Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1838-05-31

growing hitlc volume" Sut It has grown
more rapidly IN the uiue years Of this Govern
mvut, administered uu6er The advice Of MIR
r Benton ana h.S lEssids. thAa At dad IA duu5l,
That timc. before uIey came into power.
prescott 40" sir. Tor Nopr Inspection, the Blue
Book Ter lSs~, aud that tor the ia.t wear,
1897. u ., plan. that the last !, nearly or
quite double the sixr II tho former; aud #
toe coricn', Il the tso ar- compared, The
uuruher OF ,Ecc- h1idcr,, their salaries, and
compcL.atiou, ito various div i.ious and sub
diNist'us 81 cNerV Department, n viii he seen
mat under ih,s boosted sN.tem Of retTenCh-
ment ani rttegm, nothing has been ourtaied,
bat. on tie ruutrarN. great incroasc in The
number uf o.tce-hOiters with increased saia-
RES. To thts, to-, j. 20 Dc added most
alarming addition 90 all TIC public ex2endi-
lures # the country, greatly exceeding 10
amount the expense. OF that Administration
wh,rh wa- charged - ~astcfui' And a this
statc of thine, J. tot checked IN time, VIC may
,ci realize ihpt ihi' Blue Book not ouly .'cur.
respond. with. " but IA, actually become, the
Red Book CT Monarchy" IA this cur boasjed
republic!
Mr. Benton. N ~ report eNh,bi,. list
taken from the Blue Book of l-15. Of al the
officers, with their salaries. at a.. Custom
house a. the city Of Nc~ YORK. The number
thu, given - ono hundrel aud seNcnty-four.
HitN iitf isc ofnnufA OF lLrT con NFu~a-
uon ., stated sIl9 go D. he then excIaiu,
"a flrmr:,blc h,t indeed - formidable IN
number and s'ii more - from the vast
sn.ouot 81 'n"nsv ~. th~,r hsrd> Tire act,o-
OF such bo5y ~ men, supposiry them % he
animated hy one spirii. musk be tremcul nus
ga 81 election aud thst they viii be 80 ava.
mated - Prorp,Iiiun too PLAIN So need de
monstr7t'0r Power cier n Mans support
hssolways bern held md admitted To hr pow.
er over hi- will. The President has power
over the support OF al ihcss officers, and
they again have power over the support Of
debtor merchant, 10 the amount of ten NIL
lions 81 dollars per anrurr. snd over tho daily
support Of au immense number az intivItuais
professional. mech,u,cai. and tay-labor,ng. TO
whom thcy can and viii eX eud or deny \
valuable private az vel ss public patronage,
according "a the part ihey shall act Ia State
a, vel a. ~ Fvderal elections "
Anl to al thi- The report st,Il ad1s ,he W
vll and Military Establishment. The Judiciary.
the Post Oile-. and presses. with what % calls
the unknown and uuknowah'c lit of inbher ID,
aNd contractors; and the still more in,cTuia-
be list Of eEPcc,ant. Who are waiting Tor
dead mep's shoes.' and willing In the
, mean while 70 DO any thing that the living
men wish" Having thus glowinsly de-
scrihed the state of patronage. and tho sub.
scr'ient league and unprinci pied devotion Of
The oiEce-holders Mr. Benton then saw;
" The power q patronage. unle,. chez ked
by the vigorous interpretation Of Congress.
mast - Oh increasing. until Federal influence
IN MANY parts Of this Confederation vii pre-
dominate in elections - completely a. British
influence preiomirates in the elections 81 scot.
land ard Ireland, IN rotten borough towns,
and IN the grea; naval stations Of Portsmouth,
ara Plymouth"
We are sl.o told by Mr. Bcnton that "lhe
whole Of this great power will centre ~ the
President" and The report then warns the
country ~ these Impressive terms
1.-THE King Of England i,ihs fountain OF
honor the President % the United states i.
, the source Of patronage. He pre.iJcs over
. Tho entire system Of Federal appointments.
lohs and contracts; he las power over the
, support Of INC indisituals who administer the
system. tie axes and unnskcsthen tie chu.
ses from the circle ofhi,frient. and supporters,
and may tismi<, iiem. and upon a. Iihe prime b.
P'cs ui numau artIeu, triH dismiss them IS often
- t"s drap0c1ri %, expectations us spa,
viii animate their actions 81 all the eIeciior.
10 Sldis and FSlsioi Offices. There NAV he ey.
cepuors. bat tie truth % general rilly q,
proved by the exception The intended check
and control ~ the senate. Without net- eortfi.
faiionai ~ statutory prorluon' ir.N cc1's 10 ops-
rIie. Patronage triH penetrate "a bodp subduc
, power, ard enable the Pfesrleut to rule rs
ea-iiy and much more securely with than
without the nominal check Il the Senate."-
1--WE must look forward ~ the time " hen the
nomination. Of the President can carry any
: man through tie senate and his recommend.
ation can carry any measure through the two
Houses &C Congress; when the principe al
public action viii be open and avovsd the
: Presid~ut wants nv vote, and want hi' ~
irouage J t-iH rte - h. rrirLss. an1 hs t-il
cir. uis fhr rfTcs I t-i 3 f5r. What viii this be
hpt Tee GJscrumcbt Of enc nan AID What o,
the Government 81 one man bot uiouprc h,s
Nir Bovr said De hoped tie House would
pardon hin FOR Cesdirg from this report these
passage. which 50 happily illustrate The
growt1 and power 0f patronage. They were
referred 60 for ihe purpose of sustaining TIE
allegation which he h1t made. that ihe pre-
sent domio7nt r1r'y progressed 10 entertain So
rtous fears for the perpc'uity az security on
our Institutions arG hlrrv if this public pa.
. ironacs was not checked or re.trsirsd by
some statutory remedies. which they submit
trd iar confederation, nd promised 90 aiopt
% az some convenient sca'ou. " placed in pow.
cr. well sir. they succeeded. and got th'
Standardization NJ cur tnvcrumcrt into their
. owe hands ard What has TIE country real
Ztf' why, the number ~ Cusioni-hcusc o.
I Gcsrs 70 sew Ygra hss rroap from ~ "a
fi4' ord their compensation Il increased
, frum $1,000 70 70 500 GO 81 Bet. be-
sides their stated compensation, - appc1r
(. tlat 90 the year 1896 thr various spboTd,nst,
I officers of tho New YORK custom house were
y allowed alrrz them upwards ~ SO 900 80
Ar1 ihe collector ~ PAiis'c igiia. during o.,
: same yr-f. frrrifrd beyond DC salsrv. uf-
wsfis ~ $4,000, tlc some officer bro Boston
upwards 90 ~ 300. md macy others ,crJ
e considerable sums, which sill rot take time
2 90 specify.
We thus realize TIE irorii0iie sri dagger.
= op- increase in this bfa0eh of plironae- fore
. told bv the report Wtat his been done "a
limit and restrain Ibis patronage Where B.
"a The 1sipfrig fcusdf the biH which wss report
ID for that purpo.e' SIR q has bad quiet re-.
pose. oud hos never hern iesf3 C since o.,
sBcrets of"tho party" Tire moment powci
was obtained. The admission made IN ne fe
port. thut Tie senate had control over ar-
p0inimenr. &c denied LOO praclire. audihe figbl
I n'ssffsd by The committee. 20 cail 90 the Pre-
sidrnt W. bic reasons ie case 70 removal
from office, BE- now tr0fed Of md condemned
by Nr Eertn1. Mr Van Buren,. nnd ths
= whole p7riy vho made ar approved hat re-
1 port Mr.. Van buren, vas one az the rom.