The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1841-12-04


late the sales ofthe public domains: bat
it is he Through his agents) who handles
the proceeds. From 1883 to 1885 Ito
say nothing of the presently he alone no
minated and dismissed all the agents who
kept, as well as those who collected, dis
tributed and disbursed the public reve-
nue.. The apothegm-nGke Us executors,
scc care not tchO are your Iegatses, has
frightful application to such agents and /
the immense treasure that annually /
passes through their hands.
The rapid increase and spread of Popu-
lation, the growth Of national wealth, the
amount of revenue collected and disburs
ed, the new relation (by the extension of
commerce) with foreign countries; the
additional appointments nj home and
abroad, the number and value of con
tracts--all constantly and necessarily on
the increase-a general decay in morals,
perhaps as great in Congress as else
where; the habit that we have seen pre-
vail during several Presidential terms,
of filling public Offices with but little or
no regard to moral standing, have, taken
together, already opened TO the head Of
the Government elements of power and
corruption which it was impossible for
the fra mers and adopters of the Consti-
tuition to foresee Tor to conceive. Who,
at that distant day, for example, even
dreamed Of the spectacIes which have
recently Disguised every honest citizen!
of post-masters, mail contractors, mail
agents and census takers, covering the
land with Government pamphlets, hand
bills and extra gazsttes, sufficient Of
ready to sap the morals, public and Pri-
vate, of an entire generation.-of the
custom house nercenaries in the large
cities, living on i,he public, negIecting
every duty for party meetings and the
polls, and rendering to power the most
bribe-worthy servicesl-of district at
tornies and misunderstanding mis-
sionaries defending every abuse Of ONCE
their own the most indecent. in order
to maintain power IN the hands Of their
patron? All who have reflected on the
foregoing facts must be ready TO affirm
that Erecutire patronage has increased,
is increasing, and ought TO be diminish
ed!
| hope, then, by an early amendment
of the Constitution, to see reduction Of
the Presidents veto. The regulation Of
patronage would properly follow.
There can be no good reason why the
veto should not be overcome by bare
> majority in each House of Congress, o.
all the members elected to it-say for the
benefit of reflection, AT the end of ter
days from the return OF the bill. AT
amendment 10 this effect would still
leave the President-the general repre-
sentative Of every State and district
armed with the votes Of all the members
absent at the moment, from the respect
i've Houses; and there will always b
some members absent from both
Rotation in OEcc.-The inquiry unde
this head is not definite in any letter b
!; fore me. 1t, however, is presumed 10 re
!. fer-I. To governors and secretaries c
territories and some Of the Judges therein
district attorneys, collectors, surveyor
a. and naval officers Of the customs; maj
"a shals; post masters, whose commission
i. amount to thousand dollars per annuu
rs navy agents; registers and receivers {
n land Offices surveyors general of land
er and Indian ageats-all OF whom are b
u law, appointed for term Of four years
~ but subject, by express enactmentI excel
- the judges,) to be removed At Pleasur
e. To a high class Of civil officers lne'
,e. to the chiels) in the executive dsPar
Is. ments at Washington; other high fun
zee ticnaries; foreign ministers. secretari'
of OF legation, and cOnsuls; post master
lie whose commissions amount 10 less ths
a thousand dollars per annum; superb
er tendant Of. Indian affairs, Iadian su
re- agents; DC. &c--all appointed wlihO
ju- Limitation as to tern, yet subject in Prs
fI tice, not by express law, 10 be also :
for moved at pleasure; and 5. To the ass
d? tants allowed by Law 10 very many
mt the principals included above, which
he sistanis are generally called clerks; so1
of them deputies, appraisers, weighed