Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-03-12

amounting TO double Tie one aitacheu I'd tne
Secretaryship he had just resigned. This
doctrine being thus enforced, all future as
pirants to office niade their applications with
a perfect understanding of what was expect
ed Of them. Under this arrangement, II be-
came next to impossible that all honorable
man should obtain an appointment under the
Federal government, OF any Importance, and
if he by accident did, he would soon be
obliged to reinquish either his Office, or his
honesty and ndcpendence-as in the nature
Of things, il is universally known, that all
mems views will more or less differ on many
subjects--both Of political and Of private
nature. The inevitable effect Of this was as
1t proved to be, that an honest man was
discharged from Office as often as he allowed
his sense of right to conflict with the will of
his supcrlors-whle the unprnclpled Office
holder would conform TO any thing, however
wrong, rather than relinquish the Office, the
emolulnents of which enabled him to live in
idleness. Witness for instance the dsms-
sal of Mr.. Duane for refusing to remove the
Public deposits from the IT, States Bank, con-
lrary to the expressed will Of Congress,as has
been before stately The establishment OF
this principle was the first important step Ia.
ken in the grand scheme originated ~ the
early part OF Andrew Jackson's despotlc reign
for consolidating all the state governments
into one central, federal government, and TO
perpctuatc it in the hands OF the reignlDg dy-
nasty and their delegated SUCCESSORS the
FIRST of whom, after Gen. Jackson, was To br
Martin Van Buren, the next Thomas H..
Benton, who will undoubtedly succeed, land
who if elected--the writer OF this article
firmly believes will he the last President the
U. States will ever have,I provided MIR. Van
Buren, is re elected, that being agreeable TO
the terms Of the contract originally entered
into--as may be gathered from variety of
circumstances, come Of which will be gone
into more fully hereafter. This principle of
action in connection with the cunningly de-
yised dogma Of Mr.. Van Buren,, "thdt rotation
in office is a sound democratic principle" and
also the ono as expressed by his purtlc ular
friend Gov Marcy, that "to tie piclors belong
the spoiis"-was by skilful management soon
made sufficiently effective TO Turn the scale
Of power in favor of the executive branch o.!
the Government. II being thus established
that the "spoils," or money OF the peope,be-
longed to the Executive, and that 1t was to
be obtained only by those who should prove
themselves most gubservleni aud effective IN
its support-operated as premium on dis
honesty, to the extent Of the whole revenues
OF the country, and great numbers of corrupt
aud unprlnc pied characters were soon seen
vending their way To the seat OF government.
II being impossible to create Offices fast
enough to supply the demand, the dlsaPpoint-
ed applicants were dismissed with the under
standing, that in case their future conduct
should give sufficient evidence ol unreseryed
devotion 10 the Executive will, they should
each DO supplied eventually with an office,
aud if not with one created tor their especial
benefit, that agreeable TO the established
principle of "rotatlon IN office" they should
be provided for by the removal of some other
incumbent, who would perhaps be sufficient
" gorged with punder, or who might esnce
u want of devotion or energy IN dlscharging
his duty at the polls IN leciuring, or ~ any
other way where the interest OF The Feoeral
Executive should be ut stake.
This cuDnngly devised plan effectualy
detained all these floating unprInclpled char
acters, on the side OF the party IN power, TOR
the reason that they stood an equal chance
of obtaining Office uuder the existing admin
istration,--as they would IN case OF change,
with the additional security that the depravod
characters most Of them possessed, would be
a recommendation with the present Execu-
tive; whereas that circumstance might de-
feat their expectations were honest men
again placed at the head OF the nations al
fairs. Under this stimulus, office seeking has
bee ONE an established profession, to acquire
which, regular Apprenticeship Is served un-
der the Federal Executive by vast numbers
of l1e and unprincip'ed men III all parts vi
the country. By thus making 1t their con-
stant study, they become as expert as CHI
nese iugglcrs IN the art OF deccVlng the peo-
pie, aud IN using them for their own and their
Masters purposes. 1t has been observed IN
Europe that those American politicians who
are most clanorous IN their devotion and love
of the people at home,--are the most abJcct
and crlnglng in the presence of the arls-
tocracy abroad. This Is perfectly in accor-
dance with the grsatprlncpIes of" Cause and
Elect
! In the United States the people are, as
yet, the source Of power. 1t Is not the pco'
pie, but THEIR PowER these debused char
acters everencc-and when they are trans
ported to n country where they find tins
power lodged III the person of a despot, they
at once transfer their abject devotion TO him.
! II Is the same disposition manlicstng Itself
under different circumstances. Beng ut
ltTiy utNOiu WY F'"' ~''
things to all men, and are as ready to adop:
one sentiment as another, provided II VIII
equally advance their own interest, without
regard 10 the good or evil effects 1t may pro-
ducc OH the community ut large. Since
Andrew jackson was elevated 10 The presl-
dency, Executive officers have been con
stanty multiplying, for the two fold purpose
Of rewardlng It's adherents, aud also that by
means OF the salaries attached to the appoint
menls, It's officers may be enabled 10 render
more efficient aid at the Polls than when act
| ing simply in their individual character. II
any reader should doubt the ruth OF this, the
writer will simply refer him TO the case OF 'he
Custom House III The City Of New York
During the administration of John Quincy
/, Adams, according to the report Of commit
tee of which Mr. Benton was chnlrnan, an'
Mr.. Van Buren, conspicuous mcmber th'
number of Custom House officers IN New
York amounted To la and tho aggregate o
their salaries amounted to 81 o062,D cts
Thi, was held up 10 the people, ny the irlend'
of reiorm,as n mons trous and alarming abuse
of Executive power. Tins too was ~
period when the revenue collected from Gus
TOMS at New York, amounted to over I3OOO,
OOO of dollars. The whole revenue iron
customs collected tor the commercial yea
1927 being 1912 900 dollars, 1877 ~
dollars of which accrued at the port OF New
York; and tor the year ls2S the whole re-
,,,no ..ll.ctpd from customs amounted II