Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-05-25

The CONSERVATION into which the Globe and It's
allies are flung by the Commissions appointed To
hquhe INTO abuses, is ut once amusing and oni-
nous Complaints OF fraud, misn.a nag ement and
corruption IN the administration Of the New York
Custom House, have been rife for several years
past, and specific charges had assumed such a con-
slstence, that was impossible for the Secretary OF
the Treasury longer to decline to take notice Of them
aComm'ssion, therefore, consisting OF gentlemen Of
standing and intelligence, appointed to proceed
to New York. with full power TO overhaul books
ana accounts, and TO examine witnesses touching the
manner IN which the affairs of the Custom House
have been administered. This Commission is now
IN session, and we doubt not will be instrumental
in making disclosures which will asonsh the coun-
Try. The Globe denounces this proceeding rs u
Star Chamber Court--an lnuuisition-a secret tri.
eunal. These terms are applied also 10 similar in
vesusations ordered with reference to ;he public
buildings and to the administration Of the Navy
Yard at Norfolk. there be nothing wrong, why
object to investigation The alarm, manifested nj
symptomatic OF guilt. The people, at least. will
think go, and demand more loudly than ever tho.
rough neutrality-suspicious..
The organ of Toryism in this city takes up the
howl Of the Globe, and affects becoming indigna-
ton that the Government should adopt measures to
preserve the public funds, and prevent the political
conireres OF Swartwout Co. from fol lowing in their
footsteps. The "bold and frank" Editor cannot nut
his finger upon the clause of the Constitution which
authorizes the President to supervise Executive
asents-for whose conduct he is rcsponsible-to see
thatthey execute the laws-that they DO not abuse
their trusts or neglect their duties-or, in homely
ve.naeular, see that they do steal the public mo
ney, or detect them IL they do. There is no such
grant OF power rs this in the Constitutional no.
and that was the reason, we presume, that Van Blu.
rem winked at the populations of Swartwout, and
Harris, Boyd and Lynn, and their political com.
peers. lie had no authority under the Cons:itu
uon' although he had agents constantly employed,
at high salaries;-ono of whom immortalzed himself
oy recommending that one Of the Mississippi
who had stolen some $4,000
should not be removed, because he had stolen a,
much as he wanted! According to this rule Of con.
struction, President DO nothing whatever, mo-,
authorized in the Constitution He can.
not eat or sleep, perform any of the six non ma
tural thngs-go TO church of Sundays or kiss his
wiie-because not one Of these privileges is ex.
pressly or by necessary implication, authorized in
the constitution. He is an accommodated per
son--denied hre and water. He must live on air.
Ill caught mapping, he may be arraigned for High
Treason-and il he sits down, or walks or rides. he
violates his oath TO support the constitution Ger
ton for his performing any one Of these ordinary
or natural functions than there is that he "sbsll
see the laws executed" and permit none of his
agents to pick and steal from the public crib.
The Enquirer IS worthily engaged in seeking by
such retnlnss, or any other expedients its subtle
and polluted ingenuity may suggest, to screen the
dellnquencies Of its political associates Such a
close is IN keeping with its long career of political
depravity, hypocrisy and regeneration. Judge
Roane, Ut is said,) once pronounced its conductor
Tory-John Randolph, we all know, characterized
HIM Politician Of seven princpes-5 loaves and
: hshes-and the general sentiment of the Virginia
public concurs in the justice of both structures |,
Is meet-it is precisely what should be-,tAt he
should wind up. Ivy unmasking himself, in openly
opposing an investigation into the official proiiga
cy OF which he has long been the secret and indie
fatisable advocate.