The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 183?-1840, 1839-08-09
POLTTICA AL.
From lhe View YORK WHO.
why lis the Administered Om
responsible for the great

DGMGACa GAOkASS
We have arrived at singular state of
things in the political history Of our coun-
try--a state in which those elected and APP
pointed to administer and carry on the Co
vernment have been driven to deny practi-
cally that they are responsible for its well or
i'll doing. They are virtually attempting to
take the benefit, and forswear the conse-
quences of their own acts. Nay-they are
not content with casting off the responsible
ity Of their public career-they are trying
their utmost to throw il on the Wings! The
complaint of the wolf that the lamb muddi-
ed the water by drinking from the brook be-
lon him, is made in spirit as though the par
ty ont of power were really responsible for
the right government of the country.
It Is complained that the Expenditures Of
the Government have been inOrdinately in
creased since the present ruling party came
in power-that an enhancement of the an
nual disbursements in ten years from Twelve
Millions to Thirty and Thirty-six Millions,
is unprecedented and uniustifable. The
answer is ready-the Wigs have voted for
some of these Expenditures. II is COM
planned that the Public Money is squander-
ed and stolen by unfaithful oficerslo whom
it is entrusted-that millions are so lost
where thousands were once thought appall-
Iing-and that the general character of the
service has been demoralized and DETAINED.
ssWell,' y say the Loco-F ocos, swhat Of all
this? Some of the unfaithful officers were
Wings, and others were confirmed by Wing
votes. Their villainy initiates nothing
against the fidelity and efficiency of the Adj
ministraiion."
We ask our readers most earnestly. Are
these things SO? Is there indeed no res
possibility on the President to take care
that the laws are faithfully executed, and
that the country is honestly served by pub
lie agents Of his selection9 We most uR-
doubleday believe there is. We hold that
President who cannot select faithful SUE
bordinates generally and secure the honest
discharge Of their duty is incompetent for
that high station, and that one who could
do so but does not, is unworthy to rule a
Free People.
We all know that few years since, when
Gen. Jackson was claiming and exercising
the power to remove scores Of faithful Off
GERS for no assigned reason, it was objected
to as a gross abuse if not in essence an
usurpation. GNo,o said the Presidents
opologists; "the power may be abused, like
all power, "but it cannot be usurped one..
The President Is responsible for the con-
duct Of his subOrdinates; if they are I'M
faithful, he is accountable, and he must have
the power of removing at pleasure This
argument prevailed; and now we are told
by the same set of logicians that the Presi-
dent and his advisers are not responsible at
all!
We object to this doctrine; and we pro-
coed to adduce a few of the reasons why the
blame ofthe late numerous and vast defal-
cations should attach to the Administration
under which they occurred. They are brief
ly these:
|, Because men of notorious irresponsi-
bility and un6tnes for pecuniary trust have
been appointed to and kept in Office, In
support of this position, we viii at this time
barely give the names Of Swartwout, Price,
r. I. Lyle, Of Ohio, Harris, Boyd, Linn,
Spencer, and the whole tribe Of Defalters.
Most of them could never obtain credit for
one fourth of the sums with which they were
entrusted by the President and his advisers.
Some of them could not have obtained Gre
dit elsewhere for a hundred dollars, when
they were entrusted with countless thou-
sands by the Government
u. Sufficient and proper securities were
not required of these officers, and no proper
vigilance was used to render these securi-
ties available. Hardly in one instance where
a SUBJ Treasurer has clipped have bis bonds
been found good for any thing. SwaFtwontI
bore offa million and quarter, and had been
required to give three securities in the sum
Of $50, 900 each; and very little, even Of
this pittance, can be collected Of them.-
Swartwout's bonds should have been for at
east million of dollars Even such as they Is
we're, lis proved that they lay tor years at
Washington unprotected. awaiting the APP
Droyal Of the President; Mr.. SWartwOut all
he time acting as Collector with millions af-
.er millions Of public money passing through /,
II at least into, his hands.
III. The officers have been kept in Office
one after fhev were known to be hagTant
md wilfnl Defaulters: The evidence on
his head Is indubitable, being furnished By
ne Government itself, and consisting Of
ne letters Of the Secretary Of the Treasury
md The acts 81 the President Kilful De-
aulteFs have been continued IN most res
1onsible officers exclusively On party consi-
ierations, Senators Of the United States
laye written TO the cretary, ssSir Mr.
Boyd, MI, Spencer, must not be turned out,
Is YOU have threatened he should Be. for
the public money and refusing,
month after month, To restore d 1t yOUT uy-
gent entreaties f you % remove him YOU
viii iniure the Administration cause RI this
section. ee Hon r. ] Walkers letter.
q Secretary Woodbury.; also Hon. VIM.
Hendrick' s, &c. &c. These representations
have prevailed; and on the strength Of theml