The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-12-16

upon this head with as little delay as NAV
be practicable.
The report Of the Secretary Of The Ma.
w will place you in possession of the pres
ent condition Of that important arm Of the
national defence. Every effort will be
made to add 10 lis efficiency; and can.
not zoo strongly urge upon you liberal APP
! preparations 10 that branch Of the public
service. Inducements Of the wcightiest
character exist for the adoption of this
course Of policy. Our extended and 9TH
erwise exposed maritime frontier calls for
/ protection, 10 the furnishing Of which an eff.
cient naval force is indispensable. We look
/ 10 no foreign conquests, nor do we propose
I 10 enter INTO competition with any other IA
tion for supremacy on the ocean; but it is
due not only TO the honor, bat TO the secu-
rity Of the people of the United States, that
no nation should be permitted to invade our
waters al pleasure, and subject cur towns
and villages TO conhagration or pIage.-
! Economy IN all branches of the public
service is due from all the public agents
10 the people: but parsimony alone would
suggest the Withholding Of the necessary
means for the protection Of our domestic
! liresides from invasion, and ou7 national
honor from disgrace. would most earn.
csty recommend to Congress 10 abstain
from appropriations for objects not abb
soluteIy necessary; but | take upon my.
/ self, without moment Of hesitancy, all
the responsibility of recommending the in.
crease and pronIp: equipment Of that Gal.
liant navy which has lighted up every sea
with It's victories, and spread an impersh-
able glory over the country.
The report Of the Postmaster General
will claim your particular attention, not
only because Of the valuable suggestions
which it contains, but because of the great
Importance which at all times attaches to
that interesting branch Of the public SER
vice. The increased expense OF trans
porting the mail along the principal routes
necessarily claims the public attention, and
has awakened corresponding solicitude
on the part OF the Government. The
transmission Of the mail must keep pace
with those facilities of in.ercommunIcati0n
which are every day becoming greater
through the building Of railroads and the
application Of steam power but il cannot
be disguised that, IN order to do SO, the
Post Office Department is subjected to
heavy oXactious. The lines Of commani-
cation between distant parts Of the Union
are, 10 great extent, occupied by rail-
roads, which, in tho nature Of things, pos.
sess complete monopoly, and the Depart
ment is therefore liable TO heavy and I'M
reasonable charges. This evil is destined
to great increase 10 future, and some time
y measure utay become necessary to
guard against IT.
fcoI it my duty to bring under your
consideration practice which has grown
Up 10 the administration Of the Govern.
niont, and which, am DEF ply convinced,
ought 10 be corrected. | ailude 10 the ex-
ercise of the power, which usage, rather
than reason, has vested IN the Presidents,
OF removing lncumbents from Office, in or
der 10 substitute others more in favor with
the dominant party. Ny own conduct in
this respect has been governed BY a con.
scienliuus purpose to exercise the remov.
ing power only IN cases OF unlalihfuncss
or inability, or in those il which is exer-
else appeared necessary, in order to dis.
counienance ard suppress that spirit Of ac.
tive partlsanship, on the part of holders of
Office, which not only withdraws them
from the steady aud impartial discharge
Of their official duties, bu, eyerts an undue
and injurious influence over elections, and
degradcs the character of the Government
ITSELF inasnuch as il exhibits the Chief
Magistrate as being a party, through his
agents, in tho secret plots or open work.
ngs Of political parties.
In respect TO the exercise Of this pow
or, nothing should be left TO discretion
which may safely be regulated by law;
and il is of high importance to restrain, as
far as possible, the stimulus Of personal in
tercsts in public elections. Considering
The great increase which has been made
in public offices in the last quarter of
century, and the probability Of further IN
crease, we incur the hazard Of Witnessing
violent political contests, directed too often
to the single object Of retaining office by
those who are in, or obtaning it BY those
who are out. Under the influence Of these
convictions, | shall cordially concur in
any constitutional measures for regulating,
and, by regulating, restraining, the power
OF removal.
| suggest for your consideration the pro-
prioy Of making, without further delay,
somo specific application of tho funds de-
rived under the will of Mr., Smithson, of
England, for the diffusion of knowledge
and which have heretofore been vested in
public stocks until such time as Congress
should think proper to give them speci-
lic direction. Nor will you, | feel conf !
dent, permit any abatement of the pripci- /
pal Of the legacy to be made, should it
turn out that the stocks i'll which the in
vestments have been made have under /
gone a depreciation.
In conclusion. commend to your care
the interests of this District, for which YOU
are the exclusive legislators. Consider