Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-07-27
VOL. 80, NO. 4s-wHoLE NO. 1852.

Try, and will be very numerous the advantage in
this view also lies on the same side, the side efMe
| Stdtes) .
Within every district to which Federal collector
would be allotted, there would not DO less thdn
thirty or forty, or even officers, Of different
descriptions Tin the employment Of the StatesO
and many OF them persons ofcharacter and weight,
whose influence would e on the side ofthe STATE"
10 be able 10 show to the Senate full and per-
feet view OF the powers and workings of Federal
patronage, the COMMITTEES addressed a note i'm
mediately alter they were charged with this in
quiry, to each Of the Departments, and 10 the
Post Master General, requesting to be Informed Of
the whole number Of persons employed, and The
whole amount of money paid out, under the d-
rection OF their respective departments. The an.
swers received are herewith submitted, and made
part OF this report. With the BLUE Book, they
will discover enough to show that the predictions
OF those who were not blind to the defects o.the
CONSTITUTIONS are ready to he realized (; that the
power and influence of Federal patronage contra
ny to the argument, in the Fsderaist," over
match for the power and influence of Stale pat-s
ronage; that its workings will cUniamiDate the pu-
rlty OF all elections, and enable the Federal Gov
eminent, eventually, TO govern throughout tho
States, as effectualy il they were many
provinces of one vast empire.
The whole OF this great power will centre in
the President. The King of England is The
fountain of honor !" the President Of the United
States is the source of patronage. He presides
over tile entire system OF Federal appointments,
Jobs and contracts. He has power" over the
support of the individuals who administer the
system. He makes and unmakes them. He chu-
SEES from The circle OF his friends and supporters,
and may dismiss them, and uponal the principles
ofhunlan action, piH dismiss then as often as they
dsaPpoin, his expecta ions. His spirit will animate
their actions in oil the elections State and Federal
Offices. There may be exceptions, but the truth of
a general rule is proved 10y the exception. The
intended check and control of the Senate, without
new constitutional or statutory provisions, will
cease to operate. Patronage will penetrate this
body, subdue its capacity CT resistance, chain il
to the cur of power, and enable the President 10
rule as easily, and much more securely with, than
without the nominal check OF the Senate. 1.-THE
President was himself the officer of the People,
elected by them, and responsible 10 them, there
would be less danger from this concentration of
all power in his hands but it is the business of
statesman 10 act upon things as they are, and not
US they would wish them to be. We must then
look forward to the time when the public reveD"
tie will be doubled: when The civil and military
officers OF the Federal Government will be quad
rupled when its influence over individuals will
be multiplied TO an indefinite extent; when the
nomination by the President carry any man
through the Senate, and his recommendation can
carry any measure through the two Houses of Con-
gress; when the principle of public action will
be open and avowed, The President tsunts MY vote,
md icant HIS patronage; / tUM VOTE as he pish-
eS u'Ht nc Dut GIVE nc the OUCe VtSH jOT. WHAT
will tins be but the Government OF one man and
what is the government of one man but monar-
chy? Names are nothing. The nature Of thing
| Is in lis substance, and the name soon aecommo-
dates itself to the substance. The first Roman
Emperor was styled Emperor oil the Republic,
and the last French Emperor took the same title;
and their respective countries were just as essen
tally monarchicai before after the assumption
Of these titles. It cannot be denied, or dssem-
bled but that this Federal Government gravitates
to the same point, and that the election of the Ex
ecu;ive by the Legislature quickens the mpusion.
Those who make the President must support
him. Their political fate becomes identified, and
they must stand or fall together. Right wrong,
they must support him and if he Is made con.
trary to the will Of the People, he must be supper
ted not Only by votes and speeches, but by arms.
violent and forced state Of things will ensue.-
Individual combats will take place (; and the COM
bats of individuals will lie the forerunner to gen.
eral engagements. The array of man against
man will be the prelude 10 the array OF army a.
gainst army, and of State against State. Such IL
the law OF nature and 1t is equally IN vain for
one set of men TO claim an exemption from its
operation, as it would he for any other set 10 sup.
pose that, under the same circumstances, they
would not act in the same manner. The natural
remedy for all tins evil would be 10 place the
election of President in The hands of the people
of the United Suites. He would then have pow
er to support him, which would be as able will.
the interests of the country, as they would be TO
put him down when lie should neglect oppose
those interests. Your committee, looking at the
present mode ofelecting the President as the prin
cipal OF all this evil have commenced their
labors at the beginning of this session by recon-
nlendng an amendment TO the constitution in that
essential and vital particular; but in this, as in
many other things, they find The greatest difficult
ty TO lie in the first STEP The committee recon.
mend the amendment, but the People cannot act
upon it until Congress shall propose" it, and, per.
adventure, Congress will not propose il to them
OF all.
The Committee have also reported another
proposition of amendment, intended 10 exclude
Senator'S and Representatives from appointment
to civil Offices, under the authority of the Federal
Government and this proposition they will not
despair OF seeing referred To the consideration and
decision of the People. They believe that every
proposition TO amend the Constitution, not frivo"
lous or hagrantly bad its face should he refer.
red to the People. The people made the Consti-
tuition, and they can amend H. They are the only
constitutional triers OF the amendment. They
alone have power to adopt il and for Congress
to refuse to propose the amendment, is TO prevent
decision, and to act upon the principle that the
People are incompetent To decide.
The Committee must then take things they
are Not being able to lay the axe to the root Of
the Tree, they must go to pruning among the limbs
and branches. Not being able TO reform the Con-
stitution in the election of President, they mustgo
to work upon his powers, and trim down these by
statutory enactnents, wherever it can DO done by
law. and with just regard to the proper efficiency
of the Government. For This purpose they have
reported the six bills which have been enumere-
ted. lhey do not pretend to have exhausted the
subject, but only to have seized few of its prom
inent p,ints They have only touched in four
places, ,hs vast and pervading system OF Federal
Executive Patronage; The Press--the Post Office
The Armed Foree-and The appointing Poi0er.-
fay rcd IN 10 vhnla nnn nllar aH
points which the system presents, but they are
points vital to the liberties of the country. The
Press is put foremost because il is the moving
power Of human action: the Post Othce Is the