Southern telegraph., 1837-05-30
R. L. WEIR.


r. L. WEIR.
TYRANNY or THE SPoILs MEY.-ThosC
only who have had opportunities of becom
ln1 intimately acquainted with the condition
ofthe Clerks in the Executive Departments
at Washington--thcir habits and feelings
can form an adequate idea of the tyranny
to which they .sre subjected. Read the
accounts given in the sutjoined extract, b,
man Of truth, who observed what he des.
crlbes; and let every one who has spark
Of patriotism or manhood, say whether such
state things ought to be tolerated in a
country calling itself free. Frcednm!-it
palluting that sacred name to apply it to a
condition not far removed from oriental
despotsm.
We can testify there is no oxageration in
the picture Mr.. Wise has drawn. The pro
acrip'ive policy Of the spoiIsmen is felt bv
the famiIy and friends of every individual
engaged about the Experimentation the
most lucrative stations to the office Of mes
senger or lettcr-carrier, Not only are the
lips of the incumhents sealed, and their
minds made aervilo and unscrupnlous, bat
the members Of their families cannot be
less complying, without hazard of losing
the favor Of the dispensers of patronage.
Some men have been removed after wears
ot IN htili service, not because they have
said Or done any thing amiss, but because
they have not been sufficiently Industrious
and useful in the cause of the party-others
because they had sons, or brothers, or second
cousins, who had the temority to express
their contempt and detestation for particular
men and measureS-others again, because
those In power owed them a private grudge.
We have heard of case in which one of
The reasons assigned for the punishment by
renewal, of genIem1n who conferred hon
Dr upon his post, and whose usefulness to
The Department was universally admitted,
was that some of his relatives had not treat
ID with greater respect, some disagreeable
people they met by accident, and who turn
I'd ont to be the connections of the man
lressee up in authority Bali. Pat.
Extract from Wise's Speech at Norfolk. |
"Not only has the freedom of debate. but
he freedom ofspeech throughout the land,
'cen held sacred by every true '9S repub-
ican. Now, sir, assert it, that during the
asst winter, when the Investigations of the
wo committees were going on in Congress,
real lnqulsltlon was established in the
Executive Departments TO extort from some
# the poor clerks, who had given infnrml-
ion to Mr.. Peytol and myself of certain
buses. The gag-law of prescription was
e!d over the head Of every one who show
Il disposition to disclose voluntarily.
'ir, one of tho most crying abuses daily
etore my eyes was one which was enough
, freeze the blood Of a freeman in his veins.
)ften were | and my friend, Mr.. Pcyton,
lsited by certain true-hoarted patriots, (for
1cre are some such belonging to the De-
by stealth, in the dead hour of
light, when the door was locked, and thew l.
ad cast their timid glances at everv cur
lin and closet in the room, would reveal by
ints, seldom directly, what they knew, and
that might be known, concerning every
pecies of vice and mischief in the admins
rat on Of public affairs. Their mouths are
topped with bread. / have numerous lct-
ers from several of them, which clearly
how the worse than Turkish despotism
'hlch reigns at the metropolis ofthis boast
d Republic. AS an instance, sir, wor>
~ man Of one of the departments called
nd told me of certain crying abuse.
upon its trail. In day or so,
received an anonymous communication;
knew the hand writing. Il am suspected.
lease have me summoned, and ask me
umber of questions, Indifferent, no matter
hat, not touching the matter informed
Du Of, as blind; they'll suppose did H
Of inform you Of that, and that you did not
now knew of it You surely will not
me suffer f,t giving you information Of
0 truth. This plan may save me-" Sir, I
could not adopthe plan--why9 The man /
as honest, and | reminded him that he
Dnld be sworn to tell the whole truth
he only plan was 70 desist from the impor- !