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

which the committee make the following
comments:
"A formidable list, indeed Formidable
in numbers, and still more so from The vast
amount Of money in their hands. The &C.
ton OF such a body of men ,,suppo.ing them
to be animated by one spirit, must be ire.
mendous in on election; and thu, thew will
be 60 animated, is a proposition too plain
TO need demonstration Power over a
mans support has always been held and
admitted to be power over his will. The
President has power over the support of all
these officers, and they again have power
over the support of debtor merchants, 10
the amount of ten millions Of dollars Der
annum, and over the daily support Of an
immense number Of individuals, profes.
%slona', mechanical. and day laboring, 10
whom they can and will extend q valuable
private as well os public patronage. accord.
ing 10 the part which they shall act in
state as we'll as in federal elections. Still.
this Is only a branch. a mere prong Of fed,
eral patronage. in the city of New York.
The same government has in the ssme
city q branch Of the United States Bank.
the government has no longer a branch.
but a number Of pet banks. far more dan.
gerous] welding a capital Of many millions.
a large military, paval, and post Office %.
adjustment: a judiciary, with it's oppro.
pirate officers: presses, which print tho
laws and public advertisements; and a long
list of contractors and jobbers."
After declaring that the power and in.
iuence Of federal patronage is an over-
match for the power and influence of state
patronage, that It's workings will contami.
nate the purity Of all elections, and enable
The general government eventually to vow
ern throughout the states as effectualIy az
1t they were SO many provinces Of one vast
empire" the report adds:
"The whole OF This great power will centre n
the President. The king OF England is The . foun.
tain oil honor = the President OF the United Stats.
10 The source OF executive patronage. He pre,;des
over the entire system Of federal appointments. ;obs.
and contracts. He has power over the support Of
the individuals who administer the system. He
makes and unmakes them. He chooses from ,ba
circle OF his friends and supporters, and NAV die.
miss them. and upon all the principles of human
acton. mil dismiss them, rs often as they disap-
point his expectations. His spirit will anima,o
their actions in all the elections to slate and fede-
ral offices. They may be exceptions, bu, The truth
OF a gene. al rule is proved by exception, The in.
tended check and control Of the Senate, wilbou,
ne" constitutional or s;aiutary provisions win
cease to operate. Patronage will penetrate ,his.
body, subdue its capacity of resistance, chain il to.
The car OF power, and enable the President 10 rule,
as easily, and much more securely, will, Than with.
out the nominal check ofthe Senate. IT The Pres.
lldent was himself the officer Of the people, elected,
ny them and responsible TO them, there would be
less danger from Ibis concentration OF al mower in.
his hands but it is the business of s,atesmep TO act
unOu limos q thpv r nnl moi -. H.. .-t
mem 10 be. we must then look forward 10 lIe.
''me when the public revenue will be doubled 8
when The civil and military officers of lie govern.
me,'t will be qnadrupled /; when lis influence over
individuals will be multiplied 10 an indefnile ex.
lent ; when the nomination by The President carrv
any man through the Senate, and. his recommends.
ton can carry any measure through the two hons
es Of Congress; when The principles of pubI,c acIion
w'l' be open and avowed, The President wants MY
rote' ana 1 rant HIS patronage: I wiK vote a.
he toishes, and he piH gire me the office J ,ri,h
for. What will this he but a government, of one
man ! and what is The government, of one man bu,
a monarchy! Names are nothing. The nature
OF n Thing 10 IN Its substance, and The name soon,
itself 10 The substance"
The report concludes with the following re-.
marks:
1.-THE committee must then take things as ,hey are.
Not beng able 10 lay The axe TO Tie root of ina.
Tree, they must go TO pruning among the branches.
Not being able TO reform the constitution in the
election Of President, they must 90 to work upon
ms powers and trim down these Nv staturary en-.
ac!men'', wherever it can be done by law and will,
a Just regard to The proper efficiency Of the govern.
ment. For this purpose they have reported ,le
SIX bills which have been enumerated. They do
not pretend TO have exhausted the subject, but onlv
10 have seized a few Of is prominent points. Thev
DO not pretend TO have only touched, in four places,
tha yast and porrnlino .-,o- II cl-
patronage; me press. the post office. the armed
Jorce, and the appointing poUer. They a, H. few
compared to lie whole lumber of points which, Tho
system presents, but they are points vital 10 ,be
liberties of The country. The press is mt fore.
most, because il is the moving power of human ac.
lion; The post office is the handmaid of The press:
'he armed iorce lis excelsior :. and the appointing
power the directress of The whole. fine apno;n,.
ing power was itself an emana,ion Of The ponular
Wilt The President was himself the officer ami
The organ OF The people, there would be les, dan.
ger IN leaving TO his will the sole direction of all
these arbiters of human fate. But things mus, be
taken as they are statesmen must act for the
country they live in, and not for the island of,
Utopia ; they must act upon the state Of facts in
mat country, and not upon the visions Of fancy.
ln the country for which The committee act ,he
press, with some exceptions, The post office, the
armed iorce, and The appointing power, are in the
hands oil The President, and the President himself.
is not in the hands Of the people. The President
may, and in the current Of human affairs will, be-
against the people; and in his hands The arbiier.
Of human fate must be against them also. This will.
not do. The possibility of it must be avoided,-
The safety of The people is The supreme law and
TO ensure that safety. these arbiters Of human fate
must change their position and take post on the
side of The people,"
Such we're the principles of The Jackson party
in 1926!