The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-02-17
Buchanan on Corruption and Extraya.
ganCe.

CHANAN, PRESIDENT OF these United States,
being invited to attend the Duquesne
celebration at Pittsburg, and being un-
able to do so, sent to the committee of
invitation letter expressive of his ac-
acknowledgements, regrets and views, in
which he took occasion to deplore the
bribery and corruption evident in our
popular elections. This, in view of the
fact that he had been for months openly
engaged in the work Of bribery and in :
terference in these elections, was consid-
cred decidedly cool Had he not en-
deavored to force Lecompton through
Congress by a most shameless system of
rewards and punishments-by withhold
ing appointments to various foreign mis-
sions, with the avowed purpose of giving
them to those who would support this
his pet measure? Had he not decapi-
tated hundreds of Office holders through
out tie country, for daring to raise a
voice against this outrage, though they
had faithfully stood by him for years
and did he not give their posts to all who
proved venal enough to accept them at
the demanded sacrifice of principle and
profession? Were not Lecompton pres
ses established by administration funds
In States where administration measures
had too few supporters to sustain such
journals? And were not special agents
sent By the administration into certain
election Districts, TO bride, coax and
Wheedie the people into support of JAMES
BpcHANAS's fayorites? And when these
faSorltes were defeated, were they not
Immediately provided with lucrative
posts under the government, as a reward
for their base betrayal of the interests OF
their constituents, and as an inducement
10 others to do likewise I? Yet he could
hypocriiically whine, when addressing
citizens Of the very State where executive
interference and bribery had been so
prominently evident, about corruption in
elections. Ee
But 1t has always been the case that
Mr. BUCHAS4S's earnest professions have
been contralicted by Mr.. BucHANAN's
deliberate acts. All will remember his
letter to Mr.. YANcEY, in which he spoke
OF his reverence for the Missouri Com
promise Measures. But Mr.. Buchanan
was among the first to acquiesce in their
repeal, and in the modern doctrine of
their unconstituionality. So it has been
with him upon the subject of slavery
lie has earnestly protested against its
spread, and yet has. by his acts, given
the Infamous system an encouragement
and an impetus which it had never before
received,
AS great contradiction, however, as
we have found between his acts and his
professions, has been in reference to
economy in public expenditures. In a
letter dated Wheatland, Feb. %, 1852,
Mr. Buchanan deprecates the increase
IN the cost of government, and says:
I" The expenditures have now reached
n'e enormous sum of fifty millions of
dollars per annum, and, unless arrested
IN their advance by the strong aim Of
TIE democracy Of the country, may, in
tie course OF few years, reach one hun
drcd millions. The appropriation of
moneyto accomplish great national OBJ
Jeets sanctioned by the Constitution,
ought to be on a scale commensurate
with our power and resources as a nation i
but its expenditures ought 70 be conduct
ed under the guidance of enlightened
economy and strict responsibility. lam
conlinced that our erpenses QUILT 10 be
considerably reduced 6elosy the present
standard. not only acitAom detyinaent. but
'o'm positiye advantage both to The Gopern, |
menf and the people,"
Fifty million per apnum for the sup |
port OF government was "an enormous"
sum IL the eyes Of JIMMY in 1852, and
oaly The strong arm of the Democracv"
could avert the impending increase to
" .one hundred millions He was then
eonyinced that these expenditures might
oe reduced below fifty millions, and that
too. "without detriment, but with positive
advantage, both to the government and
the people" Well. the strong arm of
the Democracy, which has been welded |
by the said Mr., buchanan who invoked il )
aid. has had the Foyer and the privilege to
reduce the standard of expenditures.
and to avert the catas .rophe WHICH Mr..
BUCHANAN in 1852 foresaw, namely, an
annual expenditure Of enc hundred mil
lions. But what has been the result p
Has he endeavored to carry out the Geo.
nomIcal desires then expressed ? Has
ithere been any greater harmony between
his profession and his acts, in this, as in
O. her caScS Not af oil T,e,nol or1