South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1836-08-20

Washington Mirror,
A Semi-wsekly Newspaper,
Printed at Washington City. and supper
ting the election of
" ahame Henry Harrison,
Presidency of the United States.
PRICE FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM.
IL there be one feature more charac-
trristic of our institutions than any O.
Their, it is that which secures TO the
people the choice of their public ser
wants. In providing for the contin-
gency Of a failure 10 elect Chief Mag.
tTate, our constitution directs that the
choice shall devolve on the house of
Representatives. The circumstances
charged whether, falsely or not, 90 the
elections SO made, have excited the
jealousy Of the people, who desire to
keep the several departments of the
Government, independent of each 9th
ef s. feeling, as they instinc,ively DO,
that revolution has already been ac-
complished--that we are no longer
republic when the will Of a President
controls the action Of Congress.
We who have closely observed the
events Of the last few years, have seen,
with deep alarm, the progress Of des-.
potism. In 1928, the bare suspicion
tina, Executive influence had penetra-
ted the halls Of Congress, drove the
incumbent from Office, and the Pfesi-
dent came in pledged to reform all the
abuses charged upon his predecessor.
But wha. have We seen ? The expen.
ditures which, under the administra-
ton Of Mr.. ADAMS, were less than
thirteen millions, have now risen to up.
wards Of forly.seven millions per an
mum, taking the appropriations Of the
current year; and the system OF favor
i.ism and Executive dictation, SO for
chilly condemned in Gen. JAoKsoN's
first inaugural address, has become the
acknowledged basis upon which the
candidate Of the party rests his sxpeo-
tations.
In 1928, no one suspected, indeed |
it never had been urged, that the Off
GERS Of Government had used their Off
cial station az means of speculation.
But what do we no,o behold : 1t is
known that the Postmaster General,
who, few years ago was the object Of
party charity; who put up his princi-
Piles and services for hire; who received
party contributions as a gra.uity f; who
came on TO this city, deeply in debt, and
has since paid his debts and sustained
extraordinary expenses by salary a.
mounting altogether 10 $4,000, is a
partner and owns stock to the amount
Of fifty thousand dollars in one Of the
which have been using
The public money to purchase public
land ! The question arises how did he
get this money! The solution Of the
question is, that the greater part Of the
stock was assigned to him, for the use
Of his name and influence. Ii has also
been charged, and has not been denied,
and we believe it to be true, that a.
mother company gave fifty thousand
dollars ofstock to the Attorney Gene
raj for drawing up their articles of as
ISOLATION, and for the use Of his name.
Mr.. KENDALL's stock rose in the mar
Ike, SO that it ives selling for two dol
lars for one paid in. The price was
Effected by the distribution bill, SO that
it fell sixty per cent, making a loss Of
thirty thousand dollars. Still, bowev-
er. leaving seventy thousand dollars,
which the spectators 10 the public
lands have given to Amos Kendall for
bis influence l.!
Is il not time that every man who
loves bis country--that all who can sx-
ercise any influence over public opin-
ion, should exert that influence TO
arouse the sleeping energies Of the peo-
pie Is any one SO blind as not to see
that spectators and oliice.holders have
lesgusd together tina. they have abus-
ed the confidence which generous &
confding people have reposed ia Gen.
Jackson, and by using his name and
organized a party which
10 perpetua.e its abuses now
in The person Of Martin Yam Buren,,
and next 10 the person Of amos Ken
dali. And what is the argument
which these men urge upon the peoplef
Is not their strongest argument the
declaration that, unless the people will
n 1