Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-05-16
From the Washington Union.


We have how been one week in WASHING.
ton, and we have had some opportunity ofsee-
ing the machinery of executive power. It is
rash to judge posititvelyfrom firstimpressions;
and Lord Chatham says, that ''con6dence is a
plant of slow growth in an aged BOSOM But
we have seen much in the short time that we
have been in Washington and closeness of
observation has, in some measure, supplied |
the place of more enlarged experience. We
DO not hesitate to say, then, as our first i'm
pressions, that they are decidedly favorable as
10 the efficiency, energy. and capacities Of the
present administration. 1t is not our business
to Halter the great-nor is it our pleasure
nor, we dare to hope, is it our character. We
have some little opinion Of our own-some
little respect for ourselves; and we have too
much regard to the people, to fatter the vani-
~ or oVercolor the services Of their executive
servants. The editor is too old, he hopes in
that sense of the term, to exchange his habit
Of independence for the livery of a parasitic
He has been too long a freeman among free
men, to Shift his character at this time of life;
and the moment when he finds that his bust
ness at Washington and his independence are
| incompatible with each other, he will attempt
TO retrace his steps, recross The Potomac, and
seek once more the land of freemen.
| Let no man in Washington, therefore, mis-
take our position. Let no one suppose that
we are now writing puff upon the men in
power; and that, in giving our first impress
sions Of the Executive, we are curryng their
favor or counting their patronage. Much as
we may value Meir good opinion, we place al
much higher value up0n our olcn self-respcct.
We DO not hesitate, therefore, to say, fear
less of all msconstructions, that the present
Executive appear to US TO be both qualified
and anxious, in no common degree, to discharge
their duties and promote the public service.-j
| We have seen much more of them, and oftheir
departments, than we have been able to soc
Of Washington and her citizens. We, too,
have been closely engaged in preparing for
the task we have undertaken, N acquiring
more information on national politics, and in
adjusting the arrangements which may be ne
cessary to make the people better acquainted
with the acts of their own officers and with the
condition of olher countries. Our present po-
sition enables us to collect both these species
Of information; and We intend to profit ofthem,
so as to make IS the Union the IS Brief Abb
stract and Chronicle of the times" We mean
to do so, at least, so far as it may be proper 10
publish the movements of the government
without injury to the public service, and so
far as its agents will enable us to collect the
information. And must say, that. so far,
we have met with every courtesy and every
facility ia the several departments. These ar
rangcmentS have, OF course. given US some
insight into the characters Of the men, and IN
to the habits q their Office: though, OF course,
there Is large portion OF the machinery
which, as yet, has escaped our observation.
But We are sure we express their opinion as
we'll as our own, that there ought to be DIS few
mysteries as possible in flee government.
We find the President, then, early and late at
his post, dGvoting himself cooiy, asSIducuoIy,
and anxiously to his d.tles; aud, so tar ds we
can Judge of him, making good the character
which his neigkbOEs in Ieu0essce say he bro
up with him, viz /: clear in his views, firm in
his purposes. and vigii0nt in the discharge OF
his dntics. lie is organizing the machinery
Of his administration, and getting through that
, important, that most delicate and most dlth-
cult office OF revising the qualifications OF the
officers who are to cooperate with him In the
public service. This task, so painful to every
2 man of sensbiIity, yet so important IN ITSELF
? in substituting those who are IN Office hy Those
whom he may deem better qualified or better
entitled to serve the country, Is now going on
: with al! the circumspection which his own re-
Election and the advice Of his cabinet Can en-
h able him to exert. Much of the work Is ac-
, complished; and though some mistakes are
! inevitable, where SO many inducements eX-
is out of doors to mslead the Judgment of the
e executive, yet the appointments seem to have
= been, in almost every case, wise aud accepta-
. BILE.
>. His secretaries are faithfully engaged in
y their business. It so far deserves the name,
: literally, of o,orking cabinet. They have all
Il very important duties to discharge. and they
e are all Iaborously discharging them. But
i. the Secretary of State especially, is met at
= once by various and complicated questions,
: connected with our foreign relations. Texas,
/. Mexico, the Oregon, Brazil, Peru, &C.. each
5 presents an occasion for displaying his vigil
lance, and tasking all his powers. He has
>, in fact. great -" opportunity" Gas Decatur call
ed it, in the presence Of one # his officers, al
: a public dinner given him in PhlIadel phla, at
l. ter one of his splendid victores,) 10 diStin
q guish himself; and we doubt not Mr.. Blu
. chanan's ability and anxiety to turn 1t to the
- best account lie will at the same time hes
Is consult his own reputation and the glory o
s. his country.
IS The Secretary of the Treasury is proVeEbla
q 70. his industry, and marked for his sag1cly
He, too, is constant in the execution OF his du
ties; and it gives US more pleasure TO state
'o than we can well express, that he Is actiVel!
D. enrared in collecting from all parts OF TIL
ii country every information that may be neces
\, sary to assist him in the management OF on
~ finances. We have no doubt that he Will b.
y prepared to lay before Congress large bod!
Mt of the most useful statistics. so as to enab!
III them, without loss of time and with the aid 0
a. tie best materials, to proceed in forming til
best, and wisest, and most nearly equal sys
? TEN of revenue that can be adopted. W
IN have little doubt that the secretary will a
g. least do his part in bringing the treasury bac'
10 to fair, equal, and just reUenue standard, am
~ in equaliziug the public burdens. The pres
" ent tariff can scarcely stand as the permanen
~ system of this great country. tits too une
ar DUAL in Itself-too oppressive upon some In