Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-11-09

I'D, hoiy
The immense treasure that annually PasSe'
hands! ,,;,, ,hs
The ran;d increase and spread oil population, tne
growth of national wealth, lie ah,ou"' =. ~ ~,
Collected and d;sbursed the new relations 10y e "a
,rs;on nj comnerce) with foreign countries; me ao
d;,;nal n,o;n,ments at home and abroad lhe huho,i
and value Of conracts-ail constantly ui,u heo sa
m Tho ;ncrease-a general decay IN morals, perhaps %
great in Congress as eise"helr' w ,rn,s ~ Al
coon nrevail during several Presidential TERMS q ~
r,,,I;c Offices with but little or no regard 10 moral
standing have taken together, already openeo TO 'he
adj Of the Government elements o power ana cor,
rn,,;on which il possible for tine tanners and
of the Constitution 10 foresee or 10 conceive
who al that distant day. for example, ever dreamed oil
the spec,aces which have recently Disguised every
bonest citizen :-of posmasters, mail contractors,
mail agents and census,takeTs, covering 'ne 'ano
with Government pamphlets handblls and extra ga.
ze,tes sufficient f ready 10 cap the morals public and
nryate oil an entire generaton?-of the cu5t"m.hou
the large Cities living on the public, me-
scclng every duty for party meetings and The polls
and rendering TO power the most brlbe.worthy ser
v,c.s:-of district atlornes aud Understanding
mis- sionaries defending every abuse OF ohce-the'r
own the most indecent, in order TO MAINTAIN power IN
the hands ofther paron: All who have reflected on
the foregoing facts must be ready to niirm-that Ere
CUTIE patronage as increased increasing, anu ought
| 10 be diminished
hope, then, by early amendment OF the Consttu-
ton TO see reduction of Presidents veto. The regH
iaiion Of patronage would properly follow.
/
not be overcome by bare majority in each House OF
Congress- of all the members elected TO i,-say, fnr
tile benefit of reflection at The end OF ten days from The
return ofhe bill. An amendment to this effect would
still leave the Presden-the general representative OF
every State and ds,rict-armed with the votes of all
the members absent, al the moment, from the respec
! i've Hnusca; and there will always be some members
absent from both.
Rotation IN cdfec The inquiry under this head, is
moi definite in any letter before me. IL, however, IS
I To
of Territories and Of the Judges therein District
Attorneys Collectors, Surveyors, aud Naval Officers ut
the Customs Marshas, Posmastrrs whose commissions
! amount thousand dollars per dnnum; navy agents,
registers and receivers of land offices, surveyors &c.
neral of lands, and Indian agents-a OF whom are by
law appointed for term of four years. but subject by
express enactment Except the judges 10 be removed
Mt pleasure . To high class of civil officers (next
TO The chcs) in the Executive Departments at Wash
ngton other high MISUNDERSTANDING Minister'S Sc
crcares of legation and consuls posmasters, whose
commissions amount to less than thousand dollars
PR annum, superintendent Of Indian AFFAIRS Indian
sub-agenls, &C., &c-all appointed, whou; limitation
TO time, get subject in Prarttce-not by cypress law"
TO he also removed at pleasure; and s. 10 the assist
ants allowed by law TO very many ofthc principals IN
cluded above which assistants are generally called
cierks-some Of them Deputies appraisers, weghers,
gaugers snbnspectors, store Keepers lighthouse keep
ers, &c, &c, all appointed and subject 70 REMOVAL as
under the second head.
| am asked-Whether lin my poor opnInn) all those
unctonares amounting 10 many ihousands) or any OF
Them ought 10 he periodically superseded BY original
appointments II yes-Hhen9 And il a part only
! Which !?
We have seen that great number Of Offices filled
for a term of years, and without any Limitation as
TO term ], however, can draw no line OF Just distnc-
ton between the claims of the two classes upon the Ia
ror of country or Government.
