Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1839-07-16

then. iudccd, shall corruption become the nfccf 81 the
day. and 10 enffeni acquire y strength which IL WILDE
very diGculi, foot impossible. successfully TO resist,
Mature and Tendency cf ne "%Spoiis" Priaapie.
Sir, IL 10 my deliberate conviction that We have arriv.
ed alta point whence. II a successful stand IL not uihde
sgsiust this current, II wilt become rrsisiless and over.
whelmipr. ! d, not think that We ere, any Of az, suhh.
oiepily awake &c the existing reality on ihs subject |
do not believe .lat We are fully aware Of the progress
which o~9rrrfiiou has msde under the Administration Of
the present dynasty. We have not sufficiently reflect
ed On the nature and tendency Of the principle which
enters into the entire policy OF the Administration
touching the heaov ment Of Executive patronage. We
have not considered how strongly II appeals TO the
selfish and sordii passions Of our nature nor how sys-
temaiically and perseveringly the means have been
sought and found Of giving Il effect. We have not been
aware how rapDly It's insiduous influence is debasing
the moral feelings Of our countrymen, and lowering the
standard OF political morality. why, sir, what an in.
Simultaneous effect mus, the full disclosure OF this prin-
oiple produce on the moral feelings Of the army Of Office
holders scattered throughout the country How sud
denly must they feel the promptings OF interest, urging
them 10 seek 10 retain their Offices, not by an indepen-
dent, manly, conscientious discharge Of duty, bat by a
mean and selfish subservirncy 20 the power that %dispens-
es patronage How, under this system, must patron
age wiiher al The very approach OF executive influence
rse up aud take the place Of country! With how little
ceremony will conscience he thrust aside, as an old
fashioned purianichl counsellor, unused TO this age Of
/ political refinement oud reform! How soon will office
holders come to adopt he maxim that all is fair in pol
ltc s-naturally concluding that, If il is fair for the
President to net on the mcrconary principle IN appointing
ileHl, ~ Is idlT 10 carry out Inc same principe IN sup
porting him; and that, lfh he may bride with patronage,
they may bride with money, and resort 10 every conceiv.
able trick and stratagem to sustain his administration
and p%erpetuaie his power.
Sir, a man whose living depends on suhserviency to
power must be thrice armed with virtuous principle
10 maintain a high aud uniform political integrity. If
his continuance in office is made 10 depend on a con
sclen'ious performance oil his duty, then will his very
Office become the means of Strengthening his good prin-
cip!es; while, on the other hand, lift is made 10 depend
on subseryiency 10 power, his Office will become the in
& tt,tnnY G 1900 ,,, lf,t .a..t., li. - aa.a 49,
places, and a total shipwreck Of virtuous principle.
Thus, sir, while the great principle on which removals
and appointments are made adds 10 the power of the
executive, by purchasing subservient friends, it sends,
through hosts of office holders and office seekers, ron.
taminoiion and corruption along the whole length and
breadth Of the land.
But the whole extent of the mischief is not yet dis.
closed. The moral influences Of high station is i'm.
mense and immeasurable. And what a tremendous in
huence on the general standard of moral feeling must
be produced by the known and admitted fact that the
President OF the United States is perpetually overlook
ing if not furnishing honest merit, for the purpose OF
purchasing support 10 himself by the 'rewnrding' of po.
litical subserviency and profligacy. IT the Chief Mag
islrate of this great nation may with impunity thus dis
regard sound moral principle in the daily exercise Of his
high functions, in what department OF society win no,
the influence OF his example be felt' Sir, it will be to
our country what tho original transgression was 10 the
world, when
"Earth felt the wound, and nature from her seat,
Signing through all her works, gave signs of woe
That all was lost.
If political dishonesty is seen in the high places Of this
nation. what sort of dishonesty will il moi encou,oce and
countenance. Well did General Jackson saw, when
addressing the Tennessee Legislature in 1925, that 'cor-
ruption would be the order of the day. when but one
branch of this system should be carried INTO execution.
But II corruption to that extent was TO be the effect of
the practice of appointing members of congress to Office,
what shall we say of the effects, direct, and indirect, of
the application of the mercenary principle TO the entire
administration of the removing and appointing power?
Sir, it is like the pestilence that walks in darkness. 1t
contaminates the very air we breathe, and sends disease
through every artery and vein of the body polite.
But, sir, this c%orrupting process is carried on not only
through Office holders and Office expectants, and the in
iuence OF presidential example, but througho %purchas-
ed and prostituted press. The poison is thus mingled
with the daily food Of thousands and hundreds OF thou
sands of minds which are fed by the newspaper press OF
the country, and 10 which it is thus administered, under
DISCUSSES which render them alike unconscious of its
nature, and unaware OF lis origin.
And, finally there is gwen to the whole Of these
combined influences the greatest possible energy, thro'
a party organization the most perfect, and by a party
organization the most rigid, exact, %unspariDg and In
exorable.'
Such is the great principle which lies at The founda-
lion oil The leading policy OF the administrations; such
The Ineans oil giving II efficacy; and such It's whitening,
bhghtDg influence on public and private virtue.
Comparative importance Of tho question Of Exeeutire Pat.
ronage.
j am aware, Mr.. Chairman, that, by many, the lead
ing topic on which | have dwelt may be regarded as OF
comparative inconsider able importance. The abuses OF
Executive patronage is an old and trite subject. The
currency and markets., and the safety of the public
moneys, are matters OF present ana cngrossing interest
II the Currency is sound, the markets good, and the pub.
he moneys safe, all is, by many, considered TO be we'll.
Questions of power are regarded as distractions and
Executive eucroachment is deemed a matter OF no great
moment unless IT comes to bear directly on the presen,
Interests of the people. Thus the sub treasury scheme
ChVe times rejected by Congress, but still the pet meas.
ure OF the Administration is, by many, thought of only
IN It's mere pecuniary relations, without rejecting on the
object OF the Executive IN urging II; without perceiving
that ITS danger consists, not so much in the insecurity OF
leg ressurers'-maniies as that is-as in the augment.
ed patronage and power which the system would give
TO the President,-and which, in fact, has formed his
leading motive for pertenaciously pressing it upon Con.
gress and the country.
! am, sir, far from undertaking the importance of
these questions Of The currency. the markets, and the
safe keeping OF tie public moneys, in their pecuniary
bearings But there are matters Of mightier moment
connected with them. While the last Of these uestions
sustains 4 relation TO that of the Executive patronage
and power, which gives 10 il its chief importance, the
former involve interests which lie quite be yond the
mere comfort and Qualification of pecuniary competence
and inde %pendence. The true value of nothing on earth
can be estimated, independently of its bearings on the
higher nature Of man. /. IS in this light only that we
can Justly estimate the yaiue of individual and national
prosperity which confer the full measure of their bles.
sings only when they minister TO the high and noble
purposes OF moral and intellectual improyement-Le
tT1est ueahh and glory Of a nation. But there is dan
ger OF overlooking these interests, and making the ac.
I qQtsIiluu OF Wealth. The Advance Of ronulatfn, ,ba "a,