Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-10-04

principles He had watched his in Congress, and
had him coalescing with tne th nerring test
showed that he right Mr. van Buren reeefea
on running Judge White as an candidate And
i then commenced abuse of Gen. Jackson II was tne as
year his Presidential the old
Of Office and would soon be dispense those services
and which he had iavisheo on MI
crafty his malignant feelings In three set speeches. Gov
erng 54s closely printed pages in the
he assailed Gen. Jackson in the most Vinoicu'e
Listen to few extracts: - ;,.ondod hy
But again the enate, which was lnte9oeo ; ny
the CONSTITUTION to itsef standing cheek anu hli
upon and abuse of the Executive
that extent and regards that purpose OF us nd
actually expugned and that toO by Executive power anu
Influence demand of gentlemen to answer me- anu say
there exists at this moment any Is not
the Constitution ITSELF for the time beng, apr ga'u,
verted, overhrown? All men must now see anu
edge that the sending nominations OF puDG
to the Senate for advice and conf nation is reduGeG III
practice to mere form have we net o the pTn
cple nonresistance and of passive obedience TO te
things been brought about The State Legislatures those
sentinel towers they have heretofore been Supposed
tW have been boldly entered and by Executive influence
seduced and prosuded to purposes OF edefa poMe anu
proceedings Assemblies have been nterered WITH
and many those bodies have already been reduced ID Inc
condition of dependent and coordinate portions OF
the great party machinery which supposed this coun
try may hereafter be governedthe supple and convenient
This SANDER not only upon General Jackson but upon
the of the United States finds full answer IN me
statement that composed of majority OF opponents
to the Administration ami among them find the names
CT Henry Clay anel Webster, John M Clayton, Crten-
den Mangum White, Calhoun, John Tyler ana otners
while among the friends of General Jackson were James
Buchanan Sias Wright, Thomas H. Benton Isaac H, al
all Of them not likely to be supple instruments
in the hands OF any man
The assault upon the State Legislature is equally as un
founded and shows contempt of Mr. Bell for the opn
ions and views of the people Those State Legislatures hu
instructed their Senators on the questions OF Inc
resolutions of against General Jackson ana IN rela
ton to the removal Of the depostes 1t was 10 these mat
He then goes on in this same speech charge the Pres
ident with trying influence the elections and the cholce
sending scurrous articles against them under his frank
and through the agency of the oce-holders Ana Then
closes thus:
Sir with the powers and influence of the Executive as
at present exercised, thus G0OeTed IS an etechGe nond
chg 1t is well that longer deceive ourselves WITH
In these speeches Mr. Bell accused General jackson OF
striving reenac the sediton law of l9S because he
ty gslaton instead of engaging in President making
of overawng and tyrannzg over Congress- OF
ting bis person the and the money of the Govern
men; of squandering the public money IN objects OF Inter
nal improvements of creating war pane ana dlsarrang
ing the business of the country OF controlling tie people
by series OF pretenses and imposures OF coriupnG
the country into Indian without See Appen
dix to Congressional Globe, LIST session. th Congress PIP
G37 COL And all this from the man who but one year be-
fore had spoken of the happy consequences OF Gen Jack
sons great and protested devotion to him and
the party AS to have been expected these assaults led
to the appointment of an investigating committee moved by
the enemies of Cen Jackson in order to deame his admin
gssted by Mr. Bell in the following extract from his speech
"Ay, sir, the President may not only be IMpEAcHED by
this House, t 1t IS as bomde and sacred duty to rpeac1
HIM for adequate cause"
the resolution fixing the duties of this committee
closed by the Chairman in note to the President Old
Hickory promptly replied:
N after ali the contained in the
rOus speeches of yourself and your associates you
willing of your accord to bring specific charges, then
will request committee to call yourself and
the general charge of corruption testify before God and
country, whether you they know of any specific
ahuCnf thu ntiNan tlDnO
and SO, what is. If able to point to
where there is the slightest suspect corruption
abuse of trust obstacle which remove shall be in
teposed prevent the fullest scrutiny by all legal means
The offices of all the Departments will be opened you and
every proper facility furnished for this purpose
This the language of innocent man, who courted
that committee make good his charges against General
Jackson, and the following question asked him:
Do you of your knowledge know OF any act by the
President either of the heads of the Executive Depart
ments which either corrupt or violation OF their OH
> cia duties -
After protesting against Injecting him to examination
of this character and admitting that he knew nothing of his
consdeg eerv annontment or employmen made or
confirmed by the President any of the heads Of the Exc
cutive Departments the consideration of services and in
fuence in any election gross violation of official duty
believe that most of the appointments made OF late were
made chiefly with that motive.
1.-THE interference of the President and other public
officers with his knowledge and connvance, in elections
practices of the existing administration.
." believe there has been gross violation of official duty
the present Administration in the appointment
the President the heads Of the Departments of
officers agents Department, and annexing
such appointments stated salaries and allowances, without
authority of law (Mr. Bell certainly could
have read the law of 1885, which authorize the
ployment of agents of the DEPARTMENT.
Concerning the Indian without giving any facts Mr.
/ Bell testified to his impressions thus
" therefore feel well warranted in my own mind in at
trbutng to the inbecity CULPABE NEGLECT the COR
RUPTlON of the Administration all the blood and expen-
dure which have attended hostile relations with
the Greek Indians and much of the dshonor which must at
tach to the country by the of specuatons in their
lands
He then concludes by saying that he considers that
the President guilty Of violation of official duty
IN failing to inquire into the abuses of the Post Office De-
partment
The committee in reference to the testimony of Mr. Bell
and Others reported:
They called upon the best source furnish the
committee with proofs or with the names OF Witnesses and
instead of doing they make complaints against the
mee and the President they the authors of the
charges, the of the resolution of inquiry and the
promoters of this whole question of investigation They
testify to no corrupt act that they know but to much that
they have been informed OF AID verify believe but give
names of nfomes witnesses, who know the alleged
acts of corruption in official duty" App to Gales Sea
Thus Gen. Jackson vndcaed and his deamer, John
Bell covered with confusion and shame. OF feeling
WON retirement. not so John Bell The very next
year he had the audaeity and mpudence to arragn Cen
Jackson before the country and declare that he ought to
have been impeached Hear him:
has been my opinion and have not yet parted from
of the most important and vital principles of the Con
stution That no impeachment actually moved against
tuition was invaded and ramped because the sub
ec escaped attention at the time for sir for one,
my solemn conviction to be- that until great example
should be exhibited of the power and justice of this House
by impeachment, the evils of which we most complained
would be :essve And questioned whether any
adequate remedy could be applied under the Constitution
But SIR did not think of moving impeachment against
the late President because, considering his great popuar
y and influence with the during the last
OF his administration and which clearly the worst
Was sustained in all his conduct by great majority in this
House and in the Senate held that provoke without
the to restrain would only aggravae the evils of the
times and bring additional injury upon the country and it's
Institutions An impeachment under such circumstances
was not to be thought of by prudent statesman -App