Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-05-27
Star Chamber Iaoui,ifio,,-p,,,,,.u,,

N"""'"sF fHqmsuons-f'rrcSituff.
ine National lntellisencer has condescended 10
specify, Tor the benefit OF the Enquirer. numerou,
Pfeeeoents Tor the institution OF tho Commissions
which now constitute so fruitful tonic of Loco
foco invective. The cases adduced are suffieen, !,
all conscience for the purpose in hand-but will !,
oe asking too much Of the Inteligencer TO collec,
all the commissions which were instituted by lack.
son and Van Buren7 Every case under either Of
"oSe administrations must act like an additions,
gag IN the mouth OF these Federal bravlers and
nave the farther effect of exposing to the public the
hypocrisy oil this uRprincipled faction. Kendalps
mission to the Banks, and Pitts exploration of Eu
rope are referred TO by the lnteigencer but besides
these. If our recollection does not msead Us. Their.
were scores OF Others all over the land
We more and more apprehend. that ,bo ,rr.
eausso' the Loco Foco outery against these commits
SONS VIII be found IN the shameful Developments
10 which they will lead. But Of this we can better
judge hereafter.
we subJon an extract from the Intellisencer
wv hen the Enquirer demands of US. by what au
thority these Commissions are appointed. we refer
1t Tor answer, TO the practice under every Admin
istraton, OF appointing Commissioners to DISCHARGE
duties which the Executive canno, DISCHARGE. d.
ree'y or IN person, and for which no special proyi.
sion has been made by law. Without reIvine
much upon the precedents under the two last AID.
m'n'strations, mot deeming them high authorityl
sueh as the commission 10 examine transactions in
one oil the public Offices Mr. Auditor Kendall's row.
ing commission among the Banks, sc. &c and with
out going SO much into detail as to fatigue the read
er, we will specify few cases tout of mnny) which
cd
svc against the Enquirer's exceptions
during the administration of President WASH
lnSton when resistance TO The execution OF the laws
IN western Pennsylvania had assumed ar alarming
aspect before resorting arms to compel Obedience
10 them, the President constituted Commission To
repair TO the Of instruction and examine the
natter" The report OF the Commissioners. tbou,b
honorable TO themselves, not being Indicative of n
peaceful temper on the part of the insurgents. 6f
teen thousand militia were Immediately pu, IN m,rcb
TO quell the disorder; measure of. enerpv md
promptitude we'll worthy of imitation in all similar
cases, and attended in that case with the bsppv
effect Of quellins treason withou, the shedding Of
blood.
During the administration of MIR Jeffersn. lin
the year 1906 John Graham, Esq was appointed
commissioner TO proceed through the western
states to Louisiana, and inquire into and report IN
Oh inc movements OF Aaron Burr, then suspected
OF reasonable purposes; and he executed thai deli;
ee Suty 10 the entire satisfaction of the President
purihs the administration of Mr.. Madison, in
PIP, congress having appropriated money 10 re-
nuild the Capitol, Commission WINS eons,i,ut.d
~ tue PRESIDENT, consisting Of Gen. J. p Van
MSS, Richard Brand Lee, and Tench Rineoo,d 20
oHect ana superntend the expenditure Of that an.
preparation. This Commission Continued in 81
IN nefn Of
I,shing the present Office of Commissioner of IN.
Public Buildings. " VIC
ourlng the same administr ation the second ar
.'e oI ,ne realty oil Ghent having directed the re-
GprocaI restoration of captured property bv the LAT,
oellgerents, without declaring how il sbonId h. "a
1r.O'eo, commission was constituted CONSISTING or
Thomas NJ. Bayly, George Graham, and Job5 8
SKINNER, to proceed TO the British Squadron in the
100 peahe Day ana require and receive the cap
'urea property IN It's possession
During the administration of Mr.. Mon,oe an.
OF ne earliest acts Of that President was 10 nnor,
as Commissioners Cssar A. Rodney. Jobn C:Ios,
ana iheodorek Bland, Ito which Commission 81
W. ;l'ehehtoso was appointed Secrctary,) To pro.
W Puoilc snip along The coast of South Amer
lea, 10 obtain correct information on everv suh;sc
~ "hich me United States are Interested &c Tbis
DUTY was faithfully performed by hose di,tngish.
co citizens, las Mr.. Monroe very Justly termed
MENU ana copies OF their reports were hid beTo,c
Congress at the Sess on Of ISIs-Io
These are few only out of many coses oc.,..
ring uhuer the elder Administrations in which Com,
missions were constituted by the Execntive. win
out authority oil law. or any other authoritv than
lnat "hsh the President swears that he will eIsr.
else when he takes the oath reonired Lv ,bo r..
stuuon 10 Faithfully execute the Office Of Prc,Js
OF the United Sta,esp ''''''"'
- Our OBJECT being really to quiet the mind NJ tba
Eo'tor OF the Enquirer on this subject We 6,,ho.,
10 remark, as VIC might otherwise hava donc -
me pugnacity with which Commissions TO invss,;
gaze ABUSES are now assdiled, whilst not yybi,os,
OF the EnquirerS dIsapprobation was eve, L..J -
Commissons instituted under the late aJm;n;s,. "
tlon TIE instances Of which were not rnre such ,s
Tor example, the case Of The agent (Mr PIN who
was sent 70 travel abroad TO report upon the Eron.
an fost Once arrangements, &c. without snv nre
sncc OF authority OF law, at expense of ten or
h'teen thousand dollars 10 the Treasury.
we nave, we trust succeeded in relievino the
anxious mind Of the Enquirer in regard IN ,h,. e
PIC ny showing that nothing has been more com.
mon than the practice Of establishing such Conn,;
missions as those which il now objects To.
u" The reason Of this practice must be plaio eno,sb
TO any one who will for a moment sonsi,Is, a.
oi INC Executive Office, and the du,ieq
winch pertain to II. There ore many of tbose Jn,;
which Il is impossible for the President IN eToc,,,o
without Intermediates agency which agency ,Ior,bs
most part provided for by law by the estsbsb,,o,
OF suitable subordinate Offices o. agencies. scI, a.
the Heads OF Departments, Sc. Where thee h. no
such agency established by iaw, or where dutie. rs
CURED 70 DC performed are extraneous in any ss.
taOlshco ONCE, SPECIAL agency must Of neces.,t,,
be occasionally resoried TO. So. when Concyss, y
reets any particular thing TO be done under tbe di.
'eeuon OF the PREsTDENr, without declaring bv
OHom u snail DO done, II must not therefore Ia ,k
undone, but the PREsfDgHT must take care ina, n
% dons by somebody, because II is his sworn dntv
70 take care that the laws be faithfully exeeuted
n