Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1839-07-16
TIL L TLAN ID Ii Z r A l. d =.


root. ,io~ no yeu m-ri iEe 'srs snu sfgnrcnis which
" sisee iaststigsiioni hy eepfecsing discussion, ~
holding 90 Up. srthc chsirnAn q the committee 90 Tof.
ega hslauoas has done, at ~dchauuR cluhi suJ. IN
thoft, BY every oonccitshls device which osa lead 20
divert the public mind from the cteh, ~eDcstion. We STE
struggling TO bsIng cot IN theii true magnitude and an
Poftsnce brfare the country.
IL wss IN the sriii, q the sys,em Of evasion ,hs, a
gentleman from North Carolina lMt Bynum) yesterday
told ~ that ibcHc heightened discussions would not BE-
Tolerated by the people that these stacks on the 40.
mintsitshon wese intended 10 act on the next p%tesiden.
tai election: and that IL was " not our business to
make presidents, but 10 attend 10 ovr appropriate logis
lahve duties tits a dangerous practice, said the gen
tlemsa. for Ne 10 he employed in making rrcsidsnis.
The gentleman from North Carolina seems very much
alive 10 the danger Of our being engaged in making a
president. But where have slept his sppfebensions for
the last ten wears, While the %prcsiden, has been making
members Of Congress; while he has been reaching out
the long arms Of Executive influence, North, South,
Essi and West, aud bringing into these legislative halls
men who would act in obedience 20 his WHIP And
where were his fears when Gen. Jackson made has sne.
ossoyl Did he discover any danger in that operation
No, SIR, none, but new, when we seek TO USmakc him
whom Gen. Jackson made. the case is amazingly alter
ed LIS "a dangerous practice
Mr. Chairman, deplore, as much as any one, the me-
cessiiy which inpels 10 discussions and Investigations
here. looking 10 a presidential election. But sir, how
are they 10 be avoided; Are VIC TO sit still and see the
Executive bestriding the country with his colossal
power, and not warn II Of the Danger Is corruption
10 70 un'shnkcd Are the grosscst abuses to pass I'M
invest gated is this body the grand constitutional in
quest Of the nation, invested with the uowcr even of
impeaching the president (notwiihsta nding his claims
90 the representative obaraoierJ and are we to be told
that discussion shall cease, investigation be suppressed,
and the Executive held 70 no responsibility TO the peo.
pie, through their representatives.. because II is not their
business 70 make presidents The abusers Of power
may thus talk. They do not want motives for IT. but the
people hold a very different language.
Sir, | am aware that the presidential question has
come to engross a large share of the attention of Con-
gress, and tina, discussions bearing on it interfere, often
very iDjufiousiy, with the ordinary business OF lcglsla-
ton. Once IL was otherwise. But, in a fatal moment,
i was determined 10 put down a pure adminis,ra-
ton The combination was formed-the forces mar
shaled; and these halls were made the chosen theatre
for the onset. Day after day, and month after month,
were they made 10 resound with the most g,oundless
olamor, ard the bitterest invective, against the Admin
isirntion which, ii had heen declared IN advance, should
be Frustrated. 1t was then that the presidential wllirl-
pool was set in motion, which has become a rapid, rag.
ing maels,rom, drawing and engulphing every thing
within its vortex.
And, sir, how can il no,o be otherwise, when the Ad-
ministraiion, brought into power by means of the pro.
LESSONS and pledges | have described, has disappointed
a %conhding people; when the president has rushed
madly' from his constitutional sphere, placed himself at
the head OF a party, used his patronage to build it up,
and sought TO make all the State governments and all
the branches of this government revolvs around him as
the great centre Of the whole? Sir, ii is the abuse Of
potoo that has kept this maelstrom in motion. Let the
Executive restore the balance of the Constitution which
he has disturbed; let him go back to the constitutional
sphere in which the predecessors Of General Jackson
were content TO move; let him cease to peryert his pat.
i ISe'f H. q . .sinaa ana hj paaiy d @rs5pe,ssii 1e' e n,% Ssso%s
Chief Magistrate Of the nation, and the maelstrom will
cease TO move, and this hall will be restored to what il
was before the conspiracy was formed TO put down the
pure ad administration.
But sir, until this is done, investigation and discussion
must and will GO on here. If we pil not investigate
and discuss, the people will send those here who ,odt.
The grea; centralizing, al-engulfng power of the Ex-
ecutive must and will be resisted. II will be in vain to
attempt TO arrest this effort by telling us that 1t is not
our business to make presidents. Sir, know our ap-
%propriate business. Long enough have we seen execu-
live influence moving around and through these halls,
and long enough have we legislated under its control.
1t is our first and most solemn duty 10 endeavor TO repel
II, TO restore the Independence of these legislative bodies,
10 drive the Cloths and Vandals from this Capitol We
have nothing 10 do with making this or that mun Presi.
dent; but we have something TO do with Executive cor.
tuption and usurpation, doth Of which have much TO
do with U.s. something to do with that executive inilu-
cnce which has disturbed the constitutional balance OF
this Government-which has made its way to the ballot
boxes, eAeetGd a President, brought into these halls mem.
bers Of his own creation, and assailed the independence
of these bodies by Executive brides on the one hand,
and Executive denunciation on the other that inhu-
ence, in short, so prophetieally%d described in the report Of
the committee of the Senate on Executive patronage
IN 1870, made by (Martin Van Buren,, Richard VI. John
son, Thomas H.. Benton, and others, 10 swell the false
clamor against the pure Administrator in which il
was said.
"The power Of patronage, unless checked By the rig.
orouS inttrposutoH Of Congress, must go on increasing
Patronage ioiH poaITate MiS body, sHbdue as
capacity Of resistance, cham ii 10 Tie car of potrer, and
enable The president 10 rule as easily, and much more Sc
ouTey ruth, than aotMout The nominal check oftho Senate. ~
Sir, If II is not our appropriate business TO discuss and
investigate when this prediction is literally lulfed be.
lore our eyes, then we may as well determine, at once
TO submit; and when we have submitted, we shall have
no more TO do but To dissolve these bodies, and leave the
executive 10 govern The country without the forms Of
the Constitution.
Shall Political Treaeery DC Recorded.
Having, Mr.. Chairman, dwelt at some length upoD
the connection between the maLsdminislration Of those
IN power and their professions and pledges, | anticipate
the iDquiries-Why talk so much Of professions p
Why dwell 50 long on pledges If the administration
is bad, show If; but the measures Of a bad administra.
ton will be made no worse by proving that The men IN
power have made hyPocriticai professions, or that they
have violated their pledges.
Sir, there are two questions before the country 20,
decision, namely: shall a corrupt and pernicious system
OF policy be perpetuaied' and shall hypocrisy and
tresehery be rewarded with a triumph IL need hardly
be said, SIR. that the proof Of the corrupt character OF
the policy, drawn from 4 consideration Of its nature and
tendency hnds +" confirmation strong in the profes.
stons and promises Of It's authors. They are Judged on,
OF their own mouths, They pronounced, in advance
their own condemnation, and furnished the arguments
10 sustain IL.
But, cir, there Is something in the treaehery of A de.
feersie violation OF pledges solemnly made, to Obtain
power, which Is deserving Of distiRd and deep consider.
ston- While the pledges were made upon On assump.
ton Of abuses whi h were known not 10 exist. their VI.
I ulatlon has been tie result of deem sstlsd s.s,.u.,s