Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-10-17

i@Sb 10 o'pPoSN thS hlOuoS VI iSpIN-
sentatives and Senate so nearly divided upon
partizan grounds AS to render majority of
ten in the first and five in the second upon any
question OF public interest If the president
can change six votes in one and three in the
other, his own views Of the question become
the law OF the land. Among thSSe two hun
bred thousand officers, could heE~nt find nine
that would suit members Of CongrS = Seats
in the cabinet, foreign commissions Hector
ships OF the principal ports, audtorsh, and
coectorships in the treasury are thing 'esi-
rable, even to members of Congress, and VI
sometimes remove the most obstinate consa y
i1naI and other scrupleS. Who can fail I SCI
that, with such means OF influence the presi
dent is master Of the legislative power2 But
we cannot more lorcbly exhibit the dangers Of
executive patronage, than in the language OF
Mr.. Van Buren,, when Senator in Congress,
In his report to the Senate in the winter Of
1898, on the celebrated resolution in favor Of
I"retrenchment and reform" he says:
ave must look forward to the time when
the nomination Of the President can carry any
man through the Senate, his recommendation
can carry any measure through the two hou
ses of Congress- when the principle Of public
action will be open and avowed. Tie PreSi
dent acants ny rote, and rant his'patrondgc; l
II piH rote as he wisheS, and he iOtH gire me hp
office / pish for What will this be but the
government Of one mani And what is the
government of one man but a monarchyF'
Such was the language Of Mr. Van Buren,,
when Senator in Congress, speaking in re-
ference to the Presidency Of Mr.. John Quincy
Adams. 1t was natural for the people to sup.
pose that on reaching an influential station in
the federal government, under the presidency
of General Jackson, and finally reaching the
Presidency, the ta'esman who could SO clearly
see ami so lorcibly describe the dangers of the
executive patronage, would make every posi-
Bile exerton to restrain it, and redeem the le-
gisative power ofthe government from its des-
tructive influence. Bat has the expectation
been answered? Did Mr.. Van Buren,, when
exercising great influence under the presden-
cy Of General Jackson, endeavor to prevent
1.-The executive patronage from being used 10 pre-.
vent the independent action ofCongressY Let
every Republican remember written promise
to speaker Of the federal House OF Represen
tatives, to appoint him to foreign mission
Has Mr.. Van Buren,, since he reached the Pres
Iidency, exhibited to Congress the dangers o
Executive patronage, or recommended any
measure for restraining it! Almost twelve
wears have elapsed since he made this momora
4 bic report to the senate and though for nearly
the whole oflhs period he has occupied the
stations of Secretary Of State, Vice President
and President. he has done or recommended
nothing 10 restrain the evil which he once SO
clearly saw and rorcibly described! And yet
upon his own premises, he has the power oil
correction. He said that the recommendation
! of the President could carry any measure
Through the two Houses of Congress. Mr..
| Van Buren, has been President for three years,
and has not recommended any measure TO res
train executive patronage What is the con
clusion? The necessary irresistible concIu-
sion? That Mr. Van Buren, does dot wish 10
deprive the presidency of this overwhelming
power, at least during his own administration
Tens Of thousands Of honest men, good pa
triots, infexible republicans, support Mr.. Van
Buren, for tho next presidency, believing him
to be, like themselves, pure patriot, and sim
cere republican. We ask these men to consid-
or Mr.. Van Buren's own description of The fed
eral government under this Overwhelming in
huence of the executive. He says it is the gov
eminent of one man, and that the government
of one man is monarchy! Here, then, we
| find Mr.. Van Buren, administering govern
ment which he pronounces monarchy, and
monarchy through the very power vested IN
himself, without the slightest effort to reform
Its monarchcal features Is Mr.. Van Buren,
a republican, Can that man be a republican
who, before he reached the presidency, pro
Inounced the federal government monarchy
through certain power IN the President. and
now that he has reached the presidency, clinSs
fast to the power9 Is Mr.. Van Buren, apatrl'
OF? Can that mar be a patriot, who, before he
reaches the presidency, pronounces certain
power destructive TO public liberty, and alter
he reaches the presidency, clings fast to that
power! We ask every honest man, pure pa
Itriot, and sincere republican in the United
States, Of whatever partizan denomination, to
consider these questions; TO think of these things.
We take no partisan view Of political ques-
tons, for TO us all parties are indifferent, when
considered merely as parties We have no
pariiaities to crafty, no hopes to fulfil, no
fears to assuage in the next presidential cleo
ton, beyond the hopes and Tears which every
Anne rican ought to entertain for his country
We care not who is Presidents if the presidency
is honestly and ably filed, and therefore we
speak not for any candidate now or likely to
be in nomination. We have proclaimed our
preference, but it is not for Mr.. Van Buren,, or
Mr.. Clay, or General Harrison. It is for one
who has MOI the slightest prospect Of nomlna-
ton for the next presidency. We therefore
can speak imparlialIy and independent, and we
do speak without the least reference to The par
ties into which the country is divided. We
speak for The country, the ichole country, and no
Thing but Tie country: and we say that accor
IS. AZ. W., nn.an9a nn,n .hov,;nc ,k.