Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-05-17

ment, Gen. Jackson openly resisted u, and
said such measure was "worsc than the
Spanish inquisition." More, sir; he, in effect,
gave orders that it should not be tolerated.
Mr. Speaker, did not your cheek then mantle
with honest Indignation and if you had held
q seat here, instead OF the chair you occupy,
would you not have again exclaimed, lis the
Transatlantic doctrine, that the King can do
no wong 10 be introduced here Z" Or were
you constrained 10 admit that, under the
boastcd system of reform, "the pubic func-
tionaries OF the Government" are now "wrap-
ped up in the robes Of Office" and "hcld
irresponsible to the People or the Peoples
representatives"
Mr.. ID. said he hoped he had, by this time,
furnished some evidence to the House, md
to the gentleman from New Hampshire. Mr.
CUsnMAY,) in particular, ihat the exercise of
this printing patronage by Mr.. Adams hd-
niinistration, was not only questioned, but
openly condemned. The frienas Of Gen.
Jackson, so far from pretending that il was
impractlcable TO correct the abuse OF this
power, pledged themselves TO the country,
that they could md would, when in ma
jority, provide u remedy. lie would submit
it TO the People to say, whether this had been
done. Was it not notorious that the extent
Of this printing patronage had been greatly
enlarged under the present dominant party !
Is not the number Of newspapers in which
the laws arc printed very considerably i'll
creased Is not the ordinary printing pat
ronage Of the several departments far greater
now than formerly? And, as 10 the public
printing for Congress, it had so s"olicn,
under the promised retrenchment, that we
were almost induced to believe that the term
was used in irony by those from whom the
People expected economy.
now propose, MIR. Speaker, - show what
seductive influences this patronage over the
press carries with il; and, for this purpose,
must again invoke the aid of the Jackson
reformers, using their own arguments, and
the very language in which they adnIonislicd
the country of the base uses which would be
made of this power. hope gentlemen will
remember The remarks made on this subject,
and which have already given In the House,
from the soeccb of Mr.. Ii amlton, The chnir-
man Of the Committee on Reform. re-
served for the present branch olthe argument
u peculiarly striking and descriptive passage
in the speech Of Mr.. Houston, before alluded
TO. He undertakes to describe an honest,
independent editor, of good principles, and
deserved influence, and then adds, that such
an editor a. this
"May not be disposed bow bend his principles for
the sake of supporting particular ADMINISTRATION or
individual II may be necessary to certain riars ari
interests that such man this shOnLi lie gagged or
prosiraied In that case, u ver, pniuc e"'rsn would
be- 10 start "a new paper kw months before new
patronage Is TO be conirred 10 usc every cAeruon To
obtain tor IL SUFFICIENT number Of Subscribers Ia take
that, all hazards The paper be sustained
then 10 get or the editor and tristl icfow-a
fellow that will go the whole who Is troubled with no
principles any subject, but who vii support CERTAIN
AL. in
course of his own but will be rcsdy to ake his cue
from certain quarter. Afler getting him some one or
TWO hundred subscribers and nsg every eNpcdient TO
make him some character he must ihen have the prn-
ting o the laws token OF ho confidence Of the Gov.
ernneni, and thcn all viii be ready for action Sir,
will that such press j. To he esiaid shed and
paid for ofhe contingent fund am moi warranted
in such nm assertions hut say thai such r*w beginner
must have patronage, although be IN direct opposisfon
to the interest ard wishes Of the People"
Tins spoke Mr.. Houston in 1927. Let us
now pause for a moment, Mr.. Speaker, md
inquire whether those who know so well the
use and abuse of this power, have not proved
themselves skiliul adopts in its practical APP
plication. Let Us direct onr attention to the
official newspaper, the Globe, and see II
Mr.. Houston has not most ap,iy describe q
.'its rise, progress, and present state"
We know, sir, that ut the commencement
Of Gen. Jackson's Administration, the o!fic-
ial new spaper was the United States Fcle
graph, published by Duff Green. Things
went on pretty smoothly for a while, and IN.
ill. as was said, some jealous rivalry sprung
up between the then Vice President of the
United States and the present President, MI
Van Ruren. who was then Secretary OF Stale
It was said Green was suspected of cherish.
ing a stronger partiality for TIE Vice Presi.
dent than for the Secretary of State. But
do not profess to be familiar with the causes
of this family jar. Report said that the Felc-
graph was not discontinued abruptly, as the
official organ. but was gradually supplanted
by the Globe, and It's editor, Francis u. l}la:r,
brought here for that purpose from Kentucky.
Among the means resorted to for this pur-
pose, as complained fby the Telegraph, were
orders or requests to various Postmostcrs
throughout the country to furnish lists of its
subscribers. The Globe was then sent u
them, claiming to have the special confidence
of the party. In this way it was initiated IN
TO favor among the subscribers of the Fclc-
graph, and in due season the latter paper was
wholly abiured. | have no knowledge of nll
the measures taken "that et nll hazards the
paper be sustained" md will leave it for oth-
ers who know Francis r. Blair better than
do. 10 determine whether the Administration,
in furnishing an editor for the Globe, sue
cecded in getting "true md irusty fellow,
fellow that will go the whole who - uou-
bicd with no principles un any subject, but
who will support n certain interest through
thick and thin" This know, that the Al.
mnistratlon ios,crcd and cherished the Globe
with an immense amount Of patronage, AMI
in that way gave it strength aud influence
That paper was first published in 1881. The
whole amount paid for printing by the Execu-
tive Departments in 1882 and 1888 was 81 I3,-
BAG ~, of which si7,2i5 AZ were paid to The
Globe, aud the residue 10 various other print
ing establishments. editors, and publishers
ihrouclout the United States. In 1874 and
1885, the whole amount 80 paid was ss;}!N6
50 Of which SUN, part, say slOl'3 j"
was paid to the Globe. and the residue ngaih
divided as before. For tho next two years.
ending with September, 1881, the several
Executive departments paid out, for printing,
the enormous sum of Sii2 S0d 3 or this,
the Globe received s2i3sl ". and the bal.
ancc was divided snd subdivided-the spot
being thus given in due prorertions among
the whole pack, from ''tlic sturdy mns,'if that
howls at tho door Of the Treasury" dawn no
the most s.arvclng 'urnsplt that barks on u'o
farihest verge Of our frontier
! But IL will be observed that, so lar, ! nave
stated the an,onnt ofibe Erecnfre patronage
of the press only. In December. iS''o, tho
Globe obtained the printing Tor the iiouse o
Represe natives, and for the two yonrs end
=. H. ssn,h Csnten,ber. 1S.S7. lts editor