Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-02-14
POLITICAL.


National Legislature Conspicuous among them will
stand The Report on Monday, made BY MIR Calhoun,
from Select Committee appointed upon his motion, TO
inquire into the extent and operation of the constantly
Increasing patronage of the Executive of the United
States In presenting the Report Mr. Calhoun said that
IT had The unanimous assent OF the Committee on every
point of it but one, and that single member of
the Committee only disscntcd.
The Rcpor, read at the Clerks table, chiefly by
| Mr. Preston and Mr. Southland The reading Of it occu
pied more than two hours. Its great length leaves II
doubtful when we may be able TO publish il nj large and
at the time makes il impossible task to give, in
the brief space of time allotted after hearing read
any thing like satisfactory condensed view oft We
shall cndcavor only therefore, to its general out
line promising that il is Report ia part only, and not
ascertain the present caeat Of the Executive patronage.
For this purpose the returns for the year 1884 not being
complete they take the year lS' the year nifcrding
the necessary data which data are first the revenue OF
the General Government from oil sources secondly,
the expenditures eff the Government exclusive of pay
mcnl OF tue public ebt and thirdly the number OF per
sons who, officers, agents. contractors in other
forms, in the receipt of the public money The
venue of 1888 the Report have been thirty
FIVE millions of dollars; the expenditures. exclusive of
public debt TO have been nearly twenty three millions of
dollars and the number of persons who are recipients OF
the public money to have been sixty thousand hun
dred and odd of whom belong (as nearly could
catch the numbcrs to the Civil List ~ l44 to the Mill
tary and Indian Departments 9G53; TO the Navy (in-
Guiding Marine Corps CABS; and to the Post Office 81
9l7 all Of whom derive their places directly Indirect
y from the Executive; and, with the exception OF the
Judicial officers subject removal from office the
will and pleasure ohe President Ii to these be added
thousand
soners aggregate appears of one hundred thousand
and seventy in the employ ofthe Govern
mcnt, in the rcccpefnoney from the public treasu-
ry If to these be added hecaincss host Of those who
are seeking dsplace the present recipients and eenc
hcarcs idea may be tornedptc extent of the IN
Auence in the country of the patronage resulting from
such large disbursements OF money, IN which 50 many
individuals Interested.
The Report then proceeds shew the great increase
Of the public expenditure in the eight years, from 1875 to
1888 inclusive, carrying with it corresponding i'm
crease of the number and compensation of agNts Off
GERS, contractors and others, depending for subj scDcr
upon the Government and of course upon the patron
age of the Executive Before instituting this compa-
rison however the report advots To the rapid increase,
~ Indian treaties OF reservations 81 lands to indtd1lS
to be disposed of by them only with the of the
Executive, than which it is difficult imagine device
better calculated TO enlarge the Executive patronage.
The practice of removing from Office persons mo are
well qualified for and have faithfully performed their du
ties in order introduce others in their stead who are
of the party in powcra practice of recent daeis also
the subject of grave in this view othe Report
Cases may be found in the early stages OF this
. Government in which removals from Office have been
madc but they few in number to constitute in
stances rather than practice and it is only within
few years that opportunity has hecn afforded of test
/, ing the practice os a system by its effects.
, Formerly, the patronage OF the Executive con
fired in point OK fact TO the power OF nominating per
sons to hi occasional vacancies in tho public Offices
Undcpthe contrary practice, the Offices Of the Govern
ment instead of public trusts whose faithful execution
MAINLY neId Ia Wow, como cOnsGcTcd
spois of ictory after political conesthe rewards fol
faithful service in the ranks of party the recipients OF
which beccnc the corrupt and supple instruments o.
power, c.and, by the hope of like reward is
host of hungry, greedy, and subservient partizans
ready for any service however corrupt &c This prac
tee, therefore, the Report goes to say is system
encourage vice and discourage virtue, and must end
reformed by overurnng the Government and rails
ing despotisn It's ruins. Faithful performance
r duty being no longer Recommendation to continuance
the public officers consequently feel their dependence
the mere pleasure of the Executive, and resort TO a
these acts OF compliance and subservency which the
learn TO consider recommendations to his favor, &c
The Report then adverts to the circumstance of tn
increased power v>Ach the Executive has acquired b
IL
$, pubic funds Without moong here the question of III
If legality rileraty of the action of the Executive in
moving the public moneys from depostc in the Bank
i the u States, the Committee say that there be i
doubt upon the mind of any that the removal of Ii
public depOses has increased the power of the Exec
" tive by placing the public funds under his sole and
N limited control they must continue to be until othe
wise provided by some action the part Of Congress
if indeed any act of Congress can he passed of great
effect in this respect than that which, at the time the pu
lie moneys we've removed directed where they should
o. kept The Report goes OH to state some acis shown
ing the extent patronage exercised through this
~ cd power of controlling the deposites of the public
lg Having thus shown by variety of facts and arg
r mens, of which tho above can afford but very iai
-, idea the enormous extent of the Executive power
~ Report takes philosophical views of the subject
r Patronage in Government, says the Report is at be
oil but neGessnrg crit the tendency of which even VIII
comparatively restricted in its extent, is to dcbase II
corrupt the morals of the community In all well-ree
* lated free governments, therefore, of it will
To- retained than is necessary TO their healthiu existent
The idea that large Executive patronage IS necessary
- give efficiency to the Government. is conibattcd
lacy, demonstrated to be such by OF the p
with the past extent of that patronage in this
20 vernmcnt. For this comparison the Committee sell
M the years 1926 and 1888 the former year being
- in which the extent Of the Executive patronage
ready began be thought too great and the latter
~ it The latest Of which they obtain
H. turns From this comparison itaPpcars that the income
the Government, including the Post Office, was, in Is
~, $50 147 900 in 1888, $500 600 (reicctng fraction
That the expenditure Of the Government, exclusive
- the public debit was, in lc25. $l2,U9GO0; in Il
- Sl5 Gs COO aud that the number of persons rcceiv
- emolumcnts compensation from tlse Government, W
in 1895 ifty-fvc thousand seven hundred and seven
seven; and in 1888, one hundred thousand and seven
nine persons.
rh Measuring the extent Of the public patronage by tn
,rv clements combined with that of the gross CXpcndlt
hal without advcrtnQ other circumstance which have
lie shown still further 70 enlarge H. tho result is sis
is five y-ninc, showing increase Of patronage
he tween those years Of thrtysx per cent The progcs.
es increase having boon much greater within the last
nor years than within The four years preceding.
Anticipating the answer TO this statement, that the
ra crease If patronage &C. has not been greater than
int increase in the growth and population Of tie com
Ont the Report goes TO show, by the operate" OF the
rbc ycral causes already enumerated that tn patronage
ing the Government has than doubled within sp
and of time wherein tho growth and population OF the co
ic Try have not probably increased man - per G.
in But whilst Showing this the Report d,nie that Their
lor any substantial why The pltr - ~ the
ycrnment should increase in proporti 8 increas
(, population. This idea the report 10 shew
inn an assumption dangerous well sb@froneous
h. danger Of patronage, thus increasing with the gro
Of a country arises from the nrcr advantages IT the
nt canized over an unofgan7cd mass the great advant
&c which in populous country. power thus acquires
Ntn N U f N q