Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-06-01

ponsett's mouth be uue-if the President did ,o,,
L. never see Ponsett's plan,-why the meanin, =,
he constitution is reversed and Mr.. Van Bn,en :.
presented 10 the country in the novel and fid,c u,ns
nav the criminal attitude Of "slrongy reeomme,
ding 10 the consideration" of Congress ttbe very
words of the constitution, be observed not su cb
measures as he judges necessary and expedient bul
,scbeme Of the character of which he was totally
;snotant and which, that he understands it, he
Judges unnecessary adiaerpedient The consti.
,ution assumes, that whenever the President shall
recommend measure to the ''consideration" OF
Congress, he recommends its adoption" because
he is oniy to make such mediation when he
iudpes the measure recommended 10 be necessary
and expedent: but according to the new court Ian
auaee when the President strongly recommends a
measure 10 the consideration of Congress, ii is only
form Of rords, absolutely meaning nothing at all
or, ifthey do mean any ding, ii is, that he knows
NO. , of the measure recommended because real
,,at : Jas never seen its details! The Presi-
pJ'Jtss Of necessity, occupies Of Two grounds
= First he had seen Poinsett's plan, and Judged it
necessary and expedent," before he recommended
il OF 2dly, he had not seen it, aud yet recommen-
ded il, ignorant Of what it really was-ignorant
whether 1t was necessary unnecessary. expcd ent
lneXpeulentt race MN on c1tiler horn OF the
dilemma, and lie is equally culpable in the first
ease, because the scheme is oiious in the second.
because he had not taken proper to inform him
self OF its character In our view of the question,
he is more culpable if he really did not see Ponsets
plan, than he is if he did because II he it, his
approval oft might be pallated as the error of
falble jud lmen; while if he did lot H. there is
no excuse for his earnest recommendation OF SO obi
Gus "a measure, without taking some pains to inform
himself Of its character, particularly when The CON
slitution restricts his rights recommend measures
even for the "coasideration Of Congress, such
he "judces necessary and expedenf." SO that Mr..
Ponsett's assumption Of responsibility will do the
President good, while twill piostrate himself
But we call the attention Of the people to an i'm
portant consideration connected with this attempt to
the President. II Mr.. Poinsctt assumes the
responsibility ofthis bold measure, ,ohere is The peo-
pies remedy He is the Presidents officer-nol
the peoples. lie is appointed by the President
responsible the Presldent-femovabe by the
President. How the people, then. to punish him
for this daring attempt to Cypress them? They are
evidently powerless, unless the President as their
agent will do, Vhat they ,eould do if the Secretary
directly answerabe to, and could be reached
by them. Will Mr.. Poinsetl be removed for daring
recommend so bold measure Congress- ,oiut- |
out permitting the President 10 see IL Not he for
his retention in office is doubtless part Of the bar
gan-the pay which he Is to receye-lor throwing
himself between the President and the peoples dis
pleasure. Buff he be retained in office, afe such
an ayowal on his part, will not that fact alone show
either that the President does not disapprove of his
scheme, or that he looks upon it least with an
eye of Indifference In wold the responsibility
of public officers ought to be real, not nominal
merely, in Republican government. But if Mr.. /
Ponseu assumes the responsibility Of this act, and
the people Cannot, and the President will not punish
him, Is it evident that all real responsibility at an
end, and that The officers appointed and removable by
the President may play such fantastic tricks they
please, without dread ofpopuar dspleasure, unless
the people, losing sight of hem strike high
ohject-at the President himselG-wlo is re-
sponsible to heu and through whom only can they
reach his subordinates! So that this assumption
of responsibility by M. Poinseu can avail the
President nothing unless Mr.. Van Buren, re-
moves Mr.. Ponsett II he does not, the people
ought to do II, in the only mode by which they can
reach him-that is, by removing Van Buren,, who,
by retaining him in office, virtually sanctions his off
cia conduct.
One cannotf fail to be struck with the change Which
has taken place in the Palace dogma since the de
parure ofGen. Jackson 10 tue Hermitage. Ihen /.
the President assumed the responsibility" for the
acts Of each member Of his Cabinet declaring that
the Cabinet was unit, of which he was the head
Now, the illustrations successor, instead offolow-
ing in the footsteps of Old Hickory, absolutely
shflnks like timd girl, from the consequences of
Of his own act, and throws the odium upon his Sc
cretafy How marked the contrast between the