Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-04-11
The President and his Psrsssntor,

The resolution adopted by the House 0
Representatives, appointing a committee t,
investigate some of the leaks in the public
treasury. has terribly riled Mr. buchanan
and caused a great buzzing among his po
litical parasites, and the papers in his in
terest throughout the land.
The Democrat of last week, puJlishc.
his message, and says
His villainous prosecutors will find that
the people viii not endorse this p%artizan cf
fort to insult and degrade the chief AIagis
tFate of the American nation. before the
world. by trumping up dark accusation.
against him. 1t is an effort to make CAPT
tai for the campaign
We fancy it will require no effort to
make political capital out of it. 1t make.
political capital, itself, without any effort
His message of protest opens thus;
To the House Of Representatives.
After a delay which has afforded me am
pie time for reflection. and after much and
careful elaboration, l find fconstrain-
ed by an imperious sense of duty, as a CO.
ordinate branch of the Federal 9 vernment,
to protest against the first two clauses Of
the first resolution adopted by the House
of Representatives on the 9th inst, and
published in the Congressional Globe on
the succeeding day. The clauses are in the
following words
lst. ReSolred, That a committee Of five
members be appointed by the SEEKER for
the purpose of investigating whether the
President of The United States or any off
eer of the Government, has, by money pat
rOnage, or other improper means, soughtt to
influence the passage of any law appertain-
ing to the rights of any State or Territory;
and second, also, to inquire into and inves-
tigate whether any officer or officers of the
Government has, by combination or other
wise. has prevented or defeated or attempt
ed to prevent or defeat the execution of
any law or laws now on the statute book
and whether the President has failed or re-
fused to compel the execution Of any law.
Mr.. Buchanan earnestly protests against
any inquiry being made whether the Pres
ident,' or any officer of government, has by
money, patronage, or other improper means,
sought to influence the passage of any law,
&c.
The Democrat thinks ii is riUaiRous to
make such inquiry. No rogue ever felt
the halter draw with good opinion of the
law is an old adage which applies equally
a. well to men high in Office, as to small
raseals.
1t is not with feelings Of pleasure that
we allude to this matter, although we new
er had any reverence for Mr.. Buchanan
The fact that such an investigation is
deemed necessary by a majority of Con-
gress, that Mr.. Buchanan instead of eour-
tug the s%trictest scrutiny in regard to all
his official acts. as it would seem that he
would do if he felt those acts could defy.
such scrutiny. protests against any inresti
cation at all, and covers them in thick
darkness, is a sad commentary, upon the
honesty of the highest public
functiOnaries. which is a disgrace to the
whole country, and must be felt by every
Republican as well as Democrat
Mr.. Buchanan came into power with the
most hOnied phrases of political honesty
upon his tongue. In his letter of Nov 22d
1858, to the Duquesne Centennial Com
he says;
4 shall assume the privilege of adran-
cling years in referring to another growing
and dangerous evil. In the last age although
bur fathers, Ike ourselves, were divided
int political parties, which often had Sc
we're conflicts with each other, vt we nev-
er heard until within a recent period Of
the employment Of money to carry elections.
Should this practice increase until the vo-
ters and their representatives in the State
md National Legislatures shall become IN
ected, the fountain of free government will
hen be poisoned at its source, and VIC must
md as history Trovcs. in a military despo-
ISM. 4 Democrat; Republic, all agree. can
survive, unless sustained by public
When this is corrupted and the
people become venal. here is a cancer at
The root of the tree of Liberty, which mus
.ause it to wither and die
Contrast these words with his acts. Read
low he deplOres the employment Of money
% carry elections and fears that the foun-
ain of free government viii be poisoned at
Is source then look at the testimony Of Mr..
Wendell, the Democratic printer, given IN
Ter oath before this Committee of Investi-
which Mr.. Buchanan fears 50 much.
Nr. Wendell disclosed the following facts:
The aggregate amount paid for printing,
&c, by Congress, in the last SIX
was So, 462, 500, u, or a yearly aver
re of nearly 100000! In addition to
his. the printing done for the Executive
Departments of the government during the
sane six years, amounted TO s3,747,722.-
30. Tie profit on this work ranges from
50 to 20 per cent averaging as Ar. Wen
leIrs foreman swOre, 80 per cent. at least;
hat is to say. the WORK done for those SIX
gears has cost the government justSl,9lo,-
TI3, 20 more than it should have done
part of it vas pocketed by the high con-
ractiug parties. and the residue spent IN
'ustai2ing democratic newspapers, and IN
pets Of Ur. Buchanan elected to
5OrgrcsE
Ameng the items Of tao account are