The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-08-20

President can displace from Office n man whose
merits require that he should be continued in it
What will be the motives which the President can
| feel for such an abuse of his power, and the
stralnts that operate to preveDtit? In the first
place, he will be Improbable by this House before
the Senate tor such an act of ma-admi nistration
for contend that the wanton removal Of meritori-
Gus officers would subject them to impeachment
and removal from his own high trust. But wha:
can be his motives for displacing a worthy man ?"
Abiding afterwards to the Presidents dependence
upon the popular voice. his liability to impeach.
menf, and other restraints connected with his sta
! ton, MI Madison sad-"Wl he bid defiance to
all these considerations, and wantonly dismiss "a
meritorious and vrtuous officer ? Such an abuse
! OF power exceeds my comprehension"
I Here is a sample of the spirit which peryaded
the country in 1900, and gave to the republicans of
that day so triumphant victory Could James
Madison now rise from his tomb and walk into the
Presidential Mansion, how instinctively would its
tenant fly from the presence of the man who, in
the simplicity Of revolutionary patriotism and pur
ty, could ask-"What can be his motive for dis
placing worthy man p and could add-"Such an
abuse OF power exceeds my conception"
In further reply to the enqury-whenco the diff.
hculty of re-enacting the triumph of 1900, over
similar abuses of power, we remark, that new and
extraordinary means-means Unknown TO the ad-
mlnistratlon OF the former period, have been, and
are still Iesorted TO, to sustain Executive usurpa-
tons. The union of the Fox and tho Lion is n
rare combination While one has cunningly and
cautiously pulled the wires, and moved the ma.
chnery the other has stood forth with reckless
daring and "taken the responsibility" While one
astonished by the suddenness and boldness of his
movements.
BY adroit and skilful movement, General
Jackson, at the opening of his administration was
placed in the attitude of p1ofesssed refo, 7ner -
The abuses of the administration of the Elder AID.
ans were, without shadow of truth, imputed to
that of his and the republicans of DS were
invoked to sustain Gen. Jackson, they had sus.
tanned MIR Jefferson, to put them down. Never
were high and hollow professions more Thoroughly
tested, OF more successful, than they have been
tend executive influence and enlarge executive
power, has uniformly been preceded by some OK.
tTaordinary preenson of regard for pc pula rights
The President has been lauded as the patron sal mt
of democracy, even at the moment of assuming
powers which set laws, constitutions, legislatures
and courts of justice at defiance, and shook the
very frame work of the government 10 its fouuda-
ton.
To blind the people to the fragrant assumptions
of executive power care has been taken to eyer-
else il upon objects of popular Jealousy Its true
character, and tendency have to thousands boen
effectualy con cealed by the flourish and parade Of
using it to crafty artfully excited prejudice n
gainst the objects of its attack. Thus Gen Jack
son avaed himself of the natural gieaousv of file
people against banks, and especially against Nam.
moth Banks, to cover the enormity of the assump-
ton of power in taking millions from the custody
in which the law had placed it, and putting j,
where il could be made 10 subserve the purpose of
augmenting his power. Every enlargement of ex-
ecutve power has been accompanied by the pro-
tension that 1t was necessary to maintain the neo-
pies rights. The President has been presen ted be.
fire them as pre-. emnently, their friend and guard
ian-as welding his great power to put down arts.
tocracy, monopoly, monster bank, and everything
opposed to equal rights BY the strangest perver--
sion of language, the last and present adminisra-
tons have been denominated Inc democratic ad
minisrahons, and Presidents Jackson ard Van Blu.
rem, the dsc pies of jefferson while tho opposi-
ton, struggling to MAINTAIN the true balance of the
Constitution against the overgrown and overbear.
ing POWER of the Executive, has been branded az
the revived federalism of '9S. Never, we venture
to say, has higher stamp Of political deception
been played off on any people In the genuine
spirit of juggling, executive encroachment has as
slImed names EprociseIy opposite to its nature
Thus, while carrying out, with a high hand, the
very principles which rendered the administration
of the Elder Adams odus 20 the Republicans of
that day,lt cooy takes its seat on the democratic
PLATFORM, PROCESSES 10 be the true expounder Of
Democracy, and, in the name of the people, hurs
anathenas at the Wings as Federalists Of tho
school of '9S
We have, fellow citizens, dwelt mainly on tho
subject of executive power, because the abuse Of
that power lies al the foundation of all the evils
which ha.e afflicted the country, in the expert,
had kept within his constitutional sphere, we
should have had no ruinous experiments on tho
our:ency-no sPeciei:ircu Iars-,noibank suspensions
no arrangement of the exchanges-no defalca-
lions of public otiicers-no wasting of the public
money on executive fayorites. The grand fnnda-
mental mischief has been, that the President has
n"d6rta6en TO goDern the country and has pervert-
ted the whole patronage Of his office to the pur-
pose of influencing the people to submit his GO
vernment as the constitutional government and to
!'y "P'I "''" DIS ''e 9re't OohserVltof oi popular
lights. From such an assumption of power, and
snch perversion of Presidential influence moth
ing but mischief could result, ever result
We regard it as the highest of political du.
ties to stand by the Constitution, and, tho
tent Of power, to guard it against every viola
to guard it at its weakest point
he point where it will forever be pressed and en-
dan scred by tho AMBITION from which nothing but
he purest and most exalted virtue can exempt its
L xecutive Chief.
AS wings, ask return to the government of
the government act
ing through their constitutional organs, unnAu.
cnced by patronage and unawed by power. Ne
are willing to trust the people, without the aid Of
executive influence dctaion. We do not be-
ieve that the constitution created the Presidential
1tlice that its incumbeuts might operate throug it
On the popular opinion direct tho popular will land
control the destines of the country. We believe
that it is the appropriate business of tho President
10 execute the laws made by the people through
heir Representatives,. We want to keep him in
his place We want the people should be left