The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-12

ecutive officers in Washington. We once read
maxim, taught by man of great celebrity
for his wisdom, which incucates the lesson that
all our communications with man, Of whose
character we had not most intimate know
ledge, should be such as if we regarded him as
an enemy. But this maxim certainly should
not rule our conduct in relation to those IN
whom the People have manifested their conf
dence, by placing them in the highest office
of the country; nor to those whom the Head OF
the Administration may have chosen for his
councillors, with the appreciation of the Senate,
from personal knowledge of their fitness for
the stations for which they have been selected.
II it be true, or probable, that the Chief Execu-
tive Officer, chosen by the People, is, in every
instance, corrupt, would not the weapon cut
the other way also, and would it not be equally
true or probable, that each individual Represen-
tative chosen by the people is corrupt2
We know that in multitude Of counselors
there is safety 1t is unqueslionably improbable
that amajority, or even many of the chosen
Representatives Of the People, should be dis
honest-whilst it may happen that the single
individual holding the Executive power may be
unworthy Of his station. But the insult offered
to the People, by the assumption on which we
animadvert, does not consist in claiming purity
of motive and conduct for the whole body Of
Legislators while it imputes dishonesty to the
Executive branch Of the Government but in
attributing to the Legislative Body perfection
of sanctity, whose influence is sufficient to pu-
rify all who come within the penumbra Of the
Capitol To leave the discretionary disburse-
ment of SO, ZOO in the hands of one of the Sc
cretaries, necessarily exposes the money of the
People to wanton waste; but to intrust $780,
900 to Clerk, elected by the majority OF the
House. is attendant with no danger whatever of
abuse. The Secretary, appointed by Presl-
dent, must be necessarily corrupt, while a Clerk,
elected by the House, is necessarily honest.
The discrimination thus made, we conceive to
be, not only unjust, but inconsistent. If re-
form is seriously intended, let its provisions in
clude, not only the Heads of the Executive De-
| partments, but the subordinate officers of the
| two Houses Of Congress.
fla Secretary is unworthy of trust, we should
conceive, ny parity VI IedSOHiuS DIT IedSl, lHdt
the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of
the Senate are equally unworthy
We are advocates Of retrenchment and re-
form; but we wish to see the operations of both
extended not only to the Departments, but to
the Capitol, and beyond these to all the branches
of the public service. We wish, too, that re-
form, as well as retrenchment, should be estab-
lished Without the former, the latter will be
wholly imperative. The House has apparently
retrenched its expenses, by ordering re 1uc-
ton in the number Of its Clerks is there any
certainty that those Clerks will not be retained
and paid out Of the contingent fund ? Re-
trenchment only is thought necessary for Con-
gress, but reform is deemed requisite for the
Departments. Estimates must be made for the
expenditure of the contingencies of the latter,
when the sums allowed in some cases do not
amount to more than $4,000: but no estimates
are demanded of the contingencies of the for
mer, when the sum appropriated reaches more
than 100000. We say now as we said be-
fore, let the reform be thorough-let Congress
act on the superstition that corruption is as pos
sible in the Capitol as in the Departments
and it will at least relieve itself from the charge
of inconsistency, if not of injustice.