Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1837-07-08

Is proposition too plain TO need dem r.
Power over . mans sspposs, has al v
ways been held and admitted to be power over =
his nil. The President has power ove r the sup 4
port Of all these officers; and they again, have n
power over the support Of the debtor merchants, i
to the amount Of ten million Of dollars per annum
and they, again, have power over the support of
an immense number Of individuals, professional !,
mechanics, and day-laborers, to whom they can
and will extend or deny valuable public and pri
waite patronage, according to the part which they
shall act in state, well federal elections"
The report goes on to show that this mighty con-
centration Of patronage and power in the hands
Of the Executive-S'is an overmatch for the pow
or and influence Of STATE patronage; that its
workings will contaminate the purity Of an cleo
tons, and enable the Federal government event
ually to govern throughout the states as efectual
ly as fthcy were SO many provinces Of our vast
empire"
No one can doubt, that the dangers to the lib |
critics Of the country, here pointed OUT were inn
mincnt, 1t the government should fall into the |
hands Of men disposed to make the worst possible
use Of power. So the report views it:-so we all
must feelit. But might it not have been hoped, |
that in the senate and House of Representatives,
some checks would be intcrposed this political
action THAT they, the guardians Of the peoples
rights, would interpose, and save the country
from ruin and the people from bondagef No
the report goes ON to show, that such hope would
be vain. The intended check and control of the
senate, without new constitutional statuatary
provisions will cease to operate patronage will
penetrate this body; subdue its capacity of resist
ancc, chain 1t to the car Of power and enable the
president to rule as easily, and much more secure
ly with, than without this nominal check Of the
senate. 1t then looks forward to the time when
|, the nomination by the president can carry any
man through the senate, and any measures
through the two houses # congress; when the
principle Of public action shall be open and avow
cd, the president acaSfs my cote and Canf his pa
trOHage: UiH cote as he ,cishes and he riH giuc
me the Office rish for. What will this be but
government Of one man, and what is the govern
ment of one man but a monarchy"
These arc the weapons, which, in the opinion
Of that committee, president who should wish to
: concentrate all the powers Of the government in
= his hands, could at seize g. wcld against the
. liberties Of his country; and have quoted it the
IL more at large rs it goes establish full knowl-
ssss On NIB sbe RIFF a. r. 6e abuse
y or Of appointment and removal-its application
: to mere party purposes-ts direction to the sole
G object Of sustaining those in power without re-
gard the public welfare, time, go far to
establish the government Of one man, which what
X ever name il may assume, is in substance mon
: archy.
y administration Of Gen. Jackson, there were two
removals from Office, among those high officers
n, which require the confirmation Of the senate Ii
p tho two first years of General Jacksons admins
I'd tration, there upwards of three hundred IL
o. the same class of oficcrs,nore than three time
the number Of all that were removed during tn
he first forty years Of tho existence Of the govern
ment Nor was the hand of power lifted even there
-, The doctrine was openly oyowed. in the Scnat
OF Of the United States. "that the victors be
nc long the spoils Of victory" The change of pal
d. ties and the transfer Of power, was like the sac
all Of a city. The public veal was not cared fol
P- but the public property was seized. Within tn
re, same two years in all the offices, high and low
At the removals amounted to more than llOO, an
err no appointment was made except to active poit
re cal partizans. During the six following years tn
'ur eye ofthc executive has been upon the officer
ng great and small, throughou the United State
ID watching the faithful discharge of their ofci
in duty, but their due adherence to party discipline
tie and their strict discharge Of party obligation.
on any but political adhercnt remained in the di
lid charge Of public trust, matter how small f
th Office, how faithful the officer, he removes
"a and partzan fills his place. If any politics
os- parizan RENTS his exertion, or his thorough
in hcrencc is doubted, he is removed, and anoth.
ter more active and efficient supplies his plac
m Thus, in timc the whole corps of Office holder
ill whose names closely printed, fill volume Of 81
ch pages, has become, what it was predicted in Il
&C. report just referred to, they would become,
active, efficient, organized band throughout
mt, the States, from the centre to the extremity ol
,ut Union, whose efforts constant to support IL
rt, party that sustans them and centre all the pc,
arc or Of the government in the hands Of the man wi
les is the head Of that party All that could be don
ION in this particular tocarry out to its worst result
ain this defective feature in constitution point
re- out by the report, has been done, and still is
md progress.
IN have spoken Of the removal Of those from
an fee who were not active and efficient electionet
yer ing partizans The record Of the senate and Il
the departments shows the fact of their
to val, and have only to appeal to your own CO
hat sciousness here and in every other town a
me city in the United States, where there are al
old officers of the government stationed, whether
ov- present ncumbents do not act, if they hold
IDS, part Of their official duty to take charge Of
ch, polls at your elections, and use all the pow
ION personally and officially to control them. TT
o a has been the tenure by which they held their
ind fees and if any ono hesitatcd to do the works
Il l signed him-if he were tardy or scrupulous as
; to mcans-he was thrown but Of employment; p
pre- hnps deprived Of support, and his char
her ter vilificd by the pcnsioned presses.
o. Another point Of attack through this sal
mp power, when it could be brought to bear with
our force against the Liberties Of the country, poi
iuxl r