Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-04-26
EXECUTIVE

In 1876, a committee of the U. s. Sem
ate, consisting Of Col. Benton. Chairman,
Mr.. Van Buren,, Mr.. White, Major Eaton,
and others, made a report on the subject
Of executive patronage, accompanied by
six bills, the object of which was to restrain
and prevent the exercise of power in the
hands Of the President. The extracts
which we give our readers from that re
port, will show the holy horror which those
persons then had Of 'sullying the purity of
our institutions :" but we fear they are no
longer operated upon by their own argu.
merts. AT all events, the evils which thew
deprecated have arrived upon the country,
and it remains to be seen whether the dan.
ger is not such as 10 rouse every Amer.
can to immediate action.
1.-THE committee believe that they will
be octing in the spirit OF the constitution in
laboring to multiply the guards and to
strengthen the barriers against the possible
abuse Of power. If comfy could be ina.
gined in which the laws should execute
lhemselves-in which the power of gov.
eminent should consist in the enactment of
laws-in such a state the machinery Of
government would carry on its operations
without jar or friction. Parties would be
unknown. and the movements of The poli,i.
cal machine would but little more disturb
The passions of men than they are disturb.
ed by the great laws of the material world.
But this is not the case. The scene shifts
from this imaginary region, where laws
execute themselves, to the theatre OF real
life, wherein they are executed by civil
and military officers, by armies and navies.
by courts of justice. by the collection and
disbursement Of revenue, with all it's train
of salaries, jobs and contracts: and in
this aspect Of the reality, we behold the
working OF PATRONAGE, and discover the
reason why so many stand ready. in uny
country. and in all ages, to flock to the
standard of power, wherever and by whom.
soevcr it may be raised
The patronage Of the federal government
at the beginning, was founded upon u rev.
enue of two millions Of dollars. 1t is now
operating upon twenty two millions, and
within the lifetime Of many now living,
must operate upon fifty millions. The
whole revenue must, in a few years. be
wholly applicable to subjects of patronage.
At present about one half, say ten millions
Of it, is appropriated to the principal and
interest OF the public debt, which, from
the nature of the object, involves but little
patronage. In the course of few years
this debt, without great mismanagement,
must be paid off. A short period of peace
and q faithful application of the sinking
fund, must speedily accomplish that most
desirable object. Unless the revenue be
then reduced, a work as difficult in repub.
lies as In monarchies, the patronage Of The
federal government, great as it already il,
must in the course Of q few years, receive
a vast accession Of strength. The revenue
itself will DO doubled, and instead of one
half being applicable to objects Of patron
age, the whole will take that direction.-
Thus the reduction Of the public debt, and
The increase Of revenue, will multiply in a
fourfold degree the number of persons in
service Of the federal government, the
quantity o: public money in their hands,
and the number of objects to which il is
applicable +; but as each person employed
will have a circle OF greater or less diane.
ter, of which he is the centre and the soul,
a circle composed Of friends and relations,
and of individuals employed by himself, on
public or on private account, the actual
increase of federal power and patronage
by the duplication Of the revenue will be,
not in the arllhmetical ratio, but in geo>
metrlcal progression-an increase almost
beyond the power Of the mind to calculate
or comprehend"
The report then proceeds to give a list
of The names and compensation of the Off
GERS Of the customs in New York, upon