The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-06-11

dent had ever interfered in elections Nay the
charge was pronounced false and calumnious
and al the same time the public were informed
mat he General Jackson) disapproyed OF the in
reference Of public officers in elections. But
now, sir, am no longer under the necessity Of
referring to the proof Of the habitual practice in
this respect Of the public officers generally from
the highest to the lowest. The practice is now
become not only notorious, but il has been JUS
tined and indicated by an authority no less re-
spectacle than the Senate Of the United States !!
The report Of Mr.. Wall has become the text
DOCK OF the Administration upon this subject
The doctrine that il is not only the privilege of
public officers 70 interfere, but that il is their
duty to do SO, has become cardinal point in
their creed, and will continue to be carried out
IN practice as long as they shall remain in the
ascendant. II must now be regarded as the set
lied doctrine Of modern democracy! Still the
leaders OF this powerful association, claim TO be
followers of Jefferson! Yet, that great republi-
can statesman held the interference Of public Of
hcers in elections so great an offence, that he
pledged himself, before his election to the Pre-
sidency, that he would consider il 'sgood cause
OF removal from Office p and to his eternal ho-
nor be it understood, that soon after his entrance
upon this high trust, he issued circular to the
heads Of departments interdicting the practice,
and directing them to notify all the officers I'M
der their control, Of his order upon that subject
But il is useless TO dwell upon these contradc-
tons. II is become too well known to require to
be exposed here. that it is the name of Jefferson
not his doctrines which the gentlemen in power
regard as most valuable in the accomplishments
Of their purposes.
Regarding the doctrine settled, that the Off
GERS of the Government may, without censure,
interfere in elections; what il may be inquired.
are those monstrous evils which make the prac-
tce so criminal in the eyes Of those who are in
the habit of denouncing IL?
All the irregularities and abuses proposed to
be reformed by this bill are so regarded because
they tend TO increase the power and influence
Of the Executive in such degree as to deprive
the legislative department Of its due weight in
the Government; and, finally, to SET aside the
power of the people themselves. The particu-
lar abuse under consideration, besides strength
ening the Executive power, leads to the neglect
and Encouragement Of the public interest CON
ided to the public officers, by diverting their
attention to the business of electioneering.
One striking and inevitable result of this prac-
tice, sanctioned as it is by the whole party in
power, will be to erect the entire corps Of pub
lie officers, as soon as they can be properly
drilled and disciplined into Grand Committee
OF the Union, for the management OF all cleo
tons Of which the Chairman will be the Pre-
sident Of the United States! II is committee
organized to their hand by the constitution and
laws, but perverted to the worst and most I'M
constitutional purposes. To their official duties
they have only to superadd the duty of making
such provision in money, and taking such active
measures besides, as will secure the success Of
their candidates in all elections; thereby perpe-
tuating their own power and securing,a mono
poly to themselves and their favorites of all the
public Offices.
II will be seen at glance that this will be the
most perfect system Of party organization in the
wit Of man to devise. 1t is at this moment in
full and active operation Orders and instruc-
tons regularly go forth from the Central Sub
committee, with the President at its head, to its
different members in every section Of the Union.
We can see clearly enough why it was that,
without the slightest fault in the late postmas-
tiers at Albany, Baltimore and in this city, they
were thrust out of Office, and decided partisans
of the Administration put into their places
These were important points to be forfeited
The public Post was and is to be rendered sub
servient to party interests in the ensuing con-
test and the fiat has gone forth for that purpose
do not say that all the public officers are mem
bers OF this grand committee. There are few
of some weight and consequence who have not
yet been brought to yield implicit obedience to
the President but of the class of influential Off
GERS in the civil service liable to removal know
of very few, while | am aware that there are
several thousands of inferior grade and impor-
lance, chiefly deputy postmasters, who have not
become the slaves Of party tyranny.
What, in truth, Mr.. Speaker, are the hundred
thousand office-holders, or recipients of Govern
ment favor in some shape or other, likely to be-
come under the conuptng maxims and practices
of the Administration What are most of them
at this moment, but SO many feed attorneys,
whose principal business and duty il is to advo-
cate and support, at all times and upon all occa
sions, the measures and policy Of the Admins
tration right or wrong and to press the claims
of their candidates in all elections And what
is still more Objectionable, they are paid from
Treasury replenished out of the substance and
hard earnings Of the whole people of both par
ties
are we to repress this increasing and daring mis-
chief? 1t is denied that we have the constitu-
tonal power to restrain public officers in the
way proposed by this bill.
The late bill of the Senate was compared to
the alien and sediton laws of 1898, and repre-
scented as having the same general object in view,
and founded on the same principles; but how
false and unfounded this view of the subject
was may be discovered at glance by any in
dividual of general intelligence and observation
and the body of the people must soon become
sensible ofthe same thing. The two measures
are as opposite as the poles in object and princi-
ple The alien and sedtion laws were design
ed as restraint upon the free expression Of
opinion by the People themselves, against the
Public Officers and their measures. The bill
Of the Senate and the one now under conside-
ration propose 10 prohibit the officeholders from
exercising an undue and improper influence over
the People. The alien and sedition laws were
intended to protect the public officers from the
sayings and doings of the People; these bills
propose to protect and guard the People against
the sayings and doings Of the public officers
In the one case, it was the alleged improper
conduct Of the people that was proposed to be
punished I; in the other il is the alleged improper