The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-07
Correspondence Of the ~ Y. Herald.
WASHINGTON, May l, 1912.
THE WINGS AND THE PRESIDEN T. RE-
PORT OF GOV POINDEX TER &c.

The WHIGS AND The PRESlDEN he
PORT OF GOV. POINDEXTER, &c.
At no period since the commencement of the extra
session has The breach between the Clay Wings in
Congress and President Tyler been wide at the
present time. 1t is gulf broad, deep and mpassa-
BILE Not only has he nothing to hope from the wings
party, but he is certain to encounter their bitter
est enmity, their most unrelentng opposition. No act
of his administration, however patriotic no measure,
however correct in principle, however popular with the
people or necessary the country, will receive their
appreciation support. Their opposition is alike ILL
beral, unfair, and indiscrlmnate. They assall the
character Of the President without justification or
cause of any sort--they misrepresent his conduct
they garbe and dstort his correspondence and then
charge him with perdy because he refuses to appoint
his enemies to office.
1t is time for the friends Of the administration 10
speak out boldly and plainly. There be no great
folly than to entertain the idea of ralyng any
siderable portion of the why party to its support
Those who not for the administration against
it. You can more concur in the movement of the
wing PARTY sustain its present organization, or pro
mote its immediate ulteIior purposes, and be friend
of the admin tration, than you at the same time
serve God and mammon. The professed wing papers,
which playing fast and loose between the TWO,
and giving a tmid useless, and venal support for the
sake of the government patronage, enemies in dis
guise, and only waiting the proper time to display
their real coors.
Measures desired by the people, and demanded by
the exigences Of the country, will be rejected or
postponed by the Wings in Congress under the appre-
hension that the Administration might derive credit
or advantage from them. There is neither purpose or
thought of adopting the Exchequer, establishing
any other scheme of finance. The currency question
is to be kept open, in the delusive hope that Ma
tional Bank will eventually be popular, and they can
carry Gen. Scott not Mr. Clay into the Presidential
chair on that hobby. Mr.. Clay has been nominated,
to be sure, but the object to have flag afoa and
to take advantage of the present machinery and or
ganization of the Wing party He will be thrust
aside on grounds of expediency, as he was in 1889,
and Scott will be the candidate.
The course adopted by the House committee on
Public Expenditures in obtaining possession of Gov.
Pondexter's report, has excited very general amin
adversion here. A full history of the affair, en-
bracing all the ntrigues and sinister management IN
dispensable to the accomplishment of so shabby
trick will be given hereafter. 1t will then be seen,
that the Conduct of the President has been most hon
orabe, discreet and patriotic, throughout He has
neither sought desired conceament suppress
sion of any sort He anxious only to do his duty
in the premises, to protect his subordnates from
lignant combinations, and to assert and vndicate the
rights and dignity of the Executive Department of
the Government. The object of the Clay men in
Congress, acting through the Committee on Public
Expenditures, was two fold-frst, to embarrass the
Presidents and second, to give Gales and Seaton
profitable Job of printing to the exclusion OF Allen or
the Madsonian In the latter they will succeed, but
it remains to be whether they will not disgace
themselves rather than njure the Executive.
In the present aspect of the affair, the conduct of
Gov Poindexter is highly censurabe. Perhaps it is
susceptible Of explanation, and we hope he may be
able to exculpate himself. But what is its appear
ance now? He was designated by the Executive,
under authority of law of Congress, to perform a
specific duty He is an Executive officer, appointed
by the Executive, responsible TO the Executive, and
to no other branch of the Government. Congress
has no control over him--no right to interfere with
his duties-no concern with his report until it had
been considered by the Executive and sent by him to
the Legislative branch. But committee of the
House. with indecent haste-if the thing could have
been proper at any time-before the President had
had an opportunity to anime it, surrepttousy got
possession of the report, and Struggled 1t into the
House as of their own 1t was gross violation
of official decorum on the part of the commlttee--a
palpable breach of propetya disregard of the cour-
esy which should be observed in all intercourse be-
tween different branches of the Government. On
the part of Coy Poindexter, there to have been
want of proper respect to the Executive, from whom
he derived his authority What obligation rested up
on him to deliver his report upon the summons of the
committee 1t is precedent full of pernlcious con-
SEQUENCES Suppose committee of Congress should
take it into their heads that there might be found in
the proceedings of court MARTIAL the correspon-
dcnce connected with it, something capable of being
used for political purposes, and call upon the Judge
Advocate for the record while the Court was sittlhg
would the call be complied with
But as there is to be full history of this matter
hereafter, enough for the present