Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-10-14

full and nerfect view q the po"st a,'u +"
workings Of Federal patronage, the n
committee addressed a note, irnmedi- p
atelv after they were charged with TIN. 0
inquiry, to each Of the Departments, v
and 70 the Postmaster General, request h
mo 10 he informed ofthe whole num-
her J ofpersons employed, and the whole .
amount of money paid out, under the !
direction of their respective Depart
ments The answers received are
hereupto 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 ofthe constltu-
ton are ready to be realized; that the
po.uer and influence Of federal patron
age, contrary to the argument :" ne
| .Federalist' IS an oUcrmatch Jorthe po1c-
ea and influence Of State patronage;
that its workings will contdmandtethe
nnr;ta Of all elections, and enable the
IEederal Government, eventually to
ooyern throughout the States, eftectu-
ally as if they were SO many provinces
ofone vast empire"
Its concentration and effects in the
hands of the President, are thus most
admirably and accurately drawn:
"The whole ofthis great power will
centre in the President. The King OF
England is the fountain of honor;;' the
] President of the United States is the
d source Of patronage. Hepresides over
# the entire system Of federal appoint
J. ments, jobs, and contracts. He has
j, power over support ofthe individuals
!. who administer the system. He makes
|, and unmakes them. He chooses from
the circle of his friends and support
ers, and may dismiss them, ard upon
all the principles Of human actions
Il will dismiss them, as often as they dis
81 appoint his expectations. His spirit
y will animate theiractions in all the cleo
II ton to State and federal offices.
re There may be exceptions; but the truth
e, of a general rule is proved by the ex-
IN ception'
-e The intended check and control o
ne the Senate, without new constitutions
or statutory provisions, will cease t.
operate. Patronage will penetrate thi:
ch body, subdue its capacity of resistance
d. chain it to the car ofpower, end enable
70 the President to rule as easily, anc
muchmore securely, with than withou
the nominal check of theSenate. If tn
President was himselfthe officer of TN
~ people, elected by them, and response
nc BILE to them, there would be less DANCE
e from this concentration of all power i
au his hands; but tits the business ofstates
~ ~ men 10 act upon things as they are, NJ
nc as they would wish them TO be.-W
% must then look forward to the tim
~ e when the public revenue will be doul
u led; when the civil and military Officer
nc of the Federal Government will b
:" quadrupled: when its influence over IL
n.y. diyiduals will be multiplied to an indef
&C. mite extent; when the nomination OF Il
GO President can carry any man thIoug
e. the Senate, and his recommending
~ ~ can carry any measure through the tW
VI VI Houses Of Congress; when the prime
els pie of public action will be open ar
Us, avowed-the President wants my vo
.hu and | want his patronage: will vo
l M as he wishes, and he will give me Il
nj office wish for. What. will this
ien but the government of one man! ar
COS s what is the governmental one man b
~. .ne monarchy? Names are nothln
llu- The nature of a thing is in its substan'
10 and the name soon accommodates
' S'o' self to the substance"
1ey In another part of this report it
80, said:
i -! "The power of patronage, unle
ms checked by vigorous interposition
q q Congress, must go on Increasing, U
lllel til Federal influence in many parts
anu this confederation, will predominant
J J elections as completely as British
10e9 fuence predominates in rotten be
of's' roughs and towns, and in the great +
Gun val stations Of Portsmouth & Plymou
, .lon In no part of the practical operations
7en the Federal Government has the pl
o1'' dictions OF its ablest advocates be
tie more completely falsi6ed, than in t
10 subject of patronage"
We have said above, that Execut
Patronage had certainly been increas
u Il ever since the time this Report was ma
nus which will be found to be correct, on !
1t erence to a report made through
IL, Calhoun as Chairman of an Investiga'
= of Committee, in---which report we
Zinc not room to insert here, but which >
Fed he found ia "NILEs' WEEKLY REGIsrE
say or any ''fIe." of Washington City pap
1T in published at that time.
GERS, We now, Fellow Citizens, call your
re- rious attention to the two main particu
.eigh before. us: 1st. to the charge brought
e OBJ gainst the Sub Treasury System, by
ld TO present Van Buren, party, when it
the first spoken of in 1884, with all the 81
1Aec- fications therein set forth, one of whic