Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-12-13
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

~
Toe, has fewer strong prints, either of attraction OF
repulsion than any similar document which has
emanated from the Executive Department. for many
years.
MI Van Burcn aiheres TO his previously EXPIRE ssed
opinion upon tile great controvercd question OF
the day, as we supposed he would with deci.
sion, but in subdued and moderated tone and
may well be doubted whether this show OF lirmness
is not attributable 10 the peculiarly of his position
rather than TO the conviction of his "sober second
thought" lie had so FAR committed himself TO
sink OF swim" with that division Of his party b,
which his proposed financial policy is sustained, and
they have fully pledged themselves TO abide the
issue which they have made up, before the people.
on that great and vital question, that he could not
! if he would abandon his ground. Like Macbeth he
has gone so Ear. that 1t would be mote difficult and
disastrous retreat than 10 COON.
But there is none of that bold and nsoent dog
ma,sm in his manner aud but little of thai party
cant, which characterized the Messages Of his IL
lusirous predecessor" and om which his own have
not been heretofore so entirely EXEMPT. We he'll
this indication Of unusual moJcsy in our Chief Ma
glstrate as favorable that the days of Ex-
ecutive omnipotence are numbered and that the
President, who in danger of being rnised by
the success with which the attempts of Gen. Jack
son to mould aud 10 lead public opinion we've so fre-
qaently crowned, begins 10 the necessity OF de-
iening some~ hat TO that "sober second thought of
his constituents which, so far from, rafying, as
he had hoped would, his efforts consolidate EN-
ecutve Power by the concentration of the Purse and
the Sword in the same hands, has iebuked the at
temp, in voice of deep toned thunder 1t is only
qusiie that the States which have 10 indicate their
opinions, shall concur in this condemnation to rem
der the triumph ofihe Popular Will over Executive
Dctation complete, and to maintain that santary
equilibrium between the several Departments Of the
Government deemed necessary by the wise trainers of
Constitution in order to protect the Liberties of
tie people, aud to ensure the perpetuiiy of our
free institutions in their original purity and yigor.
Notwithstanding Mr.. Van Buren, still recomme nds
the Sub Treasury scheme. il will be seen that lie
Is not altogether opposed TO Bank agency. How
his new allies, of the Calhoun school, who go for
total dirorce," aud who allege that all connection
between the Government and the Banks is uncoaSG-
tati0nal, will relish this suggestion. shall ven
turc to predict. lfthey honest they will be com
PEELED 10 dcnounce this partial abandonment by the
administration, of its original ground For what
sort OF c,roree is that, which permits occasional,
perhaps frequent and possibly permanent conncc-
ton between the Banks and the Government 1T
cannot be doubted that if the Government may al
ways resort to the agency of Banks, when it can
accomplish financial operation better with their
aid than without" there will scarcely ever be peri
cd when this connection will not exist. Is this the
kind Of - dirorcc" which Mr. Calhoun deems so i'm
portaut We shall soon, perhaps, In the
mean while, would advise the SUD Treasury
Wings" who follow the tortuous windngs Of their
Ma.nus Apollo with such meek fidelity, TO fo,bear
| an expression Of opinion upon this question until
they sLa see the movements of their fugleman.-
They may, else,-as they have been hcrerolore,-be
compel ed to change their "position," eat their
words Believing ourselves, however, that Mr.. Cal
houn is not honest III his course but that he is
tualed by The most purely selfish ambition-that lie
has eagerly ayailed himself ola pietext, scarcely
plausible enough to veil his real motives, 60
10 the Administration, that he may be the heir Of It's
fortunes, and that by aid he may reach the Presi
Dental Chair. which he could have done, he
well knew, had he continued to act with his @ late
allies" whom he trcacherously deserted just as
they were on the eve of yictory-enteraining this
opinion of Mr. Calhoun, we have doubt that he
will sanction this pat of the Message, as well as the
rest, and make an Ingenious metaphysical argument
10 prove that when he said DIVORCE" he meant any
/ hing but separaon- just as he now proves that
he was friend of State Ri ghs when he made war
upon the Virginia doctrines Of '93-hat he deem
ed National Bank unconstitutional, when, being
sworn to support the constitution, he voted for it
that he was hostile to a Tariff when he supported
! I,,, by h,
General Government when lie earnestly urged a vast
and splendid system Of roads and canals upon the pat
ronase Of Congress But truce to this disres-
sion.
Mr.. Van Buren, adverts to the recent heavy de-
f4lcaou of Mr.. Swartwout, the late Collector at New
York who was appointed by Gen Jackson, upon his
approved principle OF rcwarling friends aud punish
ing enemies, aud to make room for whom Jonathan
Thompson, honest breahed, and
! against whom other crime could be alleged than
that he preferred another than Gen. Jackson as
President, removed from office. The result OF
this experiment" has cost the Government a mil
lion and quarter Of dollars and, what is most
astonishing, aud strongly shows the necessity Of Re
form, is the fact, stated by Mr.. Van Buren, that Mr..
Swartwout commenced abs,racung the public funds
soon after his appointment, and continued il for
seven years Is it possible that this systematic and
long continued plumber of the "spoIls' could have
escaped detection, if The Treasury officers had