Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-02-12


| nc required some course 10 be taken in regard 10
me parsons closely connected with the Post Office
pepartfnent--nnd, because he demanded the action
OF Inc Senate IN relation 10 the personal conduct of
persons implicated, therefore the honorable gentle
man was disposed 10 move his resolutions II il
were true that the public officers Of this Govern
menl had been guilty of maiessances, which had
induced him 10 demand their ishmcnt, with all
Que difference TO the Senator, he did not see any
oohnexion between tina, demand and the proposition
which he Mr. b was about 10 offer against, the
senate. Did the honorable gentleman ptoceed.ac-
eofd'ng to tho spirit of the len tal,onisf Was II
entirely from suggestion of that nature that he
acted Because he Mr.. Z } had called tor on cx-
preston OF the opinion OF the Senate, concerning
the conduct Of those who had connivod at these
gross cnorm'ues. rs TO the existence of which there
was no difference of opinion among honora-
blo Senators, the Senator felt himself called
upon to make a movement Ngainst tho Sc
nate. Because he (Mr. P) had pronounced
censure on those concerned ia tho froudu
lent practices Of the Post Offices, the honorable
Senator must move his resolution against the Sc.
nate Upon that principle, he would ask, coulI u
ny connection be created between the two sub
Jects Upon what principle was the consuming Of
| an oihctr OF u Department, which had been proved
to DC VIGOROUSLY abandoned 10 corruption, to be
connected with resolution, Implying u censure
upon certain proceedings OF the Senate nj the last
session
He was sure tho honorable Senator from Nilsson.
n would not be willing TO say, nor would he (Mr
Preson) for him, that having detected a state of
things connected with the Post Office Department.
from which all rocoiled with Indignation, and I'M
| wing given opinion that il should be characier.
'zod IN proper Terms, something also concerning
tho Senate required TO be detected ard also charac
'erIzcd in proper terms. Were his lips to be closed
against these misdemeanors, these glafng. afro.
eious recognized, and established nal ance s in
the Post Office Department, which had been ad
| united by the unanimous voice OF the Senate be-
cause, III ,he'opinions Of some gentlemen, the Sen
ate iscf was not wholly free from blame in rerercnc,
10 another and n widely different matrcr2 lie
must be permitted TO say, for one, that no wever hi.
body might be ccnsured or censurable for any OF il,
acts, he would not hesitate TO denouncc impropricy
wherever else he found it. And he would rot per
nit his mouth TO be closed in denouncng that in
solvent Department, by the honorable Senator from
Missouri or by any portion of tho citizens o. tho
United States, who took part with him in denoun
cling tho Senate. II the Senate had nc,e,
wrong, let the fact be established, and let the Sc
nate be responsible.
Ihc honorable gentleman wns totally mistaken
IN supposng, fom any remark no (Mr. P) hat
sons connected with these frauds, although he
would not shrink from taking that course, IL il
were necessary. But he not enc who wal
disposed to- damn the sin, and love and cherish tn,
sinner He could not satisfy himself with doinl
no moro than adopting, as a remedy for the evil
that kind Of prospective legislation which was re-
| commended When there was every thing Of ma
tional honor at stake in consequence Of the corrup-
ton or mafcasonce of the Pos, Office, he could no,
be content With looking only to the future. II,
would not be satisfied with looking Mt tho exterior
OF the wound, whilst The maggot was rioIlng in ts
rolteness. But where, he asked, was the personal
Ity IN this matter From the bottom of his heart he
could say, that he had personal i'll feeling 10
wards any individual in tho Post Office Depart
ment, but he could not but sincerely and deeply la
mcnt the misconduct which had brought the Dc
parImrnt into is present condition.
He desired TO go into examination Of the m at.
ter& fas the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Grun.
dy) desires IT to appear II should be seen that
there had only been negligence, and not malfea.
sancc III the Department, he, for one, should be
happy to adopt such a conclusion What might
be the corstruc ion of The Senator from Missouri as
10 the limited legislative powers of this body, had
nothing TO do with The question, Had they failed
in an expression Of their judgments
| As TO the gentlemen the other side had they
called for The Senate, at tho last session, deci
dcd unanimously tina, the borrowing of the money,
! by the Postmaster General, was unconstitutional
and contrary to law. He (Mr. P) was disposed
hon,t think that there Ind been mafeasance in The
| Department Nov, what was the resolution
which. the Commit, &C then offered relative to the
Post Office 2 Mr.. p. horc rcnd the resolu
ton OF the last session And this appeared ,c
have passed by an unanimous vote, and every
namc vns pu, upon the yeas and nays the Senator
| from Missouri MI Benton) standing a, the hrad
| of the list
Was there, he would ask, any thing cxiroordlns.
| ~ IN his course, or any thing which demanded a
connection ofthis matter will the resolution of the
Senator from Missouri The honorable Senator
had g'yen him his authority for calling for SINH
| lar resolution now by his a former occa.
| sion, precisely under the like circumstances. Ifhe
| Mr. r. went step further, and exercised The
constitutional right Of this body TO public
| officers, when guilty of misdemeanors, could he
MIR. Prcslon) then desire my thing TO sus-
tein him in his purpose than the resolution which
he had just read in which the Senator from Mis-
souri,, by his vote, censured the Department in
strong terms and declared that its had been H.
legal AM void In which the Senator himself had
selected the Head of the Department, ndividu.
a ed him, and declared his conduct to be unnw-
fui, aud his acts VOID He was there sustained
by the honorable Senator, and by mono moro
strongly.
Now, the gentleman looking ut his conduct on
that occasion, could not differ from him (Mr. P)
on the present it Was impossible that he could do
otherwise than support such a resolution relo'
tive TO the Department, as he (Alr p desired to
see.
There hadlbecn nal administration Of The office;
gross, wrong, and palpabc Encouragement Of
L 4.