The Portland daily press., 1876-03-28
Investigation in JacksOn,s Time.

lnFeSugaClOn In JackS0n'S Ilmes
The numerous investigations now pending
| in Washington have led a writer who appear:
| to be familiar with the history of the national
government the past fifty years TO bring to
| light some interesting matters respecting in
| vestigations attempted and frustrated during
| the administration of the "Hero of New Or
leans" Gen. Jackson was one of those earn
est partisaus and unffinching friends who
! never deserted his man when under fire.
Thoroughly honest himself, he evidently be.
lieved that no man whom he appointed to Of
fee could be so unlike himself 1t was, how
ever, natural result of his policy that ''to
the victors belong the spoils,' that there were
| frauds and Irregularities and the par
tisans of that time were not slow
to make the most of them. The
Whigs had majority in the Senate il
1884 and at that time directed its Committee
on postal ahails to inquire into the numerou;
charges of maladminstration, malfeasanct
etc. in the post Office department. The COM
mittee with Senator Grundy as chairman be-
gan its work and in note he requested the
Postmaster General to urnish information.
To to this request, Gen. Barry, Postmaster
General, squarely refused to comply, either by
testifying himself or furnishing letters and pa
pers, ,on the ground that "the several branches
of the government are coordinate and
that one branch cannot take part in the per.
formance of duties properly pertaining to an
other" As an executive officer, he further
held, he was not responsible to the legisla-
tive, but first to the President and ultimately
to the people. In this refusal to submit to
the ''impertinent enquiries" of the Commit.
tee, Gen. Barry was sustained by the Presi-
dent and the Washington organ who styles
the Committee ''the Senate trio of impeach-
ing inquisitors," guilty of ga monstrous
outrage upon the constitution, the rights of
the peoples representatives and the rights of
the executive departments"
As the result of the investigation, the
management Of the post Office department
was found to be tainted by irregularities,
such as "extra allowances, corrupt mail
lettings and even 'tfagrant violations of
official duty" and Gen. Barry, the Postmas-
ter General, who was really less wicked than
weak, was removed by being appointed to a
foreign mission.
In 1889 the Democratic House, to stop the
importantly of the Wings, ordered two inves-
tgating committees. Wise of Virginia was
at the head of the one to investigate the Ex-
ecutive Department. He at once called up
on President Jackson for the aid of himself
and his cabinet in bringing evil-doers to JUS
tice. To this request President Jackson
made the following reply to Mr.. Wise:
CATER the reiterated charges you have made, it
was to have been expected that you would have been
prepared TO reduce them to specifications and that
the committee would then proceed to investigate the
matters alleged; but, instead of this you resort to
generalities even more vague than your original ac
cusaons, and in open violation of the constitution,
and of that well-established and wise maxim, that
all men are presumed to be innocent until proven
guilty according the established rules of law you
request myself and the heads of the departments to
become own and to furnish the evidence
to nvict ourselves; and this call purports to be
founded the authority of that body in which alone
by the Constitution, the power of impeachng us is
vested. The heads of departments may answer such
arequest they please, provided they do not with
draw their own time and that of the officers under
their direction from the public business the injury
thereof To that business shall direct them to de-
vote themselves in preference to any illegal and
constitutional calls for information, no matter from
what source it may come or however anxious they
may be to meet it For myself. shall repel all such
attempts invasion of the principles of justice,
as well of the Constitution; and shall esteem it
my sacred duty to the people ef the United States to
ish inquistion.''
Much could not be expected of an investi-
cation which had all the avenues of infor:na-
ton closed against it by the Executive of the
nation. But Mr.. Wise was in earnest, and in
the course of his inquiries traced the organi-
zation of a company in Boston to specu-
late in Indian reservations, which could
be purchased OF the Indians after the
consent of the President had been OBJ
tanned. He further ascertained that this
company had got consent to purchase a
large tract of those lands and the name
of Postmaster General Kendall was connected
with the matter, it being alleged that he was
to have large share of the profits for his
services in getting the Executive permit Mr..
Kendall made sounding but evasive denial
and demand for investigation. He appeared
before the Committee and was asked by Wise
to explain the whole matter when one OF
the Democratic members objected and that
party having majority of the same, they re-
fused to have the question put. All further
attempts 10 investigate the matter were frus-
trated by the Democratic members of the
Committee, one of whom was Franklin
Pierce, either by refusing to summon parties
or objecting to any question which would
bring out the facts. Mr.. Wise in his speech
in the Democratic House which ordered the
Committee, put it thus: "You 1.-THE Democrat
ic Congress and Administration repelled in
quiry, refused interrogatories, Frustrated and
postponed resolutions, encouraged contuma-
cy in witnesses and resisted investigation in
every FORM"
Still Gen. Jackson's administration is the
only model to which the Bourbon Democra
cy can point with pride as worthy ilustra.
ton of the principles of that party in the
days of its glory and purity.
In the telegraphic report of the debate on
the bill TO forbid contributions to election
funds the relevancy of Mr. Blaine's compari.
son of Virginia election to the throwing o.