Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-01-12
coNcLUDED FROM OUR LAST

II we ASK PERMISSION 10 90 INTO the VdTIOns
i Departments, and see what their true condi.
! ton is.
4 But, says the gentleman, that is equivalent
to an impeachment Of the President for here
lis his statement that oil is well; "that there is
no just cause Of complaint from any quarters"
and the argument is, that if you find Iust
cause of complaint 1t will show that what the
| President has said is not true, aud, therefore
| IIifyou do not mean to attack the President,
there must be no examination whatever We
! hold these officers, " hose conduct we propose
Il to examine, to be trustees, and we have rea-
son to believe that they have abused their
II trust, and abused the confidence Of the Pres-
dent, and demand t at they shall give an ac-
count Of their own conduct to the represen-
tatives of the People, and are met at once,
and told that you are putting the President
upon his trial; 1t is an impeachment against
him; make out your specifications and sum
mons him TO the bar of the Senate. All we
ask, sir, is, that the representatives. of the A
mericau People shall send a committee and
examine the archives, records and papers of
their own Government, in any and all of its
Departments, ahc make their report Of the
facts to this House. We propose no crimi-
nal prosecution against any oney but an in
vestigation into the condition of the Depart
ments,and the honesty and fidelity Of the pub
lie agents, and this the gentleman calls dis
franchisement under the common Laws. lie
was eloquent and extravagant in his culogi
ums upon the heads of these Departments
he spoutcd their praises in poetry, and sup
pose he means they shall live in song and
story. He says the Secretary of the Treasu-
ry has not slept upon his arms. No, sir, he
has not slept, and the party should feel under
the highest obligations to him, for he has so
contrived as to make the Treasury and the
public lands powerful auxiliary to Mr.. Van
Buren in the late election. BY the celebra-
II ted Treasury order, which he issued, reqnir-
| ing specie in payment for the public lands,
| with an exception IN favor of citizens of tire
/ States in which those lands ere situated, he
| in effect offered a brbe Of one hundred dol
| lars head for votes in the States of Missis-
| sippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and Michigan,
which was then looked upon as State. For,
| sir, at the sale Of public lands in Mississippi
! last fall. specie was worth at one time twen-
\ ty per cent? and, while the citizens of Ten.
II nessee, then considered in rebellion against
Mr.. Van Buren,, were required to pay this e.
norinous tax, the citizens of Mississippi, a
doubtful State in the election, were exempt
from it. Al Government price, three nun
dred and twenty acres OF land would cost the
Mssissippan four hundred dollars, while the
Tennessean for the same quantity, was com
PEELED to pay the sum of FIVE hundred dollars,
| from the necessity he was placed under by
this order of raising specie. And, sir, tins
was not confined to the poor and needy, but
extended to the nabob with his hundreds OF
hands, and thousands of bales, while the spe-
Gle was eXacted from the most INDECENT and
meritorious Tennessean. This, sir, is what
! cali high handed oppression on the one sice,
and wholesale bribery and corruption on the
other. Philip Of Macedon never made
more unblushng use of honey to cerrupta and
enslave the people Of Greece. This Secreta-
ry must be entitled to the praise, and some
thing more substantial still,to portion OF the
spoils of the party. The gentleman allnded,
also, to the visit of the Secretary OF State
(Mr. Forsytb)to Georgia, which he calls UNI
fortunate; true, his visit was unfortunate; and
of the visit of the Secretary'of the Navy Mr..
Dickerson) to New Jersey, which was also
unfortunate lie seems unwilling to give
them any credit for well meant cxertions,and
"wishes to God they had staid at home" This
appears rather ungratetul, as they used their
best exertlons in the cause. 1t Is true the
gentleman attempts to conceal the fact, but
went to Georgia, and used every effort to raj
ly his shattered torces-that he was openly
eectioneering for Mr.. Van Buren,. Amos,
too, if was correctly informed, made an ex-
cursion, for a like purpose, into New Eng
land. ] am sure that saw it stated that he
had his face Autographed and copies sent
Through the country 50 that those who could
not see "the divine original, might at least
gaze on loves counterfeit"
II But, sir, the gentleman assumes another
ground ia defence Of these ''ministers" as he
calls them. He says the appointment OF this
| committee would amount to dlsiranchise-
ment of those officers whose conduct 1t is
proposed to scrutinize, by denying to them a
trial according to the strict rules of the crl'n'-
nal law. This principle holds only where a
man is on trial for crime. All laws are hber-
ally expounded, so as to detect fraud, but
strictly construed when you come TO punish
a criminal. The gentleman goes too fast; he
LEAPS to the conclusion, leaving US ut the be.
ginninp of this matter; while we are com
mcncing the developments of fraud ~ corrup-
tion which the law abhors, Ire anticipates the
awfsl result which may be brought about, and
is appealing to your sympathy on behalf Of
the culprit. Now, if he will be patient, we
will go with him, and in due season we will
lean to the side Of mercy, and acquit wherey-
or there is reasonable doubt. This is strange
doctrine b. come from that side of the House.
These officers are the trustees Of the people,
and accountable to the people. They have
been long IN office, and are about en-
tering upon new lease; and now, when
called upop 10 make an exhibition Of their