Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-04-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF MIR. HUGH L. WHITE.

." tae bW 90 Yepealae tosr pears lac rrportsd bv
fts Committee on Ersetaipc PATRONAGE.
The above bill being under consideration. M.
bite, of Tennessee, rose and addressed the Senate
to The following effect:
AIR. President 1t was my fortune to be
placed on the Committee ofninc, IN the yenr 1896
whose proceedings have beer SPOKEN Of in this dc.
bate, am one Of the committee, who concuired In
reporting the bill, sat 10 be similar to the one now
under consideration; ! am now as ready To carry
out The opinions then entertained us | was nj that
time, unless It can be shown Congress hns no now.
or 10 make tho enaetmen's, or that they would be
injurious 10 society
The number of officers employed in handling pub.
Tic money, was necessarily very much increased
curing the war which terminated in lsld 1915.
Although tho President had the power 10 remove
all the officers mentioned in the bill yet wps be.
Ieved IN 1920 had not been exercised as ffe quen
| y as the public interest required Officers who
had collected money which they ough, to have paid
INTO The treasury, and officers who drew money out
oil tho treasury, which it wus their duty to aisburse
according to the requirements of Acts of Congress
had IN many instances failed in the performance of
their duty losses had been sustained md II was
teared moro would bo sustained unless additional
provisions we're mndo those circumstances gpve
| rise to the act OF 1890.
by this statute, at the end of every four years
each otthcse officers are TO be out OF Office MS mat
/ ter of course, without the exercise of any Execu
! two power whatever aud during tho four years,
the Pros'dcnt, II he pleases To do 60 Inns the
power OF removing all, or any Of them from Of
fee
In carrying into eff ct the provisions of this ac,
II was expected, whom tho term Of an officer expir
ed, the President would inform himself through ,he
proper department. whether tho officer had 1ischaGa.
ed his duty with fidelity, ind If he VIVA Informed he
had, that he would then renomnuto hun for the
same Office for another term.
lbelicve that the bcncfts expected from this law
have been realised by the practice under H. Ever
since have had the honor of n seat on tbs floor |
Affirm, that both under the pust and the present
AdG lnslratlon have Witnessed tho strctest scru-
tiny INTO the conduct Of these officers Whenever re-
terminated, and / do not remember u SINGLE case.
III Which there Wng dlspos ton manifested TO con
ilnne any one OF them who hid been inithltss ~
his trust
Bur in 1926 The committee believed, although
much good, had resulted from th,s lnw yet, Ia the
struggles for piaee and for potce, between parties,
very great evils which had not been futesccn would
IN all probability be experiences.
The whole Of these fFeers, amounting 10 n vns
number all going out at the End OF each four years
and being entirely dependent the MI OF the Pre-
sid nj, whether thcIr commissions should be- r..
newsd orh9t, would induce Waay of them 10 look
nOrs 4e'sher o,rn suaitUns M flnssrest, than the
welfare Of the country, and with a view To secure
themselves They would be mos, koly to conform
heir opinions 10 tho wishes OF tho President, Who
ever he nigh, happen to be. If no was n cnnd
date for reelection himself they would most likcly
vote for him, or If ono OF his friends n candl
date they would vote for him, although thy nigh,
conscientio sly believe the best interests Of he
| country would b., promoted by the election Of his
opPonrn II IS no answer to ths argument, 10 shy,
It costs rcproach upon these officers to suppose they
would surfo ndcr lheir opinions TO those in power
Mi President is il rcproneh 10 soy they IRE man
Is II stigma upon their character say, that
While they 1.-Two IN this world that while they have
families 10 provide for they must have the means
Of living 7 We nil know, we are apt 10 conclude,
that our nclghbors will be pretty well provided for
when VIC arc UetV 1ocH pror,ded for onrHir0-
Experience cohvnccs US that when n who is
dependent on lis oxcriions for living obtains
of these Offices he and his family manage well
# they keep their expenditures within the snlary.
They become dependent on the quarters salary for
food aud clothing. II deprved OF tho office tho man
knows not to VIA to turn his hand to earn a dollar
to subsIst upon-to be deprived Of tho Office is to be
deprived OF the only cans Of obtaining living by
honest means. Under such circumstances II IS most
likely the officer Will not give his Jndgmen, fair
play, he will conform his opinions 10 the opinions
of the man, who has his all in his power or If he
has mnnness enough TO for an impartial opinion
Of the merits of the respective candidates, he will
too seldom have the for,,ude to express II, either
in conversation or by his vote. The probability
IS that he will soon lose oil the manly indepen-
dcnce essen. al 10 the preservation Of free 60
vermont
Bot Mr.. Plcsid nt this evil does not stop with
The hepd Of the fnmlly-u stops not with his wife
and his children II IS communicated 10 his family
Mons. They know not the situation Of the
officer he and they tell ii all over IN their family
circle, they sympathise with him, and all know the
feelings OF the Executive will be the nots hnd to
wards him, in proportion 10 Ina Influence among
his friends, and iho result will be, tim, in most
cases they will settle down ~ the CONVICTION TINT
II is most wise to think and vote the President
wishes.
Very little reflection, think. must satisfy us
Of the alarming extent Of this influence in cleo
tons A Il district oltornios, all custom house Off
GERS all pay masters, all receivers Of public moneys
ut your land Offices and all surveyors Of your pub
lie l,nds with their clerks and all their family |
connexions placed in sl'ualion to do ms the Presl
dent Of the United States may wish add TO Ibis
he further consideration that these from their
official stations each has vasy more influence a.
mong his acquantances, than he would have ifhe |
were private man. Society, from the very sltna-
lion OF the officer, will suppose him better judge OF
the fitness OF man for the Presidential chair, than
he would be if he were private man besides this,
many will know that the officer will have II in his
power to do them good turns in his office, # they
can secure his good opinion.