Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-02-28

|
applied to those office holders who |
should 50 withdraw themselves.
MIR. RivEs commented with great
spirit on this proposition, and then pro.
ceeded to read passage which folio VS.
it.. in which it is suggested, that the man,
VINO by the choice of his fellow citiz ems
Is selected to perform official duties and
trusts, is mot elevated above or degra.
ded below them"-in other words, chat
there is no distinction between the PEG
pie and the office holders!
Mr. RIvEs reminded the Senate how
careful MIR. Wall was in this Instance,
as III several Others, TO produce the impress
sion that all these Office holders were
chosen Immediately by the people,
when 1t is notorious they derive their
appointment from the Executive, and
chiefly as the rewards of patty devotion.
Tins soPhistry constantly occurs. What
reason has the chairman for constantly
changing the denominations Of these
Executive officers, upon whom the bill
Is designed to operate What perver.
SION to talk ofthese being honored with
the confidence Of the people, who are
appointed merely by the Executive.
without the slightest voice of the people
being heard in the matter-and fire.
quently in direct opposition to the well
Known wishes and sentiments Of the
people
Mr.. 1tives read number of other ex-
tracts. all of which combined to show
That the report is designed to tell the o.
lcers that 1t is their duty as well as
right, to interfere. control and influence
the elections. The restrictions are de-
nounced as proscription-and the officers
E are told they are lepers, outcas,s, slaves,
II they submit to these proposed re-
straints aud restrictions
MI Rives then referred 10 a passage
which Che said) il il did not con ain FEEDER,
aiism, al least, was full Of Loco Focoism
The report absolutely declares that these Of
} hce holders ought to resist law which
would prevent their interference, even
lhough II should be passed with strict regard
10 all the forms prescribed by the Constiiu.
lion. lt this be mol Loco Fucoism, and a.
nough 10 spoil the democracy of Mr.. Wall,
he was no Judge Of i,-and he confessed he
was very ignorant both of Federalism and
, Loco Focoism
Mr.. Rires dwelt with great force and
correctness on this position. He then ask ed
| who are the office holdeas thus melted to in
.ermedd!e. and influence, and direct the
course of the peopIe'
Are they the servants OF the people, cho.
sen by the people, and honored by the 2eo.
pie?
Let Mr.. Buchanan, Mr. Grundy Mr. Benz
ton, say who they are. Mr. RIves here re-
ierted 10 the doctrines Of these men, as cons
ained in the speeches OF The two former.
and The Report on Executive patronage
made by the latter. MIR. Rives said thess
were doctrines he should ever rally under,
and under this flag on which they were EN-,
hlaZoned, he would be ready to perish and
The time might he approaching when he
would have 10 make that sacrificed
lie maintained that il would be ever true
That The subordinales will always be Of the
same opinion with him who holds the ap
pointing power; and if the doctrine, ss'To
The sictors belong the spoils," be carried
Out, what sort o! men will these office hol
iers be: viii they not be "enlised sol.
hiers, as The Senator from Pennsylvania
: (Mr Buchanan called them? That airocious
corrupt doctrine has received favor in biob
places. One OF the heads of departmeni.
has avowed this TO be his. principle CT ap-
pointmeat.
MIR. Rives examined the statement of MIR
wan, that ii is harsh and cruel TO preyen,
The interference which the bill is designed
TO prohibit. Mr. Ryes controyerfed tbis
WIN great ability.
| me constitution Che sad) had a clause
WHICH created distinction between the of.
hcers oil Government aud the citizens The
oIcers OF Government are disqualified from
being representatives Of the peuple. Are
} ihey any way better qualified as dicta,ors or
teachers OF the people? He referred 10 ,ne
I provision in the Constitution of Virginia.
which created similar disqualification.
These provisions, he maintained, bad their
origin in d strong jealousy OF Executive
rover. And so far from being violations
oil The rights Of man, or of the Constitution.
were fundamental primo iples Of liberty, re-.
Sarded IN every country pretending 10 a Tree
I government.
Mr. Rives quoted the great principles as
stated by Jefferson TO Governor Mex can
ana dear To the free heart OF that man, edu-
Gated IN the best school of freedom, The A.
merIcan Rev olution. He also read an ex-
tract from the famous Circular-in which
mat Hiustrious statesman takes his stand on
the monumental basis of The institutions of
his country. This, he declared 10 be true
Democracy-pure, unaduIteraled, LASTING
conservative democracy
lie then commented on Walls declama
Ton against the Legislation Of England on
this subject
WALL had utterly degraded the question
rom The noble principles on which IL rests
Mr. RIvEs reminded The Senate that one OF
The grounds upon which KING JAMES was
| deprived OF The Crown, vas that he had in
| ,efiefed with The election OF members Of the
British Parliament and afterwards the Bill
| OF Rights declared the Elections should be
| Tree. lie then smoke of the nracficps 81