Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1846-07-23
Che 1pMrhbur0 IirlimiIW.
THURSDAY ,uoR.NLNG, JULY %. 1876.
EXECUTIVE INFLUENCE UPON CON
GRESS,

ORESS.
We h.l supposed. if there were any thing upon
which public sentiment would be pretty nearly unan''
nous, II would be in reprobaiion OF attempt on the
part OF The Executive 10 interfere with. 10 influence
in any degree, the legislation of Congress. When We
lately slated thai four members OF the Cabinet were on
the floor Of the House, actively engaged in canvassng
Tor votes on the Graduation Bill and that by their eff
orls, the Bill, after being rejected by msorly Of SIX
teen votes, was reconsdered and finally saved we bad
supposed-th facts being coaccded-that no Voice
would be raised IN defence Of practice fepugnan 10
the spirit ihe Constitution INDIGENOUS aud unpre
cedened. We we're mistaken. however The Euqui.
fer. Wills, ii scouts the idea that members could be in
duced to change their by the personal enreaes
Of members Of the Cabinet, contends there is nothing
wrong in their attendance he Debates and complains
that they should be subjected the mprstlon of un,
worthy motives. whenever they avail themselves of
privilege allowed them by the rules of The House and
sanctioned by custom. The Enquirer says.
go suppose that the mind ofevery member Of the
House was not made up before any member of the Cab
met entered the Capitol would be unreasonable and To
suppose thai the doubling convinced by the pres
ence Of the Secretaries, still mo.e So"
1t vas not IN regard to the passage Of the Tariff bu,
of The Graduation Bill the interference Of Cabinet min
lslers is charged But let US see how ..nareasonab,,
Is 10 suppose members had their minds revocably made
up touching the Tariff Bill Did not Mr. Btnkerhof
speaking IN the name Of all his colleagues Of the Ohio
delegation two, days only before its passage in sci
speech, declare their determination Vote against and
thereby defeat the Tariff Bi-not on any utopod. oC
objection 10 the principle details, but because Ohio had
been neglected the distribution Of he loayes and shes
and, as 1t afterwards appeared he the said Spokesman
81 these had mi baen
Paymas'er IN the Army. His avowa Of the delerml-
nation If his colleagues was no, contradc,ed and NAV
be- therefore, supposed To have had their sanction And
yet Mr. Brnkerho, and every democratic member from
Ohlo voted Tor the bill Is "unreasonabe" To suppose
that members Of the cabinet and party leaders used mn
tent influences to bring about sudden and 50 shame.
less change Of purpose Mr. BrnkerhofI, as was han.
ply said by M Holmes, OF S. C., ''sruck for higher
waget"-Ile, IN fact, proclaimed his yenauy Flo of
tered himself and his friends in market overt That he
money was paid for his vote Office Tor himself or hrs
friends, contracts or something connected with the pat
lounge Of the Government formed the consideration for
he abandonment Of his avowed intention to vote against
Bill, which the Administration had s, much a, heart
w beg our readers to bear this 10 mind His reward
may for decencys sake, he postp med for awhile He
hny IeceiNe dter expiration Ot the
ent Congress But, LATER he will receive il,
What are the facts, however, in relation to the pas.
sage OF the Graduation Bill, which would render il "un.
reasonable" OF nncarllabe TO suppose members of Con-
eTess had been Influenced by the Cabinet ofc,rs The
measure was one long ella noronsly called for by the
West In the party arrangements and log rolling the
larlH and GRADUATE lion Bills were Siamese twins The
est promised assistance To get through the Tariff on
condition that Southern and Eastern democrats should
vote Tor the Graduation Ball. The Tariff was passed,
and more egardu OF duty their constituents than of
party pledges, there were some members, who would
not vote Df The Graduation Bill when left 10 themselves
and II was rejected by majority Uf sixteen. The Sec.
e'arles were on the door al the time Il is notorious that
they were active IN pressing their vews upon members
The existence Of The party nj stake. The West
was aenaied by being hnnbuJgsd in relation to the o
regon question and should this avore measure be lost
HE administration would be poweess in that quarter.
" e do moi pretend TO say what were the inducements
or appliances used-tme may show-bul they were eff.
iecse. reconsideration moved ard after series
OF most extraordinarily close votes during three DAYS
BIZ, considerably modified passed by the small ma
j"ny OF two votes. Is there in these circumstances
ground for suspicion that influence was used2
1 an any man doubt ii for moment7 And yet these
are practices III which the Enquirer nothing 10 con,
denim.