The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-10-31

then supposed that the strength and virtue of In
Constitution had been fairly tested and that henc.
forward the blessed and republican institutions O
our happy and behaved country were in no DANCE
ir"m the chickering's and turmolls of partizan war
fare. For the last thirty yeas have rested quiet
| ly aud without fear. We were making the ,lori
Gus experiment of Republican government an,
while the blOod-cemented fabrcs Of the old worlc
were crumbling TO the dust under the abominatlou
of their abuses and cOrrupIIons we were going on
trinmphantly in our course and. ew ry day, addlra
new proof to the mass OF evidence, that the people
of this country, at least. capable of govern.
ing themselves. Year after year, supposed. was
accommodating fresh and substantial Testimony in
idyor Of Free Government; and that the time had
gone by for ever, when we should hear il sounded
in the ears frcemen, - THE KING is BORN TO
COMMAND AND THE PEOPLE ARE BORN
TO OBEY"
At the election of PRESIDENT JACKSON was
at home by my Preside. had listened to the
glowing promises of his friends. and | could not
help but hear the fearful predictions of his enc
mes had long withdrawn myself from the arena
OF political strife, and Cared not who administer
ed the government, that 1t was administered
we'll. Federalst or Republican, it was all the
same to me. ANDREW JACKSON was the Presi-
dent Of the Republic. duly and legally chosen
and as such, was willing TO rec, i've him and to
Judge OF him by his administration of the govern.
ment. His friends promised every thing that was
thought could in any way promote his elevation
and his opponents predicted what they supposed
ought to have been enough to have prevented it,
All these things moved me not. had lived long
enough to learn that all is not gold that glisens;
that il was thing 10 promise and quite differ
ent thing. especially in politics. To pernrm-that
men IN their moments of party feeling often utter
ed predictions, of which. sober reflection they
would acknowledge there was no probability Of
accomplishment. Under this impression | made
m mind n annland tho pras,dout L.
did right and condemn him when he did wrong
w Ith this determination M one could accuse me
"i beng UNJUST to the majority, who had chosen
the President, or to the minority who had opposed
him.
AZ expected would be the case ,ha President
hau hardly passed through the socmnities Of his
inauguration and become warm in his seat be-
lore the opposition opened thef batteries upon his
administration. But this, supposed, was mere
matter OF. course business; it was not to be ex
pected that they who had opposed his election
and were now writhing under the pangs of disap-
pOntment and modification. would all at once shut
their mouths and be quiet. Beside all this, the
minority always exercise the conceded privilege
OF grumbling. Surprising, then, that the accusa-
tions brought against the President, were prlnci-
cipay to be laid at the door Of some disappointed
expectant Tor office. or had ther origin in the pu-
litIcal prejudlces of some uncompromising pirti-
zan, |, for long time, obstaatelv turned deaf
ear to them all. But was often reminded of the
honey adage, that " where there was great deal of
SIN BIKE there must be some fire y to this uniform
iy returned for answer, "thatit was law and gos-
pei both, that every man shond be held innocent
until proved guilty" There were accusations
enough, to be sure. against the President, His
opponents were not sparing of their denunciations
ot his administration, and his friends were ways
wanting in their support Of it but TO all these
things paid little attention.
Bye and bye | heard the Constitution talked
bout that sacred instrument was said to be in
danger, and endangered too, it charged, in the
house of those who had most solemny sworn TO be
It's friends. This was something unexpected to
me The Constitution, had long aud fondly sup
posed, had been placed hey ond the reach Of dan
ger. had supposed that the happy years we had
lived under 1t. had settled the point, that ii was
not to be touched with prOfane hands. When it
was openly and delberat ly charged that President
jackson had violated the Constitution, thought il
was time to look around me. did so. examin
ed the evidence that was offered IN proof of the
charge, as well as what was adduced to cOunieract
it. rose from the examination with the painful
conviction that there WAS some truth in the accu-
sation.
For a time, however the friends of the President
endcavured 10 ward off The shafts of his opponents,
by stoutly and resolutely DENYING every thing and
demanding the proof. But proof thickened upon
proof. and, at last, wheE further denial was found
Ia be unavailing, they came out openly and boldly
acknowledged the truth of the charges against
the administration. and unbIushingly and in open
court, before the whole nation, put in the plea of
justification. What short time before had been
absolutely denied as having M existence, was now
conceded to be plain matter of flct and acts that
to-day were said to be fabricated by the opposition
only for the purpose Of attacking them, were to-
morrow, acknowledged to be such and truly such
as they were represented 10 be, and beside, loudly
applauded as adding new laures to their author.
At length came the famous Message containing
the Veto upon the Bank Of the United States.
This satisfied me that, to act the part of friend
to my country, could no longer remain a disn-
tprcsted and idle spectator Of the present canvass
for the coming Presidential Election. To my
mind this extraordinary state paper contains senti-
meats far more dangerous than, at first sight, may
seem to appear 1t purports to be the Veto (Which
means, forbid i'll of the President upon the law
OF Congress re-charterng the present Bank of the
United States. But is there not something in this
piper of vast deeper Importance than the bare
Veto upon the Bank 7 There is. The President
says that HE WILL ADMINISTER UPON THE
CONSTITUTION AS HE UNDERSTANDS 1T,
AND NOT AS IT Is UNDERSTOOD BY THE
SUPREME COURT Moreover he says, that
HE Is lNDEPENDENi Both OF CONGRESS
AND THE COURT TOO. Fellow citizens, what
does this language mean Does it mean any thing
or does 1t mean nothing Does it mean, or can it,
by any possible refinement or abuse of language,
he made IN mean any thing more or any thing less,
than that Andrew Jackson considers his OWN
OPINION paramount 10 the CONSTITUTION
oi his country, and himself beyond the reach oi
the Supreme Law of the land Cand dly ayow-
ing, as he does, that these his deliberate Opin-
IONS, is it not natural inference. that, should he
he reelected, he intends 10 assume the whole
management Of the government himself; aud re-
lieve us. the dea, people, as he hypocriicaly calls
us, of the trouble OF choosing our own rulers.
Napoleon DOnaparte PLAYED the demagogue unit!
he acquired sufficient power to enact the tyrant.
Let US beware OF his example. Such sentiments
| us the above do not look 10 me, much like what
we used to call repubcansm. In my younger
days we did not like to hear any body sing the
praises of George the 3d. and tor my part, should
like no better, now, to listen TO the praises of
ANDREW THE FIRST.
But let us, my countrymen laying ASIDE all par
~ pre- udce look at this matter seriously aud can
lidly Is there no danger Let us not be de
ceived by the clamor Of those who are continually
crying peace peace" If there be peace, why So
constantly ring it in olr ears Now, tor my own
part, am satisfied that there is great danger among
u.s. and that if we elect President jackson again
it is not out of the bounds OF probability that the
coming may be the LAST Presidential Election we
may be called to assist in. Fellow Cltzens, is il
not time to think of these things 1t seems plain
to me- tina, il is the solemn and bOunden duty oi
every freeman Of this land who feels any regard for
the Constitution Of his country-who acknowledg-
any preference forthe free institutions OF Ameri
ca over the corrupt and ieudal dynastIes o tu'
rope-wh, is not ready to bow down the knee Ia
Baal and shout hnsannas to some cis-atlantic ~
rant to come out, and raise not only his voice. but
his hand to the ballot-box, against those who have
deserted their trust and turned recreant to ever.
first principle of liberty. Ponder well upon these
things and remember the awful responsibilities
under which you vote in the coming election o
President.
let il not be forgotten neither, that our State
Elections are of almost equal importance, II We