Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-02-16


nj the mercy Of these secret tribunals, lIuble
To be stabbed in the dark by the hand Of an
unseen assassin. Little, does Lnvi Wood
bury deserve the high encomium that gentle
man passed upon him, # the document have
referred 10 contuins the truth. II, sir, he
knew and approved the oppression exercised
towards Mclvill, his hear; Is Us hard as the
granite rock of his native State. ! 60 further:
If the facts are as they are represented on
the oath of man whose ycraclty seems not
to be questioned, and the Secretary Of the
Treasury has sanctioned these proceedings,
he deserves TO be disgracefulIy deprived or
the power he abuses. Yes, sir, unless Mr..
Madison, the purity Of whose life and princi-
pies will exhibit striking contrast with those
Of some who will figure IN the annals oil the
present day, has strangely mlsconceived the
nature oi this offence, II ID one Tor which the
President himself would be justly subjected
to impeachment and removal. An old aud
faithful public servant is to be dismissed be-
cause he Is too poor to buy vote, or too hon
est to sell one. lie is of 10 further use to
the party; that party, sir, who profess to be
the exclusive friends Of the poor; and IN his
old age reduced to bcggary, his reputation,
all that is left him, blasted, perhaps forever,
und the privilege denied him uf knowing the
charges against hlm,or being confronted with
his accuser. Yes, the official document III
the possession Of the Treasury Department,
which shows the real ground ot his removal,
and NAV prove his innocence, withheld, not
from Lim only, but even from committee Of
the Senate.
There is one circumstance disc loscd in these
proceedings that should not pass unnotlced.
1t shows The sIavlsh doctrines that the system
Of prescription adopted by the present Ad-
mnisraion is but too well calculated TO in
culcatc. One the removed officers-reInov-
ed, as he seems 10 suppose, solely upon po'
lltlcal nsideralions-testlIes that he in
formed the collector that, though officers Of
the United States Government might vote as
they pleased in State or municipal elections,
ut ioaS has. fred opinion that a man holding an
office under the Government Of The United
States icas not justified in roting against any
officer ,0ho ,ras )iigorabie 10 those icho adnliniS
tered the Government" This sir, is the de-
mocratic republican doctrine: that no man is
worthy Of all Office who is not ready TO sacri-
flee his consclt nee for the good oi his party;
and we are not to be permitted TO inquire c.
ven into the action Of the Government which
is thus destroying the freedom Of elcctlon.-I
1t would bring suspicion upon the heads of
the Departments. Their regulations, we are
told by the gentleman from Indiana, (Mr.
LANE are like those Of innocent women: to
suspect is to damn them. Then, sir, are they
damned already, beyond redemption; blasted
long since, by the gentleman from Rhode Is
land. Sir, that gentleman, when denouncing
official corruption in the case of the Wiscas-
Set collector, said, and said truly, that inno-
cence had nothing 10 fear. No :and, if we may
Judge of the future by the past, guilt has no
thing to feur. What punishment followed
the unparalleled negligence, e,corruptlon,and a.
buse detected in the Post Office! 1t is known.
Sir, throughout the country. The head Of,
Department was forthwith removed, and pro-
NOTED to one of the highest and most honora-
bic stations in the gift Of the Executive.
Every means is taken TO eludc invesiioa-
tion. The gentleman from Louisiana Mr..
RiPEEYl has even condes cendt d TO appeal TO
our sympathy, by rcpres enting the President
as lying on his sick bed, and talks Of the in
gratitude ofrepubics. Ingrattude is not so
often the sin OF republics as gratitude is the
grave of their liberty. It is the gratitude Of
the People that too often overlooks the faults
of some brilliant conqueror, and arms him
with power-thclr own power--;o crush them.
What more would the gentleman ask for
us the gentleman HIMSELF full share of the .
honors and emolnments OF the country. ]
am crate ful to both; and equally SO TO the \
poor soldier who fought under their command,
and whose bones whiten the battle fields Of
our country. ] profess none Of that sickly
sensiblIi,y that Yields ali the glory and honor
10 the great and powerful, and eXpends itself
in lamentations for their calamitles. regre;
to hear of the bodily suffering Of the Presi-
dent, as much as would Of yours, sir. or of
the gentleman from Louisiana; 10 more. But
what connexion is there between the Presi.
dents indisposiion and the measure under
lf any gentleman will say
that the Presidents personal attendance Is
necessary, | will vote TO defer the inquiry un-
til he shall be restored. But | cannot con-
sent that all legislation shall be suspended
because the President is sick: that our from
lier shall be ravagcd. the poor Indian robbed
md massacred for his property, the specula-
or iatten on the public spolls, and corruption
Ind oppression go unpunished and uncXam-
ned, because the President is sick. | will /.
not believe that this investigation will give
him pain. The gentleman from Georgia Mr..
GLAscOcK) tells us that he is authorized to
say that the President desires strict iEves-
igation; and gentlemen ought not 10 distrust
his sincerity. Sir, sick as he is, it is better
that he should sometimes hear the plain Ian
guage of truth, than to be nanseaied with
doses Of hatory served up daily from this
Hall.
# is time this struggle should end. Gen
lleman~ tell us it is too late; il is the short
session, and one committee cannot perform
the task. Last year had the honor Of pro-
posing similar investigation, and, that it
might be eifectual, asked separate commit
tee for each distinct head Of inquiry. But
then, sir, it was the long session. In the
long session, six or seven committees are too