The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1838-06-07
Debate I'm the
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.
Speech or mr.. Bond,
(oF OIn0,l

he Government from The Press.
Mr.. Bond said he rejoiced that The a.
lenlion of The House and Of The country
was again invited 20 lhe subjecl Of re-
trenchment and reform. lie vas aware
Ina, these terms had become somewhat
hackneyed, and he almost feared ulas
,heir frequent repetition here had render
ed them lrise and unmeanlng. They had
been used, as WAS well known, with
erea, effect, 10 put down one Adminislra-
linn and elevate another. That end be-
ing attained, they seemed 10 have per-
formed their Office. so far al least as me
party now in power are concerned. All
must admit that we have no practical re-
renchment or reform.
Mr.. B. said he wished gentlemen nos
in power 10 admit that they had amused,
il not deceived, me people Of this coun-
Try with smere fancy sketch" II they
would not make this concession. then he
called upon them TO specify any relrench-
ment or reform which they had accom-
plished. But. sir. if they Gail in This. rs
l think they must. then ] demand their
reasons for not carrying gu. their great
and salutary system Of reform. FOR which
they stand solemnly pledged before ihs
country.
am unwilling TO believe lhasshe terms
relrenchmenl and reform have loa their
Just and virtuous sense. The people Of
this country will determine whether the
necessity for such measures had passed
away with the simple elevation Of certain
men 10 power. e
You, Mr.. Speaker, mus. be well aware
that something more than this was pro-
missed. You professed. sir. / mean The
party with which you acl. professed 10 BE-
moved by the purest and most sacred re-
gard for the welfare Of the people. We
find recorded here. and in the Senate, a
solemn pledge to carry into effect a sys-
tema,ic reform. il you should be placed
in power. This was done, sir. in March
1929. and you have held undis,urbeJ poe
session ever since. During lhal time.
now going on ten years, wha. par Of POUR
pledge has been redeemedi s.
desire to conduct the discussion fair
", and with entire accuracy as 70 facts.
wish so To state them, too, thai al may
form Just opinion in relation to The sim
certify and good faith of those whose con-
duct may be brought under review.
Was it really true, sir, that the expen-
ditures Of the government were unneces-
sarily large! Had the President too
much power, and was there necessity
for restraining il! Was the patronage Of
The government so enormous as to require
cheeks to be placed on il! Was this pat.
ronage used for political ends, especially
the patronage Of the press! Was it true
that the freedom Of the press and the Sc
curity of our liberty demanded that The
printing patronage should be Withdrawn
from the several Departments, and the
State Department in PARTICULAR
ALL these inquiries are suggested by
the declarations and avowals Of the pre-
sen, dominant party when they soueh,
for elevation. But lest gentlemen nav
have forgotten the precise charges made
against Mr.. Adams's Administration. 4
beg leave to read from certain documents
of this House and Of. the Senate, in which
these griefs and complaints, with the pro.
missed reforms, are duly recorded.
The first, in point Of time, is a report
made to the Senate in 1926, by a seiec,
committee (of which ME-. Benton was
chairman,) Ito which was referred .
proposition TO inquire into The expedien-
cy Of reducing the patronage of The Exc
cu,ive Government Of the United States"
In this document Mr.. Benton reports:
"That, after mature deliberalion, the
committee are Of opinion that il is expe-
diem, to diminish or to regulate by law
the Executive patronage Of the Federal
Government, wheneverishe same can be
done consistently with he provisions of
the constitution, and without impairing
the proper efficiency Of the government.
Acting under this conviction. they have
reviewed as carefully as time and other
engagements would permit them TO do.
the degree and amount Of patronage now
esercised by the President. and have ar
rived at the conclusion that the same may
and ought 10 be diminished by law"
For this purpose that committee then
reported sis bills; one Of them proposed
to regulate The publication of the laws
and Of public advertisements; another had
this imposing tide" bill 70 secure IL