The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-10-12


holding them at its will. When we consider
their number, the influence which they exer-
else, and the positions which they occupy,
we cannot bur feel sensibly alive to the mis-
chiefs which they may produce. Their num-
her already exceeds one hundred thousand,
and is constantly increasing add to this inn
mensc array of public officers ramiied into
every section Of the country, the amount OF
money which is annually disbursed by the
Executive, and we may form some idea OF
the already fearful power Of The Executive
patronage. But, sir pass this bill, and tins
power becomes ten fold stronger and more
dangerous, Now the Executive has not the
actual but the legal custody only Of the public
purse barriers hitherto safe have been inter
posed This bill not only places the public
revenues in the legal but the actual custody
Of the Executive; it removes all BARRIERS, all
restrictions; it places the custody OF the pub
| lie purse in the hands Of those who will hold
their place at the will Of the President, who
has the power 10 remove at pleasure. Sir,
! will an American Congress place this fearful
power in the hands of the Executive Will
they place in the hands of the President, al
ready having the power of the snord'-thc
power of the .spurss" also For this bill
completely invests him with the power of the
purse" He will hold it in actual keeping.
| Will they commit their liberties TO the keep
ing OF any mani Will they trust such inn
mense and such fearful means Of mischief In
The hands of any Executive Magistrate
Mr. Chairman, shall make no professions
OF unboundcd confidence III any man. will
| not say that have more, or that have less
confidence in Mr. Van buren, than in other
men but, sir. this is power which would
not have committed to George Washington
| himself, or any man that ever lived, or now
| lives. Sir, will not commit my liberty to
the keeping of any man. | fear all, 1.-THE peo-
pie intend to preserve their liberties, they
should not commit them to the keepiug Of any
man; but keep them under their own imine-
diatc care and protection. A wise man said,
''cic,nal uafchfainess is The price which the
people pay for liberty" Sir warn them to
watch, and that necessarily if they do not
fearful will be the consequences. Mr., Chair
man, the patronage Of the Executive is al
ready sufficiently large for the safety of our
large it. While on this part Of the subject,
| cannot refrain from recurring to the fact,
that when General Jackson's protest to the
resolution Of the Senate, charging him with
violation of The constitution and the law, in
the removal of the public dcposiies from the
Bank of the United States, was construed
into claim for the Executive Of the actual
custody Of the public money, he immedi-
a,ely and Indignantly repealed it in short
explanatory message. This bill gives that
very custody which General Jackson indig-
nanty repealed. as desired by him. Mr..
Chairman. / trust shall be excused for recur-
ring to my own State, for assure the House
| do not mean it as in the slightest degree
invidious. But sir Virginia has always been
jealous Of the exercise of the powers of this
Government, and of the increase of Exccu-
tive power. From time to time, she has raised
her voice against it. Even while this consti-
tuition was under discussion in her convention,
many Of her patriotic and distinguished sons
resisted its adoption from jealousy Of the over
whelming power and influence which it would
imparl to this Government and the Exccu-
tive branch of it. Henry, with The thunders
of his eloquencc, denounced the constitution
as tending TO absorb all power into this CEN
trail Government Pass this bill, and you
take the most important step towards the full
| flment of his predictions. You at once, to
use his language, arm tho Government with
the power of the "srord end me PURSE"
which, fear, will ultimately prove too strong
for the liberties of the people. What might
no, an ambitious aspirant for dcspotic, uncon-
trollcd, and unlimited power, not do with such
means in his hands, Sir, if he wants money,
he has only to demand it at the hands Of lis
keepers. Ifthey refuse, he has nothing to
do but TO exercise his constitutional power
Of removal and then every obstacle is with
! drawn. And what security have we, that, in
the course Of time, some such man may not,
in the hour of popular infatnation and dclu-
sion, be elevated to the Executive chair
None sir, for history affords the important
lesson, that every tyrant, who has ever over
thrown the liberties Of his country. has done
| it under the hollow professions OF the good If
The people, and have often made the people
the dcluded victims Of their own destruction
1t is enough for me to see that this bill places
in the hands of the Executive. powers which
may be easily perverted to the most DANCE
who propose and those who advocate it, may
not have, and am sure entertain no such de-
sign. But sir, one of the panaccas held out
for the dangers which have adverted to, is
the reduction OF the expenditures of the Co
vernment to its actual economical wants.
Sir this measure has been often read to this
body; yet, as often as it has been read, the
expenditures Of the Government has as often
departed from the true principle Of economy.
From some cause or other our expenditures
constantly increase. For these extravagancics
in expenditures, do not hold the Executive
responsible. hold Congress responsible.
IL has almost uniformly appropriated largely
beyond tho Executive recommendations Up
on the subject Of appropriations, large num-
Der Of tho friends Of the late administration
voted for appropriations at war with its opin-
ions but whether sanctioned by the Exccu-