Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-11-09

Scott, has been Ia nded TO us Tor publication. Ii ha
been drawn from him, We understand, by numer
letters from various parts Of the Union. including
applications from citizens OF New Jersey, sskin,
he opinions concerning the politics Of the day
Without meaning to intimate any opinion to III,
object policy Of the correspondence, we remarl
With pleasure, that the reply Is written With tn,
characteristic fankness and ability Of its disting ush
ed author being full clear aud unequivocal, in al
IL expressions OF opinion.
wAsHnGros, Oct. 25th, Is4I.
Gentlomen,-t have lately had the honor to
ceive many letters from ~ many different States
zach propounding, the part OF the writer and his
neshbor, nearly tho same political heterogeneous
TO which answers are requested.
The scorpe Of the inquiries is q hattering proof Of
the interest that some of my countrymen take IN the
opinions that have formed certain great princi
Piles Of abiding importance TO the success oil our
systems OF government; and as | have nothing TO
conceal, II nothing Of value to communicate, sha
at once without policy OF reserve, and in the
form Of a circular, comply with their several re-
quests.
PARrr PoLITIcs.-Although from early man
hood, have, by the profession Of arms in defence
Of my country, been thrown out Of the arena OF
tentive observer Of public events, and thus believe,
there has scarcely been a discussion OF moment
in Congress, within my time, on which did not
form. and modestly, but firmly, express passing
opinion.
A mere youth, felt the liveest 10Y when tn.
alien aud sedilion laws expired in the triump h OF
Mr. jefferson. From 1906 was old enough, by
speech and pen, TO call for prompt and energetic
redress OF our wrongs suffered from Great Britain
until her Orders in council the attack the Che
sapeake frisate and long continued mpressment OF
our seamen; and when the war Of 1912 at length
came, was among the FIRST and loagest in the
French Directory; their depredatons COM
merce, renewed under Napoleon's DEGREES Der
lin and Milan) which followed the British Orders
in Council also largely shared in my indignant re-
probation.
The administration Of MIR Madison, and MIR
Monroe like that Of Mr. Jefferson, had, in their
spectiye periods, my humble, but hearty approba-
ton; and have ever since censured nothing IN
either but the sale ola part and the dismasting Of
our navy: the gun boat system OF defence that fol-
l,wed, and the endefnite embargo-which, Gripping
us for war, by destroying our commerce and imam
ces, and expressing agriculture, was long continued,
without redressng one outrage from abroad.
give this little sketch Of the growth of my party
feelings or opnions-unimportant perhaps, except
TO myself and few partial friends, TO show that, II
] have never been a Federaist, IN any party sense
oftbe term so neither have been Jacohin; an
iupracticabLe or abstractionist IN any sense what
ever; but always an old fashioned republican, de-
voted TO the support OF law and order;-a democra-
tic whis, Just as all my family had been wings in
the great struggle for national freedom and lnde-
pendence.
The JupIcIARY.-From early and long-con-
tinued study Of elementary Law, my mind has ever
been i'm bued with deep reverence Tor the Bench
our systems OF government, and which, holding
neither the purse 10 corrupt nor Ihe sword 10 er-
fly, addresses itself ony with the milo force oil per
suasive Reason, 10 the intelligence ana virtue oil
the whole community. By the federal constitution
every possible sasg uardis provided TO shield its Ju
dietary against feetIng prejudice, potIca! rancour,
and party dependence-to which Legislators and
the Executive are unavoIdably, directly and con-
stantIy exposed. Hence, "io the supreme
COURT is widely extended (by "the appellate jurs
dction") "All csses in law and equity, arising I'M
der this constitution, the laws Of the United States
and treaties made, or which shall be made, under
tieir authority"
Looking to this express provision, have always
held that when a doubtful question-arislng under
the constitution itself, the supreme law of the land
under an OF Congress treaty, has once
been solemnly adjudicated, by that court, the prn
ciple of the decision ought TO be taken, by all,
Gefnlively seitled-uness, indeed II be upon re-
hearing before the same tribunal. This appears TO
clear for dsputaton; Tor the court is no.
