The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-17

Once Department was arrested. Further inquiry ives,
IN iact useless II the principle assumed by The commit
tee was welfounded
! am not willing to lay aside these valuable reports,
without adyeriing TO the facts which incidentally
brought to light before the committee Of the Senate, re-
iating to the removal Of Wyman. postmaster at Lowell
Massachusetts, and the appointment OF Case. IL be.
longs TO class Of abuses which are now well known,
suppose, in every part Of the Union, allude TO The
corruption OF the public press and the direct connection
which exists between the administration papers gene
rally and The Post Office Department i appears by
the report Of this committee, lpage III that William
Wyman, an honest and competent postmaster was re-
moved from Office, the recommendation OF the De-
mocraiie Committee" OF Lowell. without any other
reason being assigned than that he friend of
the administration, and Ephaet Case the editor OF the
Lowell Mercury, paper zealousy devoted to the adj
mnisraiion. was appointed in his place. II q
di,on Of this appointment plainly implied in the arrange
ment made between the several parties, that Case
should continue to edit the Mercury for nothing. he
having formerly received $500 per for that
vice aud II was proved that be complied with his bar
gain. How many hundreds Of worthy men have been
removed from their employment in this department,
upon pretences and suggestions equally repugnsnt TO
reason and equally corrupt the people Of this country
can never he informed; for while the evidence in
existence, the Postmaster General either refused al
low the papers IN his Office TO be inspected which, in
general the only evidence that could be reached,
or the party in the majority in Congress refused in
been opened upon Of evidence and proof is now
closed forever The papers in the office OF appoint
ments have been consumed by fire Still enough re-
mains to stamp with shame and dshono the character
Of party which could sanction a principle so inole-
rant, so tyrannical, and utterly subversye OF oil pub
lie virtue.
Il is fact which ought to be more publicly known,
that he who President Of these United States was
the first man OF any great political distinction in this
country who az party man. openly and shamelessly
aa1 81. ~ d.. n a A
minstered upon party principles, and the immense in
huence OF the appointing power connected with that
department should be prostuted to such But this
Tact VIII sufficiently appear from the correspondence
which took place IN 1922 between Mr.. Van Buren, and
President Monroe, and also with Mr. Meigs the Post
master General upon the subject Of the appointment Of
a postmaster at Albany, in New York. There every
observant reader will find the germe OF the spos system
In that correspondence it will appear that the appoint
ment OF political partisan claimed matter of
right on the one side, and Of duty the other, (he APP
pointing power, in order to give to the dominant party
IN New York the advantages of political partisan at q
point so important as Albany; but the patriotism and
Independence OF Mr. Monroe and Mr. Meigs resisted the
application They refused to upon any such princ
pies; and when man was appointed, who had the
misfortune to be federais in politics, appeal
taken from the decision Of the Postmaster General to
the people. public meeting held in Albany
indicating their right have republican appointed to
the office in question, and calling upon the President
apply the constitutional remedy in such cases for their
relief And what do you suppose sir these republicans
meant by constitutional remedy in such cases! 1t
the remedy of removal from Office for opinions sake
But to return to the message Why consume our
time tn debating the remedies proposed by the Presi-
dent Why pursue with relentless vengeance the in
cumbents OF subordinate Offices, particularly the mise
rabe pecuator who has only made off with few thou
sand dollars1 Why pursue such small game when
the great denquents still allowed 10 reye in the
uninterrupted enjoyment Of power possessing neither
the principles nor the capacity to be useful the pub
lc and daily abusing their trusts the infinite preu-
dice Of every public INTEREST," sllude, Of course
the leading Executive chiefs, and party point of
view, the most iniuental-the very men who are the
original and responsible authors of all the dealcatons
and abuses committed by the subordinates to whose
Jealous and efficient support in the public elections they
owe their elevation, and without which aid they
could not remain single day in Office but for the i'm
pedment which the Constitution inerposes to prevent
their immediate downfall. / repeat it is small game
which we pursuing, in economical point Of view
had occasion to speak Of the defacaons disclosed in
the report Of the Secretary Of he Treasury made the
House at the last setsion. and made estimate Of the
gross amount for which Hawkins. Harris Boyd, Linn
and others, were deficient and found the aggregate
about 100000. If set down the de!alcations Of
Swartwout and Price both million and half the
entire Of the late defacatons will not exceed two
mlllions-perhaps the ultimate loss will not exceed one
million OF dollars Now conjure honorable members
to reflect that this though large but fraction
of the losses sustained by the people Of this country by
deialcatons OF different kindly defalcations in capa-
CITY, IN requisite SKILL and above all, in sound political
principles on the part Of the administration Let any
man attempt to estimate the actual losses in dollars
and cents which this country has sustained by an in
competent unprinciped, and electioneering admins
ra'ion and he will at that business now is
with higher game than that upon the track Of which
have been put by the President Without pretending
to estimate the indefinite injury the hundreds Of mil
lions IN losses. which few years of great commercial
and financial arrangement must have inflicted upon
great nation like this, let take more practical view
OF the subject. Let set down few OF the leading
items in the account, which the people may upon clear
and tangible grounds state against the great national
fauets to whom have alluded and who have not been
removed or dismissed from office
First There was the Black Hawk war-a war which
originated IN the sheer neglect and cupsble negligence
OF me administration and which cost the country g.
900, 900 dollars '
Second. There was the late Creek war-a war M.
torouaiy caused or nstgated by the spectators in
ihoian lands and which might have been averted,
but Tor the imbeciiy Of some, and the want of min
clPie 10 others, OF the public agents ntrusted by the
administration with the execution Of the treaty of 1890
| estimate the cost of that war at ST. 500 900
Third. We may safely estimate the extra cost of the
FLORIDA war, or the clear above what CONNIE
tent and faithful system Of administration would have
expended on this war, at $4,000 !, sir predict that
the entire cost OF this to the country will not be less
than 2Q, 0000 600 And when i is borne in mind that
this disastrous war would have been prevented by u.
dclous selection of agents III the management of tho
Indians, the charge which make against the admins
traon Of excess of expenditure upon will be con-
sidered moderate. This, it must be rccolec,ed was
purely an Executive war-a commenced and wagcd
entirely at Executive discretion Congress was only
appealed to, from time to time, vote the sums of mo-
ney which said to be essential 10 its successful
prosecution; and these appeals were often made after
the troops were in the field and no alternative was left
but to vote the money. take this occasion TO remark
tina. was for voting for such appropriations as these
and occasionally for largo stipulated in Indian trea-
ties ratified by the Senate, that the Wings in Congress
have been charged by the apoogsts Of the administration
as equally to blame with themselves for the large expen-