The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-11-04

Of IL you uu know. II you will refer to the
records ct Congress in 1926, you will find that
the expenses oi the Federal Government amount
ed to about 800, 900 600 per annum. The lead
ers OF the Democratic party then i'll the Senate
OF the United States became alarmed at the |
manner in which this patronage was bestowed |
and distributed, and Col Benton rose in his |
place and called for the appointment of a Com
mittce TO inquire into the manner in which |
the money of the Federal Government was be-
slowed for political purposes Upon that Com
| rntiee were the we-known names of Martin |
! Van Buren, Of New York, Philemon Dickerson Of
! New Jersey, Mr. Macon Of North Carolina, and |
! William Finley of Pennsylvania. They made |
report, Of which the following is nn extract
ITO DO nblc to show to tho Senate full and per-
feet view of the power and workings of Federal pat
ronage the Committee addressed a note Immediate
y after they were charged with this inquity, to each
of the Departments aud to the Postmaster General,
requesting to he informed of the whole number OF
| persons employed. and the whole amount of money
paid out, under tho Direction Of their respective de-
parmens. The rec cei we'd were herewith sub
mitted, aud made part Of the report. Wththe Blue
Book they will discover enough to show that the pre-
dctions Of those who were not blind TO the de- of
the Constitution ready to be realized that the
power and influence Of Federal patronage, contrary
to the argument in the Federaiisf, is overmatoh
for the power aud influence OF State patronage that
its workings will contaminate the purity of all elec-
| tions and enable the Federal Government eventually
to govern throughout the States ensctually il
| they were SO many provinces of one empire
1.-THE whole OF this great power will center in the
President. The King of England is the fountain of
honorthe President of the United States s the sou
Of patronage. Ho presides the entire system of
| Federal appointments, jobs and contracts. He has
| power over the support of the individuals who
administer tho system He makes and unmakes them
lie chooses from the circle of his friends and sup
porters, and may dismiss them; ;and upon all the prn
cples OF human actions, will dismiss them often as
they disappont his expectations. His spirit will
innate their actions in all the elections 20 State and
| Federat offices There may be exceptions; but the
ia cd hv fhn rho
intended check and control of the Senate without new
constitutional or statutory provisions, will to
i operate"
This was in 1926, when John @. Adams was
President OF the United States He was at that
time regarded as q member of the Democratic
party, and wis Democrat, but the name of the
nero OF New Orleans was looming up above the
horizon, and Mr.. Adams undertook, by the in
Huence OF his patronage and power, to influence
his friends to assist him to e-electon. The
Democratic party then in the north, headed as |
have said, by Martin Vim Buren and Thomas H.
Benton, appointed a committee, an extract from
! whose reports have read They had become
alarmed at the enormous powers placed in the
hands OF the Executive by the pnblic revenues
While this matter was ponderng in the Senate,
there was in the House of Representa- q young
Pennsy sylvanan,a Representative Of district com
posed of the counties of Lancaster, Chester, and
4 Delaware. He was just emerging from his old
a "
! rising organization. His name was james Bu-
. chanan. Laughter One year after the report
of the Committee, he rose in his place. and in re-
ply to John Sergeant of Philadelphia, he pro-
2 nouneed the speech in support of the sentiments
contained in the extract from the report l have
a Just read beg your attention to the language
I of that speech. ask you to mark how singularly
applicable it is to his own most extraordinary and
monstrous position at the present day. He speaks
= as follows:
Il Liberty, Sir, is precious gift, which can never
. long be enjoyed by any people without the most
= wachtul jealousy. 1t is Hesperian fruit which the
evsrwakeful jealousy of the people alone pro-
serve. The very possession Of power has strong,
81 natural tendency to corrupt the heart. Laughter
The lust of dominion grows with its po.s1sScn laugh
u teri and the man who, in humble life pure and
innocent and just has often been Transformed, by the
- long possession of power into a monster. Great
II merrment In the sacred book, which contains les.
o sons of wisdom for the politician, well for the
3. Christian we find happy illustration of the corrupt
10 ing influence Of power upon the human heart. When
y Hazae came to consult Elisha, whether his master the
~ King of Syria, would recover from dangerous ill
the prophet looking through the vista fuuri-
W saw the crimes Of WHICH the messenger, who stood
- befroe him wonl! 1e guilty and he wept. HazaC
r. asked: Why weepeth my lordH The prophet then
recGun:ed to him the murders and the cruelties OF
which he should bo guilty toward the Children Of Is
of rae Hazasl in the spirit of fvrtuOus dignatohr6
lr Piled Is thy servant dog that he should do th
"a thingT Great laughter And Elisha answered.
~ rhe Lord hatn shown mo that thou shalt be King o
|
re became king by tho murder of his master and wa
il guilty of snormtie the bare recital o which wou
in make US shudder." ILaughter.l
,n trust that the application is as clear to you
lie it was to him. Laughter and applause.
"Tho nature ofmln." said Mr.. Buchanan, "is th
3d same under republics and under monarchies. Tn
~ history Of the human proves thnt liberty
Ce not long be preserved without popular jealousy 1t
eo the condition OF its enjoyment Our rulers must
0' narrowly watched" Laughter.
:. But, gentlemen, without reading to you thi
n long extract, will conclude with paragraph
v er which has direct application
as In my humble judgment, the present Administr,
ed tion could not have proceeded single year. with I'll
least hope of reelection but for their patronage Th
- patronage may have been used unwisely my frien
uu from Kentucky (Mr. Lotcher has insinuatcd. hay
in never blamed then-I shall never blame them-f
on adhering to their friends. [Laughter.l BE
ire your friends and they will be true TO YOU is the di
80 tate both of justice and of sound policy. shall new
% participate in abusing the Administration for remen
nv bsrug their friends. you 80 mach abroad wi
at this patronage Tor the purpose OF making new rent
Mt you will offend your old ones, and make very insi
| eere converts lLaughter.l
di. Now, gentlemen. that is an original leaf fro
or the past that is what Buchanan thought mo
in than thirty years ago ; and now whore do We fiji
nc him ? In 1896 the patronage of the FEEDER
ee Government was twenty millions to-day it is OF
nal hundred millions. Tho States which were few
am number thea, are large in number now The le
is Sous which he preached then he has forgotten
the day. What do we witness The most extraC
ust dnary and prolgate prostitution of palrona
am? and power OF which the political annals afford
to comparison. Nothing has been known like
- either in my experience or yours. You are he
the tonight tor the purpose OF rebuking the mann
fa- in which this power has been prostituicd and
its slowed You are here to vindIatc in the perS
this OF your hightoncd, intellectual and ndepende
and representative, the principle which Buchanan
nd. trampIjng under foot No district to-day, i
ad- except that in which the gallant iaskins is nj,
is ing similar fight loud upplausel is watch
for with more anxiety by the liberal and the intrcI
l. people Of this Uuion than tina: in which you
3 in tend TO vote on Tuesday next. Gentlemen
Tor your duty. Do i, without reference to pal