Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-05-17

or infdelity, from clerk to the head Of q
; department.; from the Register or Receiv-
er ola Land Office, or.an Indian Agent,
to Minister Plenipotentiary! The name
and services of Gen. Jackson repent,
are invoked to shield and cover over, Us
with amantle, every official transgression
or omission, from the highest to the low
est, whenever it suits the interest of party
to avail themselves Them. And the peo-
pie are called upon to rally rouud-to
stand by and delend,-not the individuals
arraigned--not the delinquent department.,
but the President himself, who it is assert
ed, through thousand channels, is intend
ed to be struck at and stabbed through the
sides ofthe accused officer or department.
The people cannot at once detect the ar
tifices ofparty. They arc jealous of eve
ry thing which savors Of an attack upon
General Jackson, and they in general act
upon that suspicion. Those, therefore,
who dare, here or elsewhere, to find fault
with the course Of affairs, upon any ground.
instead Of finding countenance from those
in power, OF from the dominant party-in-
stead Of being cheered on in the ungraci:
Gus task ofreform, are met on the thresh-
hold, with the charge. of secret and sinister
motives-with Anti-Jacksonism! They
are told, that their object is to assail the
character Of the Hero Of New Orleans,
and The conqueror of the United States
Bank; as if either one or the other ofthose
victories could be of any worth now or
hereafter, except to protect the constitu-
| tion,- the country and its liberties-as if
those victories could be Of any value, if
as the price of them we are to surrender
that very constitution, those very Liberties
those rich and glorious prizes, for which
those battles were fought and won. If
those who venture to make charges a
gainst any department of the public SER
vice are not met precisely in this way,
they are, at all events, told that General
jackson is the head of the Government
that he is responsible lcSRll the executive
branches of the public service, and no at
tack can be made upon any branch of the
service therefore without attacking him,
and every body Knows that he does his du-
ty. A most shameful, egregious, and per-
nicious fallacy. Bot the absurdity Of the
argument does not prevent it from being
constantly interposed. The argument is,
that because General Jackson is able,
faithful, and patriotic, in the discharge of
all his duties, therefore all the subordinate
officers of the Government are so like.
wise. But more; if any one shall reply to
all this, and that he means no attack uDon
Generaf Ju eKsuL, mat he Is willing TO cX-
| oneratc him from any agency in the abu-
ses which arc alleged to exist, he is forth
with denounced as a hypocrite--as das-
tardly assailant, who wants the courage
and independence 10 make direct attack.
He is dared to come forward like man,
and assail General Jackson as the author
Of all these abuses--his pride is appealed
to-his feelings are chaffed to draw him
on to utter the fatal denunciation: and the
moment he does so, the myrmidons OF the
party stand ready 10 hack him to peices!
These, sir, are the true causes OF the con-
tinued abuses in the public service. They
are themselves, without doubt, the great
est Of all abuses. So long as great, and
yenerated name may be successfully op-
posed TO all euquiry--to all reform IN the
public service, so long will abuses CONT
nue. to multiply. So long as system Of
terrorand punishment through the agency
of the public press shall be successfully
practised. abuses will thickcn upon US.
have said that the means resorted to sup
press enquiry into abuses, are themselves
the greatest of all abuses. Sir, they are
so. affirm that they are such as cannot
long exist in free government-for no
government in which they exist,for great
while, can be free.
y
There is another subject Mr.. Chairman,
which feel bound to avail myself of this
occasion to notice more particularly than
have vet done. 1t is another one OF that
series of pretcnces and imposturcs which l
have so often alluded to. refer now to
the alleged mischief and danger of ter
minatlng an election of President by this
House. No subject has been more artfuly
handled, and portrayed in more alarming
co]ors. in the South and South. West, during
the last fall and summer, by the partizans
and adhercnts Of the Vice President than
this one. None, sir, has produced more
decided effect upon the public mind. 1t is
well known that, in those sections of the
Union especially, an election by the House
of Representatives was made particularly
odious by the representations and denuncla'
tions of the election by the House in 1925.
| It was one of the standing themes Of every
political declaimer during the last year.
The evils Of such catastrophe as another