The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-09-09

Such is the general character of the inn
portant Document, which we now Law before
our readers. We have read il with every
respect for the abilities and honesty of It's au-
thor-with the deepest attachment TO the man,
and with every desire TO promote the success
OF his administration. We have re-examined
the propositions --re-perused his arguments
and sought 10 disabuse our mind of all its pre-
JUDGES and prepossessions. In the same
frank spirit in which he has addressed his
countrymen, we respectfully say, that we still
differ from the course which he has chalked
out. We shall state our opinions freely,
but briefly; flor we are pressed for room
Heaven knows. that we " set down naught in
malice" Mr.. Van Buren, himself knows us
better. We consider it peculiarly unfortunate
at this time, that all the friends Of the Admin
sorely afflicted; and the leaders of the Oppo-
sition are seeking to make the most of our
distresses, as well as of our divisions. The
Wings will ply every engine to foment discord
in our ranks. They will woo some of our
friends, though they will not win them. For,
these are not the times, when wise Repub-
lican, however ambitious of distinction, should
think of his own interests !. much less seek to
promote them by the arms of his enemies
Most Of the Wings have deep game to play
They are animated by their momentary sue
cess in the West. They will probably strike
for all. They may vote against any scheme
{" humbug" they will call it,) which the
friends Of the Administration will recon-
mend-They will oppose the State Bank sys.
tem-as well as the Sub-treasury system,
under the hope Of finally carrying their own
idol, the Bank of the United States. They
will prefer to keep every thing in its present
unsettled condition-to "make confusion
worse COMPOUNDED" scatter panic and
complaints among the people-and force them
if possible, to take refuge in the embraces of
the monster Mr.. Biddle is bent upon tri-
umph with an eye that never winks, and
wing that never tires" His designs are as
daring as his means are msidious. We see
his little finger in the late movements of the
banks of Philadelphia. The Convention of
Banks is to be strangled. 1t does not suit his
purposes, at present, to bring back the State
Banks to the resumption Of specie payments.
The people are not yet discontinued and
sick" enough to call for his assistance. He
has plans afoot, which ought to startle every
patriot in the land. If he succeeds in forcing
a recharter from the country, we may well
tremble for her Constitution and her Liberties.
A Money King will indeed rule over us.
In fact, never was there time when the
Republican party should be more strongly
united-when it was so unfortunate that any
schism should creep into their camp-and
when it was so necessary for them to exercise
discretion as well as moderation. We have
often repeated, that we ought to "bear and
forbear" with each other. In sketching our
objections to the message, therefore, we shall
observe the most liberal disposition. We re-
greet that it speaks in SO thorough and uncom-
promising a tone but we shall take the liber-
ty of suggesting Some ground Of Cancellation
and compromise, on which the friends of the
Administration might probably meet, in the
present Congress.
How is it that the great masses of the two
parties seem to be respectively shifting the
grounds, which they occupied in '34' Many
of the Wings then supported the Sub-treasury
system. in preference to the State Banks. The
friends of the Administration then violently
assaiIed it. Now the Wings have chopped
round, and go against it. Most of the Repub-
licans, with the President at their head, are
inclined to support it. 1t is our misfortune to
adhere to the same principles which we then
ter soldier than ourselves, then gave forth the
most serious objections to the scheme
"The public moneys, from the time of their
receipt to the time of their disbursement,
amounting. as they often do, to ten or twelve
millions of dollars, must remain in the hands
of individuals appointed by the President, and
removable at his piH !" "They ought (not) to
be kept in their pockets, chests, or uaults, where
they can approach it every day, and use it
without the checks of warrants drawn, coun-
tersigned, registered, and recorded, and pass
ing through many hands, without which not a
dollar can now be touched by any public Off
GER not even the President himself"
We have no desire to see such an accumu-
lation of power in the hands Of the Execu-
tve-no wish to put the public money direct
ly into the palms of his friends and partisans
We wish to see the power and patronage
of the Executive increased as little as posi-
Bile" the powers Of the (FederaD Govern
ment (not) enlarged"--the purse and the
sword not more strongly united, than they are
in the hands of the President-and as few
means of corruption as possible trusted in his
possession. Some events have shifted the
balance of the Constitution, and thrown too
much power already into the Executive scale
thanks especially to the Wing Senators,
who fought so recklessly for the Bank of the
U. States, in the day of panic irampled their
instructions under foot, and brought their own
body into contempt! We have no desire, I'M
less the public interests imperiously demand
it, to throw greater weight into the Executive
scale, by bringing the President into closer
contact with the public purse We have no
uneasiness about the present incumbent. Mr..
Van Buren, declares, that he would much ra-
Their withdraw" to the greatest practicable ex-
tent, from all concern in the custody and dis