Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-05-17

After hiIl deliberoti0n, ms professional opIn-
ion was obtained in writing. u happened
that General Jackson felt some concern about
the location of this right OF way, and he ex-
pre sscd an opinion on tho same point, requir-
ing termination Of the road, which the com.
pany did NOT wish, and which Mr.. Butler had
advised them they need not adopt. Gen.
Jackson was furnished with the opinion OF
The Attorney General; but, instead OF yield
ing, he endorsed on il, "Mr. Butler hns not
examined this case with his usual care let
this paper be referred back to him,wi,h copy
OF the charter, for his re-examination." In
due time, sir, the Attorncy-General agrees
with the President, and gives IA opinion 10
conformity with that which Gen. Jackson had
expressed! After this, Mr.. Speaker, we
need not be surprised at the absurd opinion
Of MIR. Butler, given as a foundation or jnsii.
lication for Gen. Jackson to pocket the bill
repeating the Treasury circular, and which
had passed both Houses of Congress almost
by acclamation. Nor, indeed, should we be
astonisbed at any opinion Of his, unless he
should have happened to give one different
from what he supposed the President wanted.
| wish, now, to make a few comments on
the professions and practice Of Mr.. Amos
Kendall, late Fourth Auditor, and now Post
master General. This gentleman, you know,
sir, was an eleventh. hour Jackson man. lie,
however, was among the first who got Office;
and Immediately hftcr his appointment, let
ter Of his is published, in which, af(cr holding
himself aud a. few friends up as having been
prosecuted, he exclaims, "what has Heaven
done? So disposed Of events, as to make
Barry Postmaster General, and myself a mere
humble Auditor" AS to Mr.. Barry, no mat
ter "what events" made him Postmaster Ge-
neral, we know that under his management
that department was deranged and rendered
/ insOlvent
But now for this "hun,ble Auditor" or, ns
from lis own question, he is sometimes Called
'this Ileayen-born" Amos. II history does
him Justice, it will be found that he desired
Office under Mr.. Clay, which, it not being in
the power Of the latter TO provide, Mr.. Ken
dali cspoused the cause of General Jackson.
In this letter Of Mr.. Kendall, he says:
81 feel bound by my obligations to my country, and by
the pledges ocn repeated by all che principal men OF
our party, promote with all m, talents and industry,
the reforms which ths People demand. will prove
that our declarations have not been hollow prcteices-
l'esidc- hold the interference OF Federal officers Win
State politics to BE- improper in principle"
For the reform under this last paragraph,
! refer you to Mr.. Kendall's letters and toasts
sent to various political meetings and dinners
throughout the country, for few years past,
on the eve Of State elections.
When Mr.. Kendall entered upon the duties
Of his Auditors office, he caused to be pub
lshcd in the United States Telegraph the
then official organ, letter, in which he says,
| "'rhe interest Of the country demands that
this Office shall be filled wiihme Of business,
and not with tobtiing politicians" Sir, the
whole letter was the work Of bdbbling poll
| -, Ja,,opo1 c,r pnlticul M
| dcmagogue ends, which the writer, in the
same breath, suid he had quit and left for
| others will read n few passages from It,
"In five days have returned TO the post Of
/ fee twenty letters and three pamphlets, en-
closed to the Fourih Auditor, and directed to
| other persons." How long after this letter
was it before Mr.. Kendall, for the purpose Of
building up the Globe newspaper, and the
fortune Of his friend Francis p Blair, (another
eleventll-hour Jackson mnn, whom he had
brought from his former residence at Frank
fort, Kcntucky,) sent under his frank to Ken
tucky, and perhaps elsewhere, the prospectus
Of this newspaper?
Il In that same letter Mr.. Kendall also says
"Upon entering ,hi, Office OH Monday last, of the
first objects which struck my eye was pile Of news
papers my table. Among them, counted sixteen
different papers, VII of which was told were subscribed
by the Fourth Auditor and paid for out Of the Trea
| sury."
| lie sent them back, as he then stated, with
n note to caeh Of which the following is o
copy:
II Tar, ,suny DErAnrMHNr,
II FouRru AuDIron's OrrIcr, N,RcH 81, 1929.
sIR Not believing that am authorized TO charge the
Government with subscriptions to wsp8pers and other
publications, which not useful in the discharge
of my official duties; and not pcrceivng that can de-
rive any assistance from your Journal in settling the
.ff Islfs hay In
YOU will discontinue sending it TO this Office.
/ Very respectfully, your ohedeni servant,
AMOS kENDALL.
Here, Mr.. Speaker, is q fine display of the
"pride, pomp, and circumstance" Of Office,
| if not of official insolencc. But yesterday he
was himself the editor and publisher Of a
ne wspnper; he next appears, in his own Ian
guage, an stumble Auditor" But, sir, does
not the letter Just read show that he had for
gotten his humility, and become puffed up
with official consequence!
Why did he not simply tell his brother
editors, in brief and respectful language, that
he had discontinued the subscription for their
paper?
But further thought is suggested BY this
letter to Mr. Amos Kendall, and his reason
for discon,inuing newspaper subscriptions
lie is now, sir, Postmaster General. Sup.
pose we look at the statement of the contin-
gent expenses Of his Office for the last year.
DO you think we shall find any subscriptions
for newspapers there "paid for out Of the
Treasury ?" Listen to fow items:
Southern Literary Messenger, $1,000
N. Y. Journal of Commerce 10 90
Allegheny Democrat I4sI.
Pcnnsylvsnian 500
Indian Biography 600
Metropolitan Magazine 8 90
Three copies Of the Daily Globe -! 30 90
Richmond Enquirer 500
Sundry others which ] will not stop to
name the whole number being twenty or
upwards, and the total OF subscription within
a small fraction of 5000! lie was frighten-
ed at a pile Of Is newspapers. but he can
now take 20 at a dose! Can it DO possible
that man. who came into offics declaring
like the Pharisce OF old, that 'he was not
like other men," and would even tithe ''min,,
and cummin," begins already to "neglect the
weigl,ier matters Of the law?" What be-
comes of his inflated promise "to prove" that
his declarations had not been hollow pretcn-
ces?" Of what value was his declaration,
made in his letter before referred to, md in
which lie says, swain may be, proud | am,
that the President has given me an opportu-
nifty to aid him IN proving that reform is no.
an empty sound, and is not to apply merely
to change Of men? ?" Why, sir, quote as