Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-05-10

independence ofthe public press shouid be S
guarded and protected By Illegal restrictions
and provisions against the influence and con-
troll OF the Executive. 1t xas thought By g
the Jackson party in former years, that
$4,000 disbursed at the DISCRETION Of the
Secretary Of State, was sufficient 70 corrupt,
m dangerous degree the entire public press.
The discretion ofthe Secretary ofState, It
was seriously contended, ought 70 be limit
ed by law so as to prevent tthe possible,a.
buse ofhis fund by bestowja9 4 upon poll:
tical partizans. Who among us does nit :
remember the famous resolution Of = gentle
man from North Carolina CIR. Saundefs) =
upon this subject, and the seqpaly famous
debate that arose upon il? b was, ibelieye, I.
a fayorite scheme Of my colleague, who j.
now the presiding officer of this 1zouse Dir.
Polk), to take from the Secretary Of State
the power of designating the pahlishers Of
the laws, and to vest It in the House Of Re;
presentatiyes; SO important At that daYagas
the purity Of the public press 1egarad by
the Jackson party. Iwel remember what
decided effect was produced upon the
minds Of the people in the State which Ere.
present in part, and what indignation was
excited by the single act ofthe Secretary Of
State under the late Administration. ofta.
king the printing ofthe laws from theN Nash. :
vile Republican, paper friendly TO the e.
lection of General Jackson, and giyingt to
the Wing, paper published in the same
place and supposed to be.in the interest Of
the Administration. Well, sir. n the yicis- !:
situde ofhuman affairs it so happened that
the party in whose cause the Nashville Re-
publican had suffered came to be uppermost.
and it was restored to its former rights and
benefits; but as ifit were intended to mani- !
fest the utmost possible contempt Tor the ear )
ly principles of Jacksonisn, and to give the
most unequiyocal guarantee to new allies,
which the nature ofthe case admits, that all
the principles ayowed by the original Jack.
son party, are, henceferth and forever, TO be-
repudiated and forgotten, the present ortho-
dox Secretary of State has recently ordered
the printing of the laws to be again taken
from the Nashville Republican, which isf
now supporting Judge White for the Presi.
dency, and given to the Union, a paper
printed in the same place, paper purely
partizan in its character newly established, :
and of very limited circulation, but 10 the,
interest Of the Vice President. The Post.
master General has added his testimony TO.
that OF the Secretary of State, that the early
principles identified with the name Of jack
son are no longer to be the guide ofthe par
ty in power. He has not only appointed
printer ola newspaper to be Postmaster ofa:'
very thriving aud considerable town IN Ten
nessec, but the printer and the Postmaster
are actually suffered to meet in the same Of,
fee. 1t is needless to say that this printer
is also an avowed supporter Of the Vice
President. But sir, to enumerate all thee.
vidences which exist to show the deliberate !
purpose Of the party to use the patronage Of
the Government in seducing the pubic press
to their interests would far exceed the limits
Of my remarks.
But the necessity ofreform-a retrench-
ment Of the expenditures of the Govern
ment, and the reduction and lmiiations Of
Executive patronage, were the perpetual
themes of the Jackson party as originally
constituted. The Augean stable over which.
the gentleman from Massachusetts {Mr.
Adams was said to preside;. was. to- be
cleansed. The number of Executive offi-
GERS was to be diminished, and the sdiscre-
tionary power of the President ofnmoying
or changing them sto. be restrained by
legal enactments. The principle ofalitllsso
engagements Of the par4Y and toy hey
were bound by the highesr ebigatcss Of
truth, honor and patriotism, wassregaried
as vital. Corruption: through ExecStiye
patronage, twas foreseen, wetld bec6me'
so universal, assscon 70 sap and lndertnine'
the pure foundation efoqr FREE lDstitutic0s;'
and deonvert them into the mere Instruments
of power and ambitions. How those pro-.
mises: and expectations have been fulfilled
BY the party which nov wears its mantle,'.
may be inferred from tile facts lse The
abuses then existing in several :depart
ofthe public seryiee eehave actually ymutip!ied
under the present adj ninistration, instead of
bsinereformcd. Cd. Thee expenditures, cs--
peciaAy iu those branches, ofAhe pub .ser.-
vice most LIABLE to suspicion and abose,-
have been increased. Sd. Public Offices
have been increased, andasnat r1ns officers,
have been appointed, some. nth discretion
ary and arbitrary allowance md sorhe With
annual salaries, without necess!tF ots war;
rant oflaw. The patronage ofaha 8ovefn-,
ment instead of being reduces, hassof 'ate.
! beeh increased In Almost extroardHs ma
alarming degree IN a variety ofways. he.
most obvious and alarming accession OF
Fxecutiye patronagc, power. and i6fl1ence
which has taken place has proceeds pom
tbe nolicy offhe adminisiration ins pntiing
| down,fh u. s.. Bank. Whateyef fsnaY 6afs
been the motiye---howeyer psltg and honest