Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-03-20
From HE Salem .AdsrtStr.J

maintained that II not only unconstitutional, hut Il
usurpation of power, TO remove man from office on
political ground. His views and MIR Cays pre-
ciselv the
Mr. Clay, in May, 1890, made speech at public
dinner at Fowers Garden Lexington, Kentucky
Mr. Clay in this speech, denounced the policy of ap-
pointing members Of Congress To office, and was almost,
ready say il violation of the Constitution. 1t
excited his most "serious apprehension.
He denounced in less measured terms the practice
Of appointing partizan Editors 10 Office Gen. Jackson
had committed The unpadonable sin, in his estimation,
Of appointing fieen renty Of the ab!est editors in
the country Office! 1t crime TO appoint fifteen.
OF this practice Of appointing violent editors 10 office,
Mr. Clay said:
81 ask if the necessary consequence must not be to
render the Press venal, and in time to destroy this
hitherto Justly cherished Palladium of our Liberty
Upon the general principle OF remorat will quote
Mr.. Clay's words, as follows:
"lf the principle Of all these appointmcnts-hs mo-
nopoly of public trusts by mambers OF Congress and
partisan edtors--be cxceptionabe (and would not
have alluded 10 them but from my deliberate convlc
ton that they essentially yicions,) their effects
are truly alarming. will not mpnte 10 President
Jackson any design to subvert our Liberties. hope
and believe that he does not entertain any such
design But | must say that if an ambitious Pres
dent sought tho overthrow OF our Government, and
ultimately TO establish different form, he would, at
the commencement of his administration, proclaim
by his official acts, that the greatest public virtue was
ardent
been the character the services, the sacrifices oil
ncumbcnts or applicants for office, what their c1pe
ritnce ability to serve the Republic, II they did
not bow down and worship him they possessed no
claim to his patronage Such ambitious President
would saw as monarchs have said, u am the state =
He would dismiss all from public employment who
did not belong TO the true faith. He would stamp
upon the whole official corps OF Government one ho
nosencous character, and inluse into 1t one uniform
principle of action. He would scatter with an open
.oG
giving The best TO those who had spoken and written
and frankcd most in his behalf lie would subs'dise
The press 1t would be his earnest and constant ann TO
the two greatest engines OF operation upon pup
lie opinion Congress and the Press. lie would pro-
n,urate a new penal code, the rewards and punish
men,s would be distributed and regulated exclusively
by devotion or opposition to him. And when all tins
powerful machinery was put IN motion, II ne oid not
succeed in subvertng the Liberties Of hrs country and
in establishing himself upon throne, II would be be-
cause means or principle OF resistance hau
been discovered which unknown IN other times or
| to other Republics.
"But If administration, conducted IN the manner
Just supposed did not aim al the destruction oi pno-
lie liberty il would engendcr evils OF magnitude so
great as gradually 10 ALLEVIATE the affections OF Inc
peone from their Governments and finally To lead 10
its overthrow According to the principle now avow-
ed and practscd, all Offices vacant and filled WITHIN
The compass of the Executive power are 10 ne aiiord
amour the partsans of the successful candidate. The
aside and every thing is 10 be decided by the zeal,
activity, and attachment in the cause Of particular
candidate which were manifested during the prece-
ding canvass. The consequence OF these prncpies
would be to convert the nation into one perpetual
/ theatre for political gladators. There would be one
universal scramble for the public Offices The ernl-
nation of one Presidential contest would be only me
signal lnr the commencement of another Ana on Tue
conclusion Of each we should behold the victor dstrI-
bu,inr the prizcs and applying his punlshmcnts Ike
L I'm
great victory Congress corrupted, and the press cor
rupted general corruption would ensue, until the SUP
stance Of free Government having disappeared, some
Prmtorian band would arise and with the general con
Of distracted people, put al emu " usciess
| forms.
81 am aware that the late nets OF Administration on
which i. has been my dlsagreeable necessity to annad
vert, q hope without giving pain to any OF my ie!-
low Citizens, wish most sincerely 10 give honej
were sustained upon some vague notion or purpose
of reform And il remarkable that among The
loudest trumpeters of reform, were some VINO hao
lately received appointments TO lucrative oihces.-
Now it must be admitted that, as TO them, mos
substantial and valuable reform had taken piace-on'
trust that something more extensively beneficial to
the people at large intended By that sweet sound
ing word. | know that, at the commencement ana
throughout nearly the whole progress OF the late IA
mins,ration reform in the Constitution was talked
Of so as 10 exclude from public office members Of
Congress- during the periods for which they were elect
ed, and limited term beyond them This proposition
appeared 10 be received with much favor discussed
in the House of Representatives session after session
at great length, and with unusual eloquence and ab
IT, majority of that body seemed disposed TO accede
TO it, and thought for time, that there was high
probability of its passage, at least through that House
Its great champion General Smyth of V'rglnIa press
ed with resoute perseverance. But, unfortunately
at the last esson after the decision of the Preside ntia
question: it was manifest that the kindness with which
1t had been originally received, had greatly abated Its
determined patron found it extremely difficult to en-
gage the House 10 consider it, When, at length, he
prevailed by his frequent and earnest appeals to get
taken up, views appeared 10 have suddenly STRUCK
the reformists. II was no longer amendment in the
eyes, SO indispensable to the purity of our Constitution
and the majority which appeared to be so resolved t
carry by direct indirect vote, gave it the go
by
Mr. Clay, again in speech at the Hagerstown
(Maryland,) Mechanic Supper, Goth March, lo29, tt
which he an invited guest:
MED with spri, of RELENTLESS PRoSCRlP
TON, expelling from public employment men o
tried capacity and integrity, and filling their place
with others-and if all these evils shall flow from In
councils of SECRET, UNSEEN, and UNWOR
THY and IRRESPONSIBLE ADVISERS, thel
those who cooperated to bring about the late event