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

4
tofore divided the country, or are SO en-
tirely regardless Of them, if they know
what they are, as, in the same speech
any in the same breath, to avow them
selves both restrictionists and latitudina
rians, states rights men and consolidation
lists, thorough democrats and ultra fede.
alists! And yet this is the nature of the
association which claims TO be the repub.
lican party in the United Statas! know
ofno instance Of equal absurdity and ar
Frogance in the, assumption Of names, ex-
| cept the one which recently occurred in
Pennsylvania, in which State Bank took
/ the name OF tho United States Bank!s
Sir, there is no one principle or maxim,
as far as I can call to mind, arowed and
protested by the, original supporters OF
General Jackson, and which entered
largely into the grounds Of his success,
which has not been evaded or disrsgarded;
and many ofthe most vital and important
Of them have been openly, and | regret to
say insultingly, trampled under foot in the
face Of the whole country by the party
now uppermost in influence, if not in
power.
4 Z x &
Ibes leave to make a few remarks upon
the condition ofother branches of.the pub
lie service. ,Itis net only our fortifications
and our navy which have been permitted
to remain unarmed and in state Of iila-
pidation, but affirm that many Of the eivil
departments Of the government arc. i'll no
better condition; and this | am ready to de-
monstrate to the House and to the whole
country, if proper authority is given for
that purpose. Beside the irregularities,
abuses, and corruptions which have been
shown to exist in the Post Office Depart
ment, affirm that the General Land Of.
flee is in condition scarcely less deplor-
able. There is neither order, despatch,
nor, in the case of some ofthe Offices, is
there fidelity in the management and ad-
ministration of that most important and in.
teresting branch of the public service. |
affirm that this>is true, and would be so,
independent of the alleged want Of clerical
force in the department. The evil exists
in many of the great land districts in the
interior. =
The same thing is substantially true Of
the Indian department. That branch Of
the public service has within few years
past grown into an Importance four or five
fold greater than formerly. The expen-
ditures in this-department a few years ago
did not exceed some two or three hundred
thousand dollars annually; now they are
between one and two milions;, yet the ir-
regularitics and abuses appear to havo
mullipllcdi..- prnpnriin" tur the MAGNITUDE
Of the public interest connected with, IL.
What Il may be asked, are the causes of
these extraordinary abuses? The cause
is simple and single-the entire incompe-
tency of muc! the largest number of the
officers and agents employed as heads OF
bureaus or distinct and subordinate OFF,
ces. 1t is the want Of capacity, of skill,
and, in some cases, Of every necessary
quality. This is the great and decided
cause; and the remedy does rot exis. in
new organizations of this or that depart-
ment, nor in the invention ofnew checks
and restrictions upon the discretion of Off
GERS. The remedy for this abuse, like oil!
others, will be found in the removal OF the
cause oft. Nothing is more important
to be understood, and extensively Propa-
gated in this country, than this that no
Government, however wise and perfect in
its form, exists, but may and will be abus-
ed and perverted to bad and corrupt ends,
whenever it shall fall into the hands ofa
set of administrators Of loose or bad prin-
ciples. Nc constitutional or legal enact
:nents can supply the deficiency of ability
or fidelity; no checks or regulations can
anticipate and defeat the devices ofartlul
and unprincipled office-holders. Neither
ability nor purity can be conferred by law
On the other hand, all experience has
shown, thatunder any form of ofgovernment
or of official regulation, however defective,
when the public officers are possessed of
the attributes Of talents and fidelity, the
public liberty will be respocted-thc pub
lie prosperity promoted-and the great
end of human government successfully
carried out.
But there is one mystery connected with
the existence ofthe gross abuses in some
branches ofthe public service, which de-
serves to be mentioned. How has it hap
pened that these abuses have not only
been suffered to exist, but even to IN
crease under an administration so deci-
dedly popular and powerful When this
] problem shall be solved to the satisfaction
| of the public, the remedy will be supplied.
The true answer to the question, how
these abuses come to exist under such ar
| administration, is, because the adn,inisf1a'