l.srests between those officers, did not escape
LIZ clear and sagaciouS statesman, who penned
tho Report of '99.
This celebrated Report declares, Tin speaking
,fthe movers of the Federal Government o
oonseouence must be to enlarge the sphere of
secretion allotted to the executive magistrate
asnd il is in this latitude, as a supplement to the
as6ciency of the laws, that the degree ofexecu-
.;yo nrerogative materially consists "The
s.hsr consequence would be that of an Excess
s;ne augmentation of the Offices, honors and
smoluments depending on the executive will
Add TO the present legitimate stock, all those of
every description which a consolidation OF the
states would take from them, and turn over to
the Federal Government, and the patronage of
the executive would necessarily be as much
swelled in that case as its prerogative would be
in the other. The diSpropOrtionate increase of
rrerogative and patronage must evidently, Ell
Their enable the Chief Magistrate of the Union,
nv quiet means, to secure his reelection from
time to time, and finally to regulate the sacces-
sion as he might please; or by giving so trans
cendant an importance to the office, would
render the election to it so violent and corrupt,
that the public voice itself might call for an he
reditary in place of an elective succession"
With this solemn warning, may we not eX-
press our modification, with a class of politi-
clans, who profess to deny to Congress every
power, in the least degree questionable, but who
contend for consolidating in the hand of the
Federal Executive, so much of power and pa
tronage, as to be dangerous to liberty, and
which may induce the public voice to call for
an hereditary, in place of an elective success
sion. We are rapidly tending to that catastro-
phe. The succession is obviously one of the OBJ
iects of the men in federal authority. Patron
age and p~rerogative already multiplied to an
alarming extent are active in its accomplish
ment. Ambition watches with keen and pene-
trating eye every point in the ramparts of pub
lie will, in which the infirmitieS of human ma
lure make the American people weak or vulne-
Yabe. Government has become a job, and po-
ltics a trade. Forty thousand ofice-holders,
as many more in hot pursuit, ready TO crook the
plant hinges of the knee, that thrift may follow
fawning; the regulation of the currency now
claimed as an executive prerogative; the whole
~poSt-ofice patronage; the chain of concatenated
Banks, bound to the fortunes of the President
and to the succession; the annual disbursement
ofmore than twenty millions; the seizure of the
federal treasures, and the bond of unions that
binds together "the regnant and eXpectant"
Chief Magistrate, are enough to I'LL the public
mind with dismay, apprehension and alarm.
The immortal Sidney declared upon his eX-
p~erience, ''that the Spaniel ofthe Court was al
ways the Wolf to the People" Cause and eff
feet have not changed their coincidence, nor
has nature reversed her laws.
The restraining authority which the Com
mons of England possess in Withholding sup
plies from the crown, is not here practically in
the possession of the Representatives of the
people. Tax bills are there, annual bills-here
ours make perpetual law-for by the existing
acts, regulating the tariff of duties and imposts,
the federal revenues must continue to flow into
the Golfers of the Union, non an the care and
keeping Of the Erecutire. Wherever the pow
er of Interpreting the law resides in practice,
there is the sovereignty. And we have the au-
th0rity of Mr.. Duane for saying, that in his ap-
peal to the President, whilst in office. he dis
claimed for himself the exercise of such a pow
er, "That the measure would be regarded as
extreme and arbitrary. That he could not
Justify an assumption of the powers of jury,
Judge and executioner. That he could not
"punish unheard, at his own pleasure, without
being able to assign to Congress reasons for
such an arbitrary act. Is it (added he) con-
sistent with the principles of justice, or the ge-
mus OF our constitution, that any mar should
constitute himself a dictator, in matters af
tectine the character of the country, the well
fare of the people, and the fame of men, who
are entitled, at least, to the rights of felons."
Tins was the language of an ancient and sim
cere friend of the President, a republican of
aled virtue and patriotism, earnestly endeavor-
ing TO guard the fame and honor of his friend,
The laws and Constitution of the land. These
eounsels were disregarded. 81 take the respon-
s'o.hty, and you are remored from office"
Atthat moment the country at large enjoyed
tranquility and prosperity. The. gloom that now
gerVades II, demonstrates the unhappy change.
ms has been charged upon the conduct of the
bank. With this we cannot concur. The de-
poslteS OF the government, all admit, constitute
apart OF the funds for the grant of discounts
10y a report recently published, and which com
Mands credence, the diminution of loans by
mai corporation have not equalled by more than