Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-09-29

abolishin9 the practice Of favorisism
and official dictation in the Govern
ment, and ofcaucussing and patronage
and the lavish expenditures of public
money to sustain them; "a practice
which being then recent and difiidcnt,
was alarming to all men, but which
seems, by increase Of impudence and
wears, to have grown into favor with
many, and being so elected, he enter.
ed upon the discharge of his duty I'M
der the most solemn pledges to you that
man could give, that he would reform
the Government. That word, reform,
he said, had been inscribed by the poo.
pie upon his banner, 10 characters SC
legible, that none could overlook them
and, as among the most prominent
works of reform, he pledged himself
that the Government should DO ccono-
mical and simple, and the elective
franchise uncontaminated and unfe'teT.
red by any agency or Interference OF
Federal officers.
Consider the past, follow citizens
look around on what is daily gong on
before your eyes, and say, how these
pledges have been redeemed.
In place of economy, you have seen
the annual expenses of the Govern.
msnt advance, by rapid strides, from 10
10 40 millions.
In place Of simplicity, you have seen
your Government, which was designed
by you to be the pure and passionless
organ ofthe Constitution and the Laws,
breathing their spirit only, speaking
their voice, and submissive to their be.
hes.s-you have seen it animated, i'm
PEELED, controlled, and disturbed, by
all the private passions and opinions,
whether kindly or malignant, whether
sane or distsmpered, of one single mar.
You have seen the stern and masculine
councils Oft simple republic disgraced
and distracted by the intrusion of le-
male vanity and piquc, and by the
explosion of senile vindictiveness--
You have seen the vile and irresponsi-
BILE minlons ofpower jostllng from their
seats the chosen servants of the State
occupying all the inlets and outlets
of the Government house, and barter
ing away their masters favor, and with
it the public money, Offices and lands.
You have seen one great department
or the Government, the only depart
ment which has yet been uncovered to
your view, reeaing with corruption,
and involved in inextricabe ruin and
confusion. You have seen the bride
OF promised Offices thrust into the peck
cts of,he peoples servants. You have
seen the most important powers Of
Congress, nay more, powers which
have not been, because they could not
be, safely delegated to Congress itself,
seized whenever opportunity occurred
or could be created, and swept within
the great vortex of executive authori-
ty; and the most important Offices be-
slowed, and the most vital interests of
the nation rudely tampefed with and
violently controlled, not only without
consulting either house of Congress,
but desiguedly in such sort as most ef-
fectually to preclude and defeat the
action Of the representatives of the
States and Of the people thereupon. II
these acts belong to the government of
simple republic, it may at least be
affirmed that the model Of that repuh-
lie must be sought for, not in this age,
nor on this SIDE the Atlantic, but in
Rome, under the Emperors; and if
they be approved by the people, no.
thing more will be needed to restore
that model here, except TO give to the
President the power now claimed OF re.
commenting his successor.
But especially, fellow citizens, how
has the great and most solemn pledge
of all been redeemed, tina, the Presi.
dent would leave the elective franchise
untrammelled, and take care that the
influence of Federal officers should be
excluded therefrom +?
From an early periol Of the present
administration, the desire Of the Presi-
dent that Mr.. Van Buren, should sue.
coed him, has been SO openly, repeat
eddy, perpetually manifested, that no
man will pretend to doubt it. The
partizans Of Mr.. Van Buren, themselves
so far from denying it, are driven to
the shameful and CALLING necessity of
affirming and maintaining it. A doubt
ON that point would be death to their
hopes-for they know well that the
cow.itch would not sooner fall TO the
ground, deprived of the oak which its
vile arms cling to, than would their pa
rasite tumble ifthe favor of the Presi-
dent were Withdrawn from his support.
So unrem'ttIng has been the zeal ofthe
President to secure the succession to
his fayorlte, that for six years, the
whole immense power and patronage
of his Office, except so much as has
been devoted to the qualification of his
own private and peculiar passions, has
been exerted for the benefit Of the Ce.