Promising, that regular periodical changes IN the
subordinate servants Of the country, merely for the
sake Of change, would necessarily swell Executive pa
tronage, already too much swollcn-I am obliged to
add that more than doubt, other grounds, the po-
Icy and justice Of such changes J. because, Tor The
able and prompt execution of public business, much
official experience, in great number OF particular STA
tons, is known to be necessary; = Because many Of
fee hoders appointed under even reckless adninslra-
tons (such we have seen) will always, alter time,
be found Of tried integrity and of equal industry and
abilities; 3 Because, again, some may be iounu IN
of honorable poverty, the result no less OF stern
integrity than of long and exclusive devotion 10 tile
interests Of the public; and, A. Because, 10 remove
such servants, not to reaPpon heT al Inc END OF
term would only discourage successors IN aith-
full dischar of duty but could net fail TO outrage the
moral sense of entire communities. ! speak on tins
head from wha, witnessed in lca9-3o, OF the cruel
experiment. large scale, then made upon The SEN
sibtes OF the country, and the mschies TO the Puoc
interests which early ensued.
What ] would, therefore, humbly advise is this:
turn out, not only on change OF rresden, out IN any
and every week of the year, all holders known to
be deficient IN either honesty, capacity UT
and 10 appoint in their stead, men known 10 possess
those qualities Without anxious attention 10 tins
rule Government ofth people resting on virtue ana
intelligence, cannot long be successfully maintained
for blind vicious distribution of enormous patronage
would sonn by the force of the highest example, beat
down all that is taught in the church, the school mouse
and the college.
One Presidential term Ofhc cigh, chief gsrates
that preceded General Harrson-whom nation yet
mourns-the first, third fourth, fifth and seventh pre-
I1>.o lie tun go
TERMS tie other three, but four years each; and every
one of the eight, ,chst in office, became candidate for
4 second term.
/ consider the sublime example set by The father Of
his country, in declining third eleciion-wh'ch nus
been duly followed by four popular Presidents, and
would no doubt have been observed with equal good
faith BIZ the other three, under like crcumsiances-es
establishing barrier against third term, as impassa
bio as if il were embodied in the Constitution itse-
But do moi consider il respectful TO the people, nor
otherwise proper in candidate 10 solicit favor on a
oiedgc that If elected he will not accept second no.
niation 1t looks too much like bargain rendered TO
other aspira nts-ed TO me n0c; shaH sooh We ou "
: ,our ,cam-too much like the interest that sometimes
Governs The Cardinals in the choice OF Pope-many
voting for themselves FIRST, and, if without success, IL
nay for the most superannuated, IN order that Inc
election may the sooner come around again am,
however in favor oil amendment nfthe Constitution,
in one of the forms decarng that no citi-
zen shall be eligible to reelection to the Presidency;
and also of an extension ofthc term TO that oil Seha-
,or-a period Of SIX years
.7peaey ofMe President in Legislation J. am per-
suaded that this should be strictly limited, L. 10 the
veto, qualified as suggested ahovr; 10 Inc command
Of the Constitution he shall, from time TO time, give
TO lie Congress information Of the state OF the Union,
and recommend 20 their consideration such measures
as he shall Judge necessary and expeden'; and B To
furnishing through the appropriate Executive Depart
ments such details for bills as any committee OF either
House of Congress may specially call for
Leading MEASURES Of the late Eztra Session Of Con-
press ii had had the honor of vote on the occasion,
i would have hcen given in favor Of the Lind DIST,
button Bin the Bankrupt Bill, and the second bill for
creating Fiscal corporation having long been under
conviction that, in peace, in war, something Elf.
Gent, in the nature Of Bank Of tic L. s. is not only
'nccrssary and proper but indispensable TO the sue
cessful operation Of the Treasury, as well as 10 many
of the wants of our commerce and currency.
Secret or oQ;h-tound societcs II have not been a
member of lodge in thirty odd years. nor vi
sitter Of any lodge since except once--now more than