The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-05-15

day"
Mr. BoxD said be would not read the report 10 the
House but he hoped this notice Of IL might aid in
recalling IL TO public recollection, whereby il would
be seen how much had been proposed and how little
had been done Here, too II will be found, that in
| concert with their eo-laborers in the Senate, the
House reformers describe most graphically the ex-
tent and power OF patronage and for all theirdisco-
vered abuses they suggest remedies But Mr.. SPea-
ker great as this work Was represented 10 be, the
1 gentleman from New York MIR. Cambreleng) and
bis friends told the couniry in this report that they
had made only beginning, what IN hunters phrase
| Is called mere printing. They then inform US
that nothing more in the way OF reform could be done
by them until the People should drive from the ci
iadel of power those who then hed II and place Il
under the control Of those Jealous retormers. This
was done. This specious report, like It's twinsisier
Of the Senate was trumpeted aloud by It's friends
and at public expense under the order of the House.
many thousand copies Of il were scattered through
out the country The People read, and honestly be-
lieying il, took the alarm, and placed these refor-
mers in power
session for nine years, what has been done 7 Have
you reduced any expenditure, corrected any abuse
provided any restraint on the power Of paironagel
No sir, no. But, on the contrary, your party in
power have made all public expenditures greater
Than before You have practised the very abuses OF
power of which you complained, and have not pro-
vided any restraint on Executive patronage We
have thus practical illustration of the abuse of
sounding the alarm, gave only theoretic descrip-
tion.
MIR. b. said the resolution now under cunsidera-
still looked TO reform, and especially to the correc-
lion of the abuse Of power in regard TO the public
printing. The gentleman who offers il, MIR. Hop
kins, )though acting with the Administration gene
rally, Is not blind 10 the abuses which may be COM
mitied. he Is still demanding reform from princi-
pie, and is not satisfied that abuses have been cor
rected by simple change OF men, am surprised,
Mr. Speaker 10 find this resolution opposed by the
Administration The gentleman from New Hamp-
shire Mr.. Cushman) resisis il on most exIraordina
ny grounds He admits abuses but says il is i'm
practicable 10 correct them and therefore useless 10
pass the resolution. Is it possible that such an OBJ
lection can be openly ayowed and sustained here
The gentleman says it is the usage of party 10 dis
pose OF This patronage in its own way, and that he
never heard OF any complaint against MIR. Adamss
Administration for so doing. Here, sir, is another
open avowa OF the doctrine, that the spoils belong
TO the viciors."
Mr.. CusnMAS here explained, and observed he
had not said thespoils belong TO the victors
Mr., BOND admitted that the gentleman had not
used those identical words but this was the doctrine
Of the party with which he acted and Distinguish
ed member of that party, now the Governor Of New
York, (Mr. Marcy,) had when member Of the
Senate OF The United States openly used those terms,
and justified this usage Of party The friends Of the
Administration uniformly praeti@d under this pre-
cept whatever may be their theory. do not wish
To do the gentleman from New Hampshire any in
justice, and Will read from his remarks published,
and be will then have opportunity Of correcting
them, if enormously printed. The gentlemen is re-
ported as hoving said
II was well known, that since the establishment
Of the Government the dominant party whichever
il might b., had invaribly employed what has been
called II you please, partisan printers and partisan
editors Butachy saoaid they not do so? So long as
the Opposition had the predominancy, they used to
supply their own partisan printers and no complaint
was made about it: and aehy should any complaint
drtse noBAS He saw no reason tor it,"
Here then, / think, sir position is taken and
terms used in effect the same, and tending directly
10 the doctrine that the spols belong 10 the vicorsn
But can be possible that the gentleman thinks he is
correct and sustained by the facts when he says that
no complaint was made against Mr. Adams's admi-
nistraton on account of the exercise Of The printing
PATRONAGE Has he forgotten that Isaac Hill the
present Governor of his own State, was the editor
and publisher OF newspaper called 4"the New
Hampshire Patriot" and thai the discontinuance of
the publication Of the laws in that paper was consi-
dered SO outrageous persecution for opinions sake,
that il may almost be said have given him his sub
s,equent political elevation and consequence? The
discontinnance of Isaac Hill as printer of the laws
was occasioned too by his publishing libel The
lady of the President without the least semblance of
truth, and so grossly indecent that Mr. Randolph,
though jealous opposer of Mr. Adams, said il
ought not even to be read on this floor The occa-
sion however, was seized, 10 bring the subject Of
public printing under discussion in this House and
Mr. Saunders, Of North Carolina, introduced re-
what changes had been made in the newspapers
printing the laws together with his reasons for such
changes long and spirited debate followed and
as gentlemen seem 10 have such imperfect recoec-
ton of the events OF that day. little reference
may perhaps be usefuy made TO what was said in
that debate II will be observed that the resolution
Of Mr.. Saunders, and those who supported it, re-
qured reasons TO be given for removal from Office
Since they came into power however that doctrine
has been denied and repudated
Mr. BoND said he propoSad IN nroye hy this debate
that the present administration came into power de-
caring that the printing patronage of the Govern
yernment was inordinate and dangerous that it
ought to be restrained and regulated by law; and, in
fine, promising, if elevated to withdraw its exercise
from the Executive hands. The mover Of that re-
solution (Mr. Saunders) said:
81 trust / shall not be accused of getting up this
call for purposes OF effect nor be told this is small
business" " he was not TO be told that the pecunia
ry amount involved in this matter was too small 10
influence the editors of this country" "The total
sum thus distributed could not amount to less than
between twenty and thirty thousand dollars
" There were eighty :two papers employed in pub
fishing the laws" " il was not of the expense that
he complained but Of the purpose by which it was
controlled" IL wasthns calculated 10 operate and
did actually operate so far it went, to control the
freedom OF the press, and TO enlist throughout the
country that powerful instrument in behalf Of the
views of the State Department In this respect it
was much more efecual and much more dangerous
than the far famed alien and sedition laws"
Mr.. Saunders concluded by saying that it was his
intention TO take this power from the State Department,
and place it elsewhere" A member from Tennessee,
(Mr Hous,on afterwards Governor of that State and
now the President Of Texas, sustained Mr. Saunderss
resolution, and denied the right Of the Secretary of
State TO change the publication Of the laws for opinions
sake He alleged that the practice Of that Department
had been 10 allow an individual who night be person
ally opposed to the views and opinions of the Head Of
the Department if he was honest and capable pub
he IN tain pl He sked & nchan