Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-21
Correspondence ofthe United states Gazette
SAYINGS AND DOlNGS IN WASHINGTON
WAxuIrcrnN March

OF Maryland, (the person who was one oftho Com
: rnissioncrs to examns the New York Custom
j Hou:s) as Fist Comptroller. There is some mys
c terry about this which canno: divine. II is CERTAIN
u believe. that Ms +. O. j. Smiths nomination NC,
agreed upon on Thursday last and what could
have induced the President TO send in the name OF
Mr. Stuart for this Office, ct a loss to gaess
" unless he has much CHE. estimation OF SIR s.,
capacity 10 al 50 npos,an; place, than tic public
e generally have.
The debate on Mr. Gays Tariff ard General
Policy Resolutions continued in the Senate TO.
day-Mr Miller, Of New Jersey. the youngest mar,
5 probably, in that body, speaking in support Vi
them.
Mr. Adams this morning moved to suspend the
rules OF the House. enable him to offer a resou-
ton ias;ructins The COMMITTEE on Foreign Relations,
Of which he is 'he ehasran, to euqcte into the OK
pedierey Of dispsu'ins ~i;h some Of our Diplomatic
agencies abroad ard Of reducing the grades Of others
Objections were made 10 this proposition by Mr.
Cushing and orc or two Others, but the House &c
Iormned 10 suspend ,Aerues 10 ailoE the resolution
TO be offered, by vote Of hundred aod seventy.
three to SIX! The resolution was then offered. and
carried mem con. There is disposition emons
The Wings TO carry out their professions Of rer,neh
ment and reform and increased convection Of the
propriety and necessity of cutting OF unnecessary
ofecs, and in some cases Of reducing the salaries OF
others. We have now Ministers a; some of n.
small States OF South America, where we mi bt inst
as well hsVe Charge d'AGaifes, AMI we hav. Charge
d'Adiirss at Naples and Sardinia, where Consular
ageG.s would lie quite Sufficient at least so lhink a
majority ofthe " higs.
MIR St'nly's motion 10 strike out the sparopri,-
ton for the salary Il the First Auditor. Jesse Miller
was further detected to-day 10y MIR Linn, OF New
\ ork, MIR Sprigg. OF Kentucky, and several others
| Mr. Stsnly, how ever Withdrew the notion as this
was not the proper mode Of reaching the case and
he had had opportunity OF expressing his opin.
ion, as well as others, of that officer, who stands
| charged by Committee OF the House of Represen.
tstives appointed TO investigate the SWartwout de-
falcaton with culpaee neg igence IN his office, by
which the defacauon had been permitted to accrue
! Mr. Linn said that IN the short history of this
country, We have had some strange exhibitions OF
the perversions OF our system, some strange Execu.
| tive eTactions and usurpations, and still stranger
| acquescence in them. Most OF them have happened
during the last IL years. Until then the govern
ment was administered with due regard 20 the SIM
plicity and purity OF It's Republican forms. Not so
/ At tie present time. Take Tor example the Heads
/ OF the several Departments or the government
These not known 20 or recognised by the cons i
tuition, but the offspring OF law, and were orr
| ginally intended ana understood to be, the mere
! keepers Of Bureaus Chief Jerks in the various
Departments Of government. What have they be-
come. From the mere advisers Of the President
upon affairs belonging TO their restrictive Depart
men,s they have grown into a sort OF Cabinet COun-
ell and become the shhrers OF the responsibilities OF
the admnistration-the shield % the Executive
Both theoretically and practically this is an in
| Tingement Of :he constitution. Although appointed
! Tor a period determined by law, and in fact as
Independent OF the Executive during the con:inu
anceof their term of Office, any other func
| tOnaTies Of the government, the tenure OF their
ofhce depends upon their agreement with and obe-
den FNra NFHua And
! of this, the administrations of these Departments
are deprived Of all Independence the heads OF
them reduced 10 the servile tools OF the Presi-
dent who is de facto the sword and the purse Of the
nation.
Nor is this oil. We have thus adopted mo.
narchical feature OF the very worst ten ency un.
known TO the written constitution. and forbidden by
the very spirit and genius Of our institutions. And
as in all when the popular form of govern
ment IS permitted TO run into the fnonarchcai chan
mel, the stream often becomes swollen, turbd, ard
offensive 10 the last degree. When democrats un.
dertake TO play the ars,ocra as they often do,
| when their professions Of democracy are loudest
they DO it with vengeance Such at all events, is
the testimony which our "Cabinets" have fforded
as compared with the Ministry in Monarchical
governments, and TO which they intended to be
assmilated. In the history Of Great Britain, we
mos, generally find the ministry resgning on account
Of the disagreement in some great public measure
demanded by the people through their representa-
tiVes in Parliament and scarcely ever solely on
account OF inc OlsAUecNOu OF the crown towards
them. Here, in every instance in which the event
has transpred, II has been occasioned by disagree.
menl between the cabinet and the Executive, and
IN no case upon the reqWsiiion Of the people or Of
Congress. Indeed almost simultaneously with the
resignation Of the British ministry who agreed with
Qu en- Victoria, but unfortunately were not accep.
table 70 PaIliamen, our Cabinet are forced % resign
for not uniting with President IN his crusade upon
a measure vital 10 the interests Of the country and
twice adopted by large maIoriiies Of both branches
Of Congress- representing the sovereignty OF the ma
ton.
Ifth6n, from any necessity, We must engraIt upon
our system monarehieal forms, let least be sure
Of preserving the only Republican features they
wear, obedience 10 the people. Let us not be out
done by them in this particular.
Sir, what IS X that has preserved English liberty
from the gift Of her Magma Char,a to the present,
tmef-What is 10 has watched with Jealous eve
and resisted with untiring vigilance the frequeni
attempts Of tho Crown at encroachment7 Simply
the sovereignty OF the people ofEngand, represent
cd in the British Houte Of Commons. And where
would ask IS the severe gnty Of our peonle 10 he
found, II no, in this House7 What security will
there he left for them II in all these conflicts Of now
er between the Executive and tho Legislative
branches, we fail 70 assert what IS righluy en-
trusted 70 MS In their 8ehalf1
In speaking Of the effect Of the adoption Of this
Il proposition upon tho people, Mr. l.. said. -"Our
continents will more shan justly the nct-they
will applaud it.-Thoy will hail it as the first and
long desired blow Of Executive tyranny and mis-
rule. They will rejoice TO see the bow Of Govern
meni thus drawn 10 is EXTREMIST tension, and they
dsabused Of their fears, that il has lost much Of ts
force and elasticity"
Mr. Green Of KY. (Mr sianly having Withdrawn
his notion moved % reduce the salary to $500
which did not prevail.
Mr. OgseleY Of Ky, moved to strike out the ,ec.
ton appfopnauns 800 for the salary of the sgnsr
Of patents, now held by Robert TYLER. On 'tiie|
motion debate arose which was not soncIud ID
when tho Committee Of the Whole rose, and lbe
House Adjourned.