The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-06-13

/ his own sign manual"
/ Richmond, May &c, 1852
Gentlemen: Your letter OF the l0tl,
inst. inviting me 10 the public dinner TO
be given 10 tie honorable William e.
Riyes. at Amherst courthouse. on ihe
Goth. has been delayed on the road; did
not receive il I'LL yesterday.
! thank yon for the polite terms 10
which you have communicated the invita-
ton. Business. which requires my con
slant attention Al home, would have
prevented me from awaiting myself y. IL.
II il had been received in time. BuI
candor rompels me 10 add, that that would
not have been The only. or. indeed. tie
principal reason which would have Undue.
ed ne 10 decline il.
have seen much 10 Mr.. Rire.'s rscen.
conduct 10 respect anG approve. ] am
most DESTROYS 10 see every man sustained
against that despoiism Of party. welded
By the patronage uf tile Executive, which
allows no independence Of though. or
action, and which. after having destroyed
so many public men. is now lsvel.eI
against Mr.. RiEes in his iurH, with lis
usual rUihlessness Of vengeance. And.
after having seen the Senate OF The United
States humbled and degraded at tie
Presidents feet. BY the eIpungins resulu-
lion. and lis influence. in a manner. struck
out Of our POLITICAL system. il has Afford.
cd me particular pleasure 10 see Mr..
Rives asserting aud maintaining in tina,
body his own independence Of Executive
control, and. q, the same lime. the
independence, the dignity, and the just
authority oG the body itself. Such con-
duet ought To redeem him from the blame
Of mauy Turner errors aud faults. an
even disposed 10 admit il as a partial
atonement for his concurrence in the ex-
punging resolution. lie il nov an object
81 persecution 10 tie faclinn whose baleful
power he las contributed to establish; and
! sm really happy TO see public honnrs
bestowed upon him by others who take
a different view from mine Of the present
state Of politics. But so long as Mr..
Rires holds himself wholly uncummilted
on the subject Of the Presidential election.
| cannot, in honor aud conscience. con,
nit myself 10 the support Of Mr.. Rises.
At the same time, am aware that my sup.
port or opposition is utterly insignificant,
and inconsequeniialt 10 him and every bodv
else bet myself.
While the doctrine stands admitted,
tina, the President is entitled by the
Constitution 10 the custody Of the public
treasure, 1t is, in my humble opinion. q
question Of comparative Insigniticauce.
whether the system Of sub.uessuries. or
the selecI Stale bank system, with general
or special deposiles. or any other schcme
for keeping The public treasure, which
the wisdom Of the Legislature or the inee
nuiIy Of the Executive can devise. shall
be adopted; for. in effect, the custody of
ths public money viii still be 10 the
President alone. Ii 10 The doctrine itself.
which il behooSes The people 10 explode
and condemn, as the most false, the most
impudeni, aud the most dangerous, Of all
Executive preniensIons. . ..~a~ .
! regard The Presidential election as in
truth the only important question, the
great question, OF national interest, which
involves and a5sorbs all others, in the
present junclure Of affairs. Nothing. in
my sense Of things, can stop. or even
check. the transition oflhe federal govern.
ment into mere elective monarchy,
and a monarchy elective through tho
insIrumenlaliIy Of the most maIignan, fac.
ton and the fouiest corruption. but the
dIsmlssIon Of our present rulers from the
public councils and confidence forever:
rulers ! call them. for they are our masters
IN fact. whatsoever they ought TO be in
theory; and hard masters too, who
maintain aud pay the army of par,izans
on which they depend for power. BY
openly and ayowedly dealing out The
honors and emoluments Of office, with
out the lcas,Iegard to any merit bu, party
zeal and party services. In one instance
at leas, land ! believe in many more) an
officer. after having received and appro-
prlated public money, 10 his own use. has
been knowingly permitted to retain his
Office, and 10 enjoy the spoils. in order
To secure the continuance Of his OWL and
his friends support Of the administration:
and the Cabinet Minister. who was
President Jsekson's instrument ~ this
gross and indecent sjuse Of Executive