The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-28
THE REPU BLIC
WASHINGTON:
TUESDAY MORNING, AUG. %. 1919.
The Cutlery against Removais-The Sup
preston OF investigation.


wailing and bowling Of the Opposition
journals, over removals from office by
President TAYLOR, originated in the double
motive of intimidation by false clamor,
and the hope of arresting investigation
into the condition of the various branches
of the public service. We then stated
that it was by the constitutional ex
ercise of his appointing and removing
power, that the PRESIDENT had brought
to light the manifestations of MIR. MooRE
and Mr.. COLLINS; and We argued that, as
long as the public offices remained in the
hands of men interested in withholding in
formation, induced by party associations
and sympathies to suppress the knowledge
of abuses, the Administration could never
rech existing evils, or undertake their eff
ticient correction. We alluded at the
same time to the repeated struggles of the
Locofoco party in Congress to embarrass
inquiry and prevent investigation. We
referred to the opposition made to MIR. Ew-
ING and Mr. CLAYTON, when they were en-
gagged in the arduous task of ferretmg out
abuses in the post Office We referred to
the efforts made, and so long persisted in
by all manner of parliamentary maneu
vres, to battle the Investigations Of Mr..
WISE; and to these efforts it is our pres
ent intention to recur, in connexion with
the new doctrines of party and of official
responsibility now avowed by the friends
of the Opposition.
On the 18th January, 1887, committee
was appointed in the House of Represen-
tatives, to investigate the condition of the
Executive departments, with instructions
TO inquire into the manner in which said
departments ''or any OF their officers, or
'agents of every description whatever,
s. directly or indirectly connected with
g them, in any manner, officially or unof-
:" ficially, in duties pertaining to the pub
- lie interest, have fulfilled or failed to &C
. complish the objects Of their creation, or
8 have injured and impaired the public
% service or interest" The resolution
for raising this committee was offered by
Mr., WISE. An attempt was Immediately
made, by the instruments of the President
in the House-Mr. PEARCE, of Rhode
Island, and Mr.. M'KEoN, of New York-to
confne the action of the committee to
"specifc charges"-and they advocated
an amendment to that effect; but the then
Tory majority knew better way of ac-
complishing their object, and the amend
nent was lost. The original resolution
passed the House; and in violation of all
parliamentary and congressional prece-
! dents, Mr.. Polk, then Speaker, appointed
/ ly to the investigation, and SIN members
opposed to il. What was the consequence
/ For the time, investigation was complete
I w thwarted. The univ ersal Tory press
as>aied Mr. WISE and his WIG asso-
4 ciates on the committee President JACK
SON and the heads of Departments bullied
and defed them The To majority on
I the committee labored day and night-in
season and out of season-to stitle and sup
pres, investigation. All inquiries were
promptly voted down that seemed likely
to elicit disagreeable truths; and after
weeks Of shutting and evasion, the Tory
majority reported to Congress and the
country that +" the condition of the variou:
= Executive departments is prosperous,
- and that they have been conducted with
- utility md integrity: that the President
. has aimed to enforce in all Of them vi
- CLIENT and faithful discharge of the pub.
I - lie business; and that there is no JUS
= curse Of complaint from any quarter, al
- the manner in which they have fulfilled
g the objects of their ere atom
To show that we have not overstated
the facts in regard to the efforts made by
the TORIES Of lS37-the Opposition o.
ls49-to suppress investigation at thai
time, we copy from report No. 1874 of the
! House Of Representatives, second session
of the twenty-fourth Congress, so mucl
of the views Of the minority as were con.
CURED in by LEVI LINCOLN, ROBERT b
CAMPBELL, and HENRY A. WISE:
6 The undersigned, members Of the Select Com
mittce appointed under . resolution Of the Hous'
Of Representative Of the l7tb January last, diss
greeng to- and dissenting FROM the report adopted
by majority OF said committee beg leave 10 offe
the following reasons ior said disagreement and dis
,ent and request tina, thc same may be entered OF
the Journal
IT," l. Because the construction put, by majority
Of the committee upon the resolution Of the House
has narrowed and restrained the scope of inquir,
as, by necessary consequence, 10 preclude and sup
press Dp inpestgation which, in the opinion Of th
undersigned, was most manifcstly ie object Of th
Q mover and advocates Of the resolution, and mus
have been the intention Of the House in It's adoption
o. Because the committee having, by variou
resolutions, sought from the President Of the Unite
States and the heads Of the departments, informs
y 49, Oh