The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-05-17
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRE-
sENTATIvES.


SPEECH OF Mr.. BOND, OF Ono,
Upon Mr.. Hopkins Resqlution, 10 dirOrcche Gorera
alent from The Press.
(coNTSuED)
Mr.. BOND said he would not stop to inquire
whether we did not realize, in the present official
organ, the Globe, "that sturdy mastif that howls
at The door of The Treasury" Mr.. Hamilton con-
linued
lis il necessary that the Executive should have q
Government press to bepad for by the People out
public Golfers, 10 sustain the measures OF the Admins
traton, whether right wrongl IT" said he, g a
Secretary Of State apply the patronage Of the
Government TO nouIsh TO yenal accord eighty two
presses in our country praise every thing the Admi-
nsraton should do and subject their propretors the
punishment Of the loss Of this patronage II they dare to
censure its measures, this forms distinctly Govern
men press, which is alarming to the liberties Of
the People than the organization of the whole of Gen
Browns army Of six thousand men, formed into guard
OF the palace II eighty-two presses be made to
speak it in voice that all that the Govern
ment does is excellent and all those who are opposed
to them say is false and actous, this constant COM
bined and concerted language will have tendency
to make those who hear little else believe all this
true"
Mr. BOND hoped the House would pardon him for
this long extract Mr. Hamilton, from whose speech
il Is taken, was at the time friend Of Gen. Jackson
and zealousy engaged in eevating him TO power.
LII ueSCTlUlnR tle government patronage over
the press, that gentleman said he was merely warn
ing the country OF dangers which might be realized,
II no restraint was imposed on that patronage. Gle
neral Jackson was elevated, and MIR. Van Buren,
succeeded him, and is now in power. Instead of
tighy-two presses thus employed by the Government,
they have now considerably upwards of one hun
bred, and the patronage is held and exercised with
cut any manner of check or restraint In this sure
", the country was disappointed.
But you, also, Mr. Speaker took part in this de-
btte and warnP1 the n the daDppr pf this
patronage, and the necessity Of restraining il. /
hope sir it will not be out of order TO draw on your
remarks, in aid of my present purpose. The senti
mnts you expressed are perfectly Just, and must
command the appreciation Of all impartial minds
have preferred sir, sustaining the resolution now
under consideration by the arguments and illustra-
tiohs OF the friends of General Jackson rather than
TO attempt any new suggestions
You will remember, Mr.. Speaker that some friend
of Mr.. Clay, the then Secretary of State intimated
thathe resolution of Mr. Saunders savored somewhat
of the Spanish inqusition AT thiSyou indignation
was aroused, and you exclaimed
" lnquistoria, sir And has the time arrived this
country when it is deemed inquisoria respectfully to
ask public officer who is responsible 10 the People
whose representatives are, for the public reasons
mot the private motves) of his public conduct! Is
insulting demand Of public officer to explain and
for his conductl Is the transatlantic doctrine,
that "the King can do no wrong" to be introduced
here Though we have alien and sediton laws,
we 10 nave WIat lhnlamOuft 10 tneIn inc pup
lie functionares of the Government to be wrapped up
the robes of office, and to be held irresponsible to the
People or the Peoples representatives? And are all
those who have frmness and Independence enough fear
essy to inquire into the conduct public men, and the
manner in which the public money is expended, TO be
denounced by the parsans and see adherents Of the
house that regns, actous oppositionists Sir.
(you continued, Mr. Speaker) this power Of appointing
the public printer is improperly lodged where is It
so, y, J." >ce. raiess N ahase and may be
That being the case, you proposed, sir, 10 " re-
move this power of appointment from the Depart
ment of State, and vest il somewhere else, where II
would be more safely and properly exercised" The
country is aware, MIR. Speaker, that yon have CONT
nued to be member Of this House ever since you
made the remarks Just quoted, now more than eleven
wears Some expectation was cherished that you
would when in majority here, practise under these
opinions and remove this printing patronage from
the Department of State, and vest il somewhere else,
where il would be more safely and properly eXer-
cised" am sorry, sir, that this public expectation
has been disappointed can only account for il by
suppoSng thai your various political engagements
and high public station have withdrawn your atten-
ton from this important subject. There is some
consolation in knowing that you have now an oppor-
tunitv Of redeeming your pledge and the friends of
Ietrenchment and reform indulge the hope that you
will do it.
Ihope you sir, will not think this an inquiso-
rial" measure 1t is indeed true that when the re-
representatives. of the People, during the last session
of Congress- attempted to look into the departments
of the Government General Jackson openly resisted
it. and said such measure was worse than the
Spanish inausition" More sir he, in effect, gave
orders that il should not be tolerated. Mr.. Speaker
did not your cheek then mantle with honest indigna
ton and if you had held seat here, instead OF The
chair YOU occupy, would you not have again ex-
claimed "Is the transatlantic doctrine, that the
King can do no wrong to be introduced here?" Or
were YOU constrained to admit that, under the boast
ed system of reform, 7" the public functionaries OF
the Government are now wrapped up in the robes
of Office" and held irresponsible to the People or
the Peoples representatives
Mr. B. said he hoped he had, by this time, fur
nished some evidence TO the House, and to the gen
tleman from New Hampshire, (Mr. Cushman,) in
particular, that the exercise of this printing patron
age by Mr. Adams's Administration, was not only
questioned, but openly condemned. The friends of
General Jackson, SO far from pretending that II was
impracticable 10 correct the abuse OF this power,
pledged themselves to the country, that they could
and would, when in majority, provide remedy.
He would submit to the People TO say, whether this
had been done Was it not notorious that the ex-
tent of this printing patronage had been greatly en-
laIged under the present dominant party : Is mol
the number Of newspapers in which the laws are
printed very considerably increased Is not the or
binary printing patronage of the several departments
far greater now than formerly And, as to The pup
lie printing for Congress, ii had SO swollen, under
the promised retenchment, that we were almost IN
duced to believe that the term was used in irony by
those from whom the people expected economy ;.
Inow propose, Mr. Speaker to show what sednc-
tive 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 ad,
moniShed the country Of the base uses which would
be made of this power. / hope gentlemen VIII re,
member the remarks made on this subject, and
which have already given 10 the House, from the
speech of Mr. Hamilton the chairman o! the Com
mittee on Reform. reserved for the present branch
of the argument peculiarly striking and descrip-
tive PASSAGE in the speech of MIR Houston, before