Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-10-28

sisent ,oh The spirit Of The constitution and tie duties Of
public agents acting under IL; and The President is resolved,
so far depends upon him, that WHILE TIE LxERcsE OF
THE ELEcTIvs FRANCHISE PEOPLE SHALL FREE
FROM UNDUE INFLUENCES OFFICIAL STATION AsD AU-
THoRIrY, ALSO BE FREE AMONG THE OFF,
GERS AND AGENTS THE GovEnsMEsr
The President wishes it further to be announced and dis
ncy understood that from all collecting and disbursing o
prompde in rendering accounts and entire punctuay
in paying balances will be vigorously exaced Ia bis opinion
is time to in this respect to the early practice OF the
Government and to hold any degree OF delinquency the
part Of those entrusted with the public money jus, of
immediate removal He deems the observance Of this
rule be essential the public service every COLLAR lost
the Treasury by unahfuness in office creates necessity
for new charge upon the people,"
Within ten days after the issuing of this circular
President HARRISON died; and with him died the
bright hopes which had cheered the patriots heart
on the accession of the Wings to power. From
that time to the present the eectoneering practices
Of ofice-holders have gone on from bad to worse,
until they are now scandal to the very name of
republican Government
The "patronage Of the General Government
which in Mr.. JEFFERsoN's time was thought by
him TO be :. enormous" rapidly increased, and in
1926 greatly alarmed that sensitive democrat"
Mr.. VAN,BUREN. In the celebrated reports on Ex-
ecutive patronage, made to the Senate in that year
by committee of which he was a member they
exemplify its extent by an instance taken from a
single city. After copying the names and compen-
saton of the officers of the customs at New York
from the Blue Book of the Republic" which the
report says corresponds with the Red Book Of
monarches,' and calls that growing little volume"
it exclaims:
GA formidable list eed!-fornidable in numbers, and
still more from the of money in their hands
The action Of such body of men, supposg them 10 be
animated By spirit, nust be tremendous election;
and that they will be animated is proposition plain
need demonstration. Potver mans support has
al,oays been held and admitted to be po,cer his o
sThe President has Epower the support of all these
officers and they again have power the support Of debt
or merchants to the amount of ten millions of dollars per
annum, and the daily support Of immense number
individuals PROFESSIONAL mechanical and day laborng, to
whom they and will extend deny valuable private
as well public patronage according to the part they shall
act in Stale well Federal elections Still this is only
branch prong of Federal patronage in the city Of
New York"
When this patriotic lamentaon was uttered there
were ia custom-house officers at New York, and
the amount of their respective compensations was
$ll9,62O39. Taking The ratio of increase from an
estimate made in 1910, and the size of the last Blue
Book, the number of those officers would be now
more than 900, and the amount of their compensa-
tons about one million Of dollars! And this, the
committee remind US, !" is only brunch, mere
prong, of Federal patronage in the city of New
York. The "growing little volume" has grown
to be big volume Of more than 900 pages
OF the aggregate of this Federal patronage the
committee say:
ssThe whole of this great power viii centre the Pres-
dent The King Of England is the fountain honor ; the
President of the United the patronage He
predes the entire system OF Federal appointments jobs
aud contracts. He has power the support Of the IN
dviduas who administer the sysem He makes and unakes
them He chooses om tAc circle of his friends and support
ers and may dismiss them, and upon all the principles of
human action, ,eH dismiss them cen they dsappoin
his expectations His spirit will animate their actions in all
the elections Saie and Federal Offices There may be
cepons bu, the truth Of general rule is proved by the
cepon The intended check and control Of the Senate with
constitutional statutory provisions will
operate Patronage will penetrate this body ubdue its capa
city Of resistance, chain TO the Ct power and enable the
President easily and much securely with than
without the nominal check Of the Senate H the President
himself the officer Of the People, elected by thcm and
sponsble hem there would be less danger from this con-
centraon of all power n his hands but the business Of
statesmen upon things they are and not as they
would wish them 10 be- We must then look forward The
time when the pubic uiR be cubLd uhen tie cipI
and military officers of the Federal Government ,i be q,iad
rped when lis influence individuals will be multiplied
10 def finite extent when the nomination by the Presi-
dent carry any through the Senae and his recon-
mendaon carry any measure through the two Houses Of
Congress when The principle Of public action will be open
and avowed-he President ,Udnts roc and Waa MS
patronage; UiH he ishes and h. piH GIVE me
the office ,oish far What will this he but the Government
OF oneman! And what is the Government Of but
monarchy? Names are nothing. The of a thing is
in lis substance, and the accommodates itself
the substance The first Roman Emperor styled Empe-
Of the Republic and the last French Emperor took the
te and their respective just essential
ly monarcai before after the assumption OF these titles
II cannot be dered dssembed but that this Federal Gov
ernment gavitates to The same point and that the election Of
the Executive by the Legislature quickens the mpuso"
Those who make the Pesiden, must support him. Their
political fate becomes identified and they must stand fell
together. Right wrong, they must support him." &c.
Such is the description given by the leaders OF
the pseudo-D Democratic party of the. power which
that same party is now welding, trunk, branches,
prongs, and ali, to prevent the election Of ZACHARY
TAYLOR to the Presidency.
The interference of the Federal officers in this
election has reached pitch of audacity unexampled
even in the bad times which they are aiming to
perpeuate. The last Baltimore Convention did
what VIC believe its lustrous predecessor had