The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-05-17

sum, warning from 100 TO 200 dollars was annually
expended by the Secretary OF the Navy IN me puf-
chase of books for his office, most OF them having no
appropriate relation 10 the naval service OF he coun
trv such as reviews, magazines and other periodi-
cal publications and the fashionable literature OF The
dayn This usage was, OF course, TO be abolished
Has il been2 beg leave to read few items from
MIR. Secretary Dickersons contingent expense ac-
count for 1887
ID volume Repertory OF Patent inventions, ~ 90
ID do Southern Literary Messenger, 90
One-fouril OF Audubon's Birds, l65 90
Audnbons Birds. SIS 90
No l. Indian Biography, %
North American Review, 90
No. A. Indian Biography, 90
One No of American Scenery, 10
$3.50 rs
Here is display OF The fashionable literature" IN
which Mr. Secretary Dickerson INDUCES himself and
his clerks at the public expense wish the gentleman
from New York, tMr. Cambreeng) who aided IN con-
cocting the report from which have just quoted, would
inform us what appropriate relation" the books and
reviews just mentioned have TO the naval service!
But what means the item Zone fourth OF Audubon's
Birds Why sir understand tina, neither OF the four
Secretaries being willing TO take the responsibility
us unit !" they agreed to divide il The cost to the
people is the same il all comes from the "pubc co
fers = And the mode Of doing the thing proves that
the Secretaries felt that lis expedency and proprety
were questionable. ! have read somewhere, perhaps
IN SleTne WOIks, all lHClutilt
trates this transaction As recolect the story, the
Abbess Of Andoulets and Margaretta, novice, made
little Journey together in vehicle drawn by mules
AS the evening approached they deserted by Their
mue,cer when ascending hill. The mules presently
became stubborn, and stopped. The travellers wen
greatly alarmed and in their dilemma, the novice SAID
that there certain words which, she had been
told, would force these animals on the moment they
heard them but then the words were sinful Tie
novice urged, and she gently whispered the words
bouger" and louter.p The Abbess, in her distress,
turned casuls aud said they only yenal slight
sin, which might be divided; and by taking half, and
leaving the rest, BY taking all and amcably hawng
il betwxt yourself and another person. would become
diluted into no sin at all Therefore, my dear dangh-
ter continued the Abbess will say bon, aud thou shalt
say ger; and thou shalt say foa, and will say Rr.-
Accordingly, the Abbess giving the pitch note on bon,
Margaretta responded ger; Margarea continued with
fou, and the Abbess drawled out ter; but still the
mules stood They do not understand us, cried Mar.
garetta but the devil does, said the Abbess And
think, Mr. Speaker that these reforming Secretaries
will find that they understood IN their patent mode
OF reform, and, particularly, that the people will not be
gucd into the approval Of unauthorized expenditure
by dividing its amount among the Departments.
BY this time, think is apparent, that the duty de-
wolves on the gentleman from New York (Mr. Cambre-
leng) not only to account for his voting against the
in regard to the compensation OF MEMBERS but
also why is that "a udlcons system OF reform" has
GERS themselves" whereby the country might realize
what was promised by the gcnteman's report-"a re.
ducton Of third Of the number Of clerks IN the seys
raj Departments, with safety to the public interest"
We will now look TO the Post Office Department.
The General Post Office as it was then Called had the
good fortune only escape tho consure, but
list tho praise, Of that fault finding leave u for
those who familiar with the motives and political
currents Of that day, to account for this. The com
mee said OF 1.-THE efficiency Of this branch of the
al
proving My first remark on this is, that the Post
Office Department passed into the hands of General
Jackson in healthy and efficient state "A few years,
under his REFORM reduced it to chaos and insolvency
The details OF It's Encouragement have been long since
proved. The evidence is on file here and IN the Sc
nate, with the reports Of the several committees APP
pointed to investigate its abuses. refer gentlemen to
the files, and will dwell the various abuses which
were designated and established. Their enormty,
pied with the fact Of the borrowing money public
account by the Postmaster General, without law or
authority, alarmed the country But bad all this was,
and used the pecunlay patronage had been, to con-
fer personal benefits favorltes, until the disorder and
insolvency Of the Department became apparent, still the
political uses which had been made Of the appointing
patronage were not disclosed, and never will he.
The present Postmaster General, Amos Kendall, tells
his account Of the late destruction of that Depart
ment by fire, that all the books papers, and files Of the
Department saved, except the " files of the sap
poln,ment Office" and that these destroyed
In the first six years of General Jackson's Admin
istraon, about 1900 postmasters were removed from
Office and, in most Of the cases without the assign
ment Of any cause When certain members of the
committees of the Senate and House, appointed, in
1888 4 to investigate the abuses of that Department,
attempted TO get at the files and correspondence Of
this Appointment office with view to ascertain
and report whether the reasons for these removals
were prompted by high and just public conSidera-
tons, or by mere party political expediency, they
were denied the right by the head of the Depart
ment and by the friends of the Administration, who
composed a majority on one OF these committees!
Was not this inquiry just? | refer you, sir, 10 Mr..
Benon's famous report and bill providing for the
disclosure of reasons in case OF removal from Office
refer you, Mr.. Speaker, 10 your own remarks, and
to those OF your trends in the debate on Mr.. Saun-
ders's resolution, which have already quoted. But,
above all refer you to the remarks of the illuSti
Gus Madison unrivalled as he was in the knowledge
OF the letter and spirit of Constitution and laws,
and in purity and honesty of purpose. As early as
l7S9 in the memorable debate the power OF the
Executive TO remove from Office, he not only denied
the right TO exercise this right caprciously, and with
ont assigning adequate reasons, but he thought II
would be such bold assumption Of lawless power,
that he thus expressed himself own il is an
abuse of power which exceeds my imagination, and
of which can form no rational conception"
But when Mr.. Van Buren, and Mr. Benton (both
Of whom were on the committee which reported the
bill to prevent the abuse of this patronage of APP
pointment) came into power this changed their tone,
il not their principles. Removals from office imme-
diatcy followed, and they deny any obligation to
assign reasons Is il not strange too, nay, is it not
mysterious, that, in the conaagration of the Post
Office the only papers and files destroyed should be
those relating the exercise il not the abuse, Of the
power of removal from otice-the very papers
which The Postmaster General refused TO suffer the
Committees of Investigation 10 examined
said Mr. Van Buren, changed his tone on this
subject will al once prove it, The journal of the
Senate shows that he was one of the Selec; Commit
tee who reported the bill already referred To- He
entered the Office Of Secretary OF State with the
of General JackSons AdminiSira-
tion. One of his first official acts was the removal
of a meritorious clerk from his office in tina, De-
and posture reluSak 70 aSsgn ann