Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-05-04
why this bill WINS unconstitutional is, thatit aJridg.
ed the freedom of sDeech.


the Apostle Of Liberty" in hsilctter tn Govern.
nr Mexican, use the language he did on this sui E
ectf Still more, when he came into Office
President, why did he dare to issue lis circuaI
letter prohibiting this clnss Of officers, on pnin OF
dismissal from interfering in elections farther than
to give their own votes ?
He twas s,rorn TO supper, the Constitution, md if
,ngress abrdges the freedom vi speech, secured
ny The Constitution, by the enactments proposed
in this BILL il follows clearly that tho President IN
his circular pioiated the same pr0psion, by pronou1
cling the lie penalty TOR the like cGence7
! defy any person to condemn the one without
condemning the other unless indeed, we sup
lose there is a class of politicians who believe the
Constitution does not, and ought not to impose,
any restraint upon the President.
| fear such sect has lately sprung up, md Is
increasing. II cannot I've too speedily suppressed.
| The late President General Jackson, in his in -
augural address, when no was fresh from the
people," inculcated the same doctrine with MIR.
Jefferson. ITO prevent the patronage Of the
Government from being brought into conflict with
the freedom OF elecions, was duty inscribed IN
characters too leglble to he misunderstood" &c
was the strong language he then used. How was
! tins duty to be discharged? Did we not, one and
all, believe he would discharge il sir. Jefferson
had lone2 II, then, these Presidesss coulI Nth
out piolatng The Constitution prohibit these officers
from interfering IN elections why could not Con-
pItSS, NY ito endCtiItHtS pioh'h 'hN'H ''NS"iSO
No satisfactory answer can be given to this
question.
The President already had the power vested in
him to dismiss these officers at lis pleasure; and
Congress PROFESSIONALLY had the power tmt'
his discretion by specifying the cases in which he
should exercise it. If, then, my colleague aud
erred on this question of power, with great de-
ference ! submit that the company with which
our opinions were assocnted ought, at least, &c
have softened the asperity of the language j,
which our condemnation was pronounced.
there was any one subject above all Others, upoi
which believed my colleague and ! could no
mistake the sentiment of our constituents, it wal
that embraced in that bill
10 prevent the President thr, ugh these officers
from interfering in elections, was a theme upor
which the friends of the late President jackson
had dwelt the most, bOtll in and ott of Congress
in 1885, committee Of the Senate. of which
was very humble member, through their chair
man had made most able report, the principles
of which were applauded by the whole party, nnt
by our State in particular. Unon them, nnly
General Jackson came into power; he gave then
his solemn sanction in his inaugural address, il
presence of thousands Of witnesses. Ind beef
twice elected after my opinions were well know
upon this subject, and now, when | endeavo
faithfully to carry them out, 10 be unqlaiifedl
condemned for doing SO, and that by those win
then protested to think as ] sincerely did, was wha
subject, my practice has correspondent with IN,
professions. Still, shoud feel degraded if wer
to pronounce any old Associate traitor, keI
him to Benedict Arnold, because at this time h
disnsrees with inc in opinion.
They are greatly mistaken who suppose the oh
iect of this bill was to take from this class of off
GERS any right whatever. Precisely the revers
was the intention. 1t was TO .mdncipaie them tror
The stdrish bondage in which they were held.
was to enable every man ofthem to vote accordn
to the dictates of his own judgment, and TO all
solve Them fron the painful alternative of bein
compelled to. not only vote, hut to elecloneer f.
candidates not Of their choice, but of the Presi
dent, on pain of dismissal from office.
The great object was to prevent the Presitler
from controlling the people in the choice Of the
officers, State and Federal. This class of officer
whose daily bread for their families, depended o
Executive favor, were constrained, MS a part @
their o6fc duty, not only to vote as The Presider
eished. hut TO endeavor 10 influence others to do
likewise. II they did not perform this duty the
were dismissed, and with their families left I
starve. An enlightened Statesman once Gale
them "the enlisted soldiers of the President"
politician, who knows as well ms any othe
man the motives by which men are influenced
relation 10 elections, says: - Whenerer he sees a
office holder int, /tring in elections, he concludes
is thinking Of his salary and his bread, and is
very unfit adoiser of the people, BY the passap
of This bill it was hoped the instruments for mis-
leading the people would he taken from the Pres
dent, that these :" enlisted soldiers would he dis
charged from electioneering duties and We, rerey
their pay md TINT If they performed the drrie
of their offices faithfully they might safely vol
according to the dictates of their own Judgmen
and yet be in their salaries and their dali
bread"
BY your fourth resolution, MS one Of your Sc,
ators, aln instructed to 'vote against the measu
heretofore brought before Congress which La
e II.
the proceeds Of the sales ofihe Public Lands"
In justice to myself ms we'll as TO my constii,
EMS, I must he permitted TO state the manner
which my mind has operated on this subject
different times, and under different circumstance
When bill was first introduced, having sue
distribution as that spoken OF for it's object, vote
against its passage, and in favor OF the veto OF III
Chief Magistrate, on the ground that no such di
lribution ought to he made until the public de
tras all paid
Upon looking into the deeds 10y which tho.
lands were coded to the United States by the re
pectve States, found that they were conveyed
trust, to pay out ofthe proceeds Of their sales
public debt then owing by The Un:i"d States, az
that the residue shold be for the Joint benefit
each of the several States including those makir
the cessions.
Al TINT time n portion OF the Public debt VI
unpaid, aud deemed it improper 10 distribute al
part OF this fund until the debt was fully ,lischa
ged, that being the PRIMARY object Of The donor.
When n like bill was afterwards introduced,
not only voted for it, but gave il such support
my feeble abilities enabled mo.
By this time the public debt had heen fully pa
and we had very large sum in the Treasury b
yond The necessary wants OF the Federal Cover
ment.
| could not doubt the power of Congress
make the distribution, because there was an e
press trust thai this fund should be for the use
the ragilactiya Siata4 we had