Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-05-16
SCORCHING TRITThS.

The Hon. Bale PEYToN, an able and
Independent Representative in Congress,
from Tennessee, was, in March last, invi-
| Ted to IA public dinner, by the citizens OF
Wiliamshorough, North Carolina. In his
letter, declining the invitation, he takes nc
! casion To speak OF General Jackson and his
Adm inistration. His remarks are so excel
ent. So causic, and So true, that we cannot
lorego The pleasure of laying the following
extract from the letter before our readers !:
ard yet, with all The deporahe truths be-
lore the nation, we find numerous persons,
protesting to be patriots, shouting hosan-
mas To General jackson and his Admins
tra'ion! Jpho, in the pure days ofWash-
ing'on, could have anticipated such dis
graceful state of things, at So early peri
| cd OF the government?
Here is the extract :-[Cincinnati Wing. |
81 have seen a party, to which orce be-
longcd-a President once supported, and
upon whom was placed my proudest hopes
OF all that vas pure and patriotic, ialsiiy
lie brightest expectation Of friends, verify
the worst predictions OF enemies, and violate
pledges solemnIy given TO The country. l
have seen party, one Oi whose cardinal
maXims was, "that The patronage OF the Fed
| eral Government should not he brought in
conflict with the freedom OF elections, ac-
! quiesce in, and claim for The President the
right to appoint his successor. have seen
an Administration which came into power
upon the principles Of reform, economy, and
strict accountability Oi Public Officers, in
crease the expenditures from fifteen 10 fhir-
~ ttc0 millions iosier corruption in every
! department OF HE Government, and for a
long time refuse inquiry into allrgedabuse =,
and at last, attempt 10 stifie il, by the APP
| pointment OF acommlltet composed o!sir 10
| three against investigation. have seen
the President Of the United States rebuke
the House OF Representatives for daring To
constitute such committee 10 inquire into
Executive abuse, and the doors orthe En-
culive department bolted and barred aga inst
select Committee of Inc House f Repre-
scntalives while an Executive order was
issued, directing that obnoxious members
J ol Congress should be made TO swear TO
their speeches, delivered on the floor, un-
der the Executive denuncia ion Of being ca
lnmniators il they did not, and of pcrpetra-
! ting perjury il they did swear 10 the truth
nt the charges which they had made. This
have seen aud felt, for was forced 10 sub
nit to this engine Of executive, tor ture, and
sealed my belief with an oath, Tor which
am prepared 10 answer before my God and
M country. And at The time this fatal blow
was aimed Of the freedom or Debate upon
the floor 81 Congress, the President denied
10 the representatives of the people the
right OF inqniring into alledged abuses, and
claimed for the heads OF his department the
same right To withhold that evidence against
themselves, which the public archives, the
public property Of the people, would fur
nish, which tclon has 10 conceal his own
consciousness Of guilt.
have seen the revenues OF the country
used as a fund Of pecuniary speculation and
political corruption, in the heads of Exc
cuIive Officers, while vast surplus was re-
fused, for the most patriotic and useful pur-
poses. | have seen the President assuming
upon himself legislative powers, repeal a
law, or Joint resolution OF Congress, which
al stood upon the Statue. hook for more
Than twenty years and which Congress had
refused To repeal, and an odious discrimin-
aiian made, requiring specie of one class al
public debtors, while another was permitted
10 pay into tie Treasury bank notes in dis.
charge OF public dues. have seen this I'M
just and oppressive loto ofthe Executive re-
pealed by such majority in each House Of
Congress as TO place the passage of the act
beyond the power of the Veto, s. the Pres-
dent sill defeat the measure by refusing to
return the bill TO The body in which il ORR
glnaed. II might seem there was nothing
Ieil Ia make this the government of one
man No encroaclmeni which had not been
maic by the Executive upon The other dc