The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-14
IN SENATE.
MONDAY. AUG. Q. 49,

MONDAY, Aug. 9, 1S4l.
Mr.. CHOATE presented memorial for the exemp
ton of soda ash from duty in any revision of the ia
riff; which was laid on the table 5....'
The resolution of Mr.. CLAY, of Alabama, calling
the Secretary of the Treasury for the number Of
dismissas and appointments of clerks by the present
Commissioner of the Land Office, with the reasons
therefor, and the salaries paid, was taken up.
Mr.. SMITH, of Indiana, was not opposed to OBJ
tanning the information of this resolution but he did
not know whether belonged to the Senate to call for
the appointments by heads of bureaus, as he believed
it matter between the Executive and the heads
of bureaus appointed by the Executive. If this prn
cipe were proper, in general he had no objections to
this case. -.
Mr. CLAY, of Alabama, apprehended that he had
touched rather tender place. to the friends of this
Administration. They had come into power with pro-
fessons of retrenchment and reform and it now
proper that their Transactions under the various De-
partments should lie fully exposed. Several ap-
pointments had been made, and he wished to know
the grounds for them, connected with the public bust
ness
Mr. LINN said this was to be reforming Adm-
nstration, and this proper information to be OBJ
tanned. All their promises had been about sincere,
that about prescription" and he intended to
nail these counterfeters to the counter If the late
Administration had been prodgal in the expenditures
of the Government they intended to make the present
would expose everything-nothng should be kept Sc
cret-not their Abolition nominations here and if
they had told falsehoods by the ton, they should be
exposed. -, ..
Mr.. SMITH reiterated his statement, that if the
call proper one he had objections in the least
TO its information. He merely wished the Senate to
decide the question whether il was proper TO call for
information of heads Of bureaus when legislation
could grow out of il.
Mr.. PRESTON had no objections to the CALL
The reasons ought to be known, why appointments
were made. The only reason against it, was that il
did not call for all the accompanying information
that the relative action Of the two Administrations
this subject ought to be included in this call He
could readily conceive of defeated Administration in
fit of economy, cutting of clerks by scores, Of
Executive who had annually expended millions above
the income of the Government, coming out suddenly
and advocating retrenchment, and opposing debt,
when they left their the obligation Of
paying of the debts they had themselves created
to say that if they forfeited the pledges given to the
people the late Administration had, they would
have the condemnation of the people, as that Adm-
stIation had received it.
Mr.. LINN said the opponents Of Van Buren's ad-
mln'sraon took the broad ground that removal from
office for opinions sake was Unconstitutional.
Mr. PRESTON said if the officers found in Office
mad taken active parts in politics. it proper
tnal they should remain in Office having abused their
trust, and that against the party in power If they
snouu 60 about to find out the opinions Of officers,
anu tner quallhcations voters turning out those
VINO nad no votes, and appointing their friendsif they
should tax their salaries for eeconeering purposes
ana make their political opinions an Indispensable
quainca'ion Tor experimentation he should say the
present ought TO be condemned as the last Admins
traton had been. w" - 0T
lie trusted that gentlemen on the other side would
not suppose that he had changed his opinions, or