only declared 10 he supreme, and hence there can
be bench beyond il, but to Congress is only Civ
the power to constitute inferior tribunals BY
appeals TO the Supreme Court, settlement was in
tended TO be reached, and anarchy thro' long dis
traction Of the public mind, on great questions Of e
gslatve and executive power, thus rendered impos-
Enthusiastically therefore, for the people, and es-
peciay their functouares, TO deny. disturb, or I'M
pugn principles thus conStliu lonaIy established,
strikes me of evil example, II not OF direct
dictionary tendeEcy,-excep, indeed, in the case
of Judicial decision enarslng power and against lib
ery and any dangerous error Of this sort can be al
ways easily corrected, land should only be correct
ed) by an amendments OF the constitution, IN one Of
the modes prescribed by that instrument Itself
the organic law of the States and The people. Mis-
constructions OF the law, other than the constitution
are yet more readily corrected by amendatory or
declaraiory acts OF Congress.
The Erteulipe Yeto-This by the trainers Of the
constitution could only have been designed, Ito
enable the President TO defend his own rghtfu
powers against usurpatons on the part of Congress;
2. To enable him TO forbid other legislative infrac.
tons of the constitutions and ). To guard the
country against other acts OF hasy or violent legis-
lation.
Il is hardly possible 70 conceive a under the
first or second Of these heads, against which the
Judicary-the balance wheel Of the system-does
afford Of ITSELF all the security that the people
require.
But without the protection of either the Bench OF
the Veto, would the executive department (become
superjudicia Of late yeafs) be too weak to fulfil
the strictly executive functions for which it was
more particularly created or rather, would not
that department still he the most powerful, for evil,
in the government2
The President is, under the checks of the consti.
tuition and law, rghlfully invested wi b the power
of the Swsrd, and he has again and again had that
of the Purse also. The Houses of Congress, it is
true, lay Tor imports and regulate the sales of
the public domain; butt is he ChrJ his agents.
who handles the proceeds. From 1888 to 1885, TO
say nothing Of the presently he alone nominated and
dismissed all the agents who kept, well those
who collected. distributed and dIsbursed the public
revenue. The apohegm-make US your executor,
care not who your legislators, has ffightfu
application TO such small agents, and the immense
treasure that annually passes thro' their hands,
The rapid increase and spread Of population; the
growth of national wealth; the amount of revenue
collected and discussed; the new relations 10y the
extension OF commerce) with foreign countries; the
additional appointments at home and abroad; the
number and value OF contracts-a constantly and
necessarily the increase; GENERAL decay IN
morals, perhaps, as great IN Congress az elsewhere
the habit that have prevail during the sew.
cral presidential terms-oi filling public Offices wih
but bttle regard 10 moral sandibg-haVe, Ia
ken together, already opened TO the head Of the gov
eminent elements Of power and corruption which
II impossible for the frameTs and adOp'ers Of
the constitution TO ioreses 70 conceive. Who, al
that distant day, for example, dreamed Of the
spectacles which have recently disguised every hon.
est citizen: Of postmas'ers, mail contractors, mail
agents. and census takers covering the land with
government pamphlets, hand bills, and extra.ga.
zotes sufficient lf readl TO sap the morals, public
and private, Of entire generation? of the custom
house mefcenaries IN the large cities living on the
public, neglecting every duty for party meetings
and the polls, and rendering 10 Power the most
bride worthy servces7 or District Attorneys and
Collectors, rambling missionaries, defending every
abuse Of offce-thsir own the most indecent-no or.
All who have reflected on the foregoing facts must
be ready TO nfirm-thut Executive Patronage "h1s
increased, Is increasing, and ought 10 be diminish.
sd.p
I hope then, w an early amendment Of the con
II