Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1837-09-26
LANES J. GRAVES EDIroR.
POLITICAL.


ESSAYS, will lead me, though reluctantly,
10 review the celebrated letter Of the late
Venerable ex-President Madison to the
EDITOR OF the "North American Review
Ii which he denounces notification, and
II my humble opinion repidiates his for
her political opinions, Iam well aware
Il the magnitude of the task, and nothing
hort of the invincibility OF truth, aud OF
having Mr.. Madison's former opinions to
,uote against this letter, could impel me
10 undertake 1t.
Principles are mmutable, while fallibe
beings are always liable to change. In
the course Of these essays, will endeavor
to show that Mr.. Madison has, in this
sIetter," and in his letter to Mr.. Ingersoll,
failed to refute his former able and unan-
swerable arguments in favor of Estate
interposition," and against the constitu-
tionality of the United States Bank The
advocates of the proclamation, who pro-
feSs TO be democrats, refer to this letter
from the pen of Mr.. Madison, as a tri-
umphant reiutation Of the State Rights
doctrine. But at the same time they are
silent as the grave in regard to his letter
to Mr. lngcrsoll on the bank question.
Such course speaks but little for politi-
cal honesty, though in the absence of ar
gument, it is perfectly natural to refute
I the doctrine Of State Rights by the au-
Il thority Of great name, even though that
name would not be authority on the bank
81 question.
The advocates of the proclamation,
& who honestly avow that they are fede-
ralists, take different and correct view
of this 0letter.n They see in the doc
trine it incucates, an abandonment of the
high and noble stand taken by Virginia
and Kentucky in 1898 against the "Alien.
and Sedition Laws" From the above
remarks it will be inferred that Mr.. Madi-
sons "Ietter" is deemed defective in point
Of argument.
This, Notwithstanding his eminent
talents, is true; and it should have no
more weight than it really merits. To
pin our faith on the sleeve Of any man
/ merely because he has great name,
without weighing his reasons as impair
tally as if we knew not the author, would
be base surrender Of our opinions for
his; and not a conviction by argument
that we were in error.
Before reviewing Mr., Madison's "let-
ter" it may throw some light on the sub
Ject, and tend to elicit truth, to take a
retrospective view of parties during his
administration of the General Govern
ment, and also his course in relation to
she Bank Of the United States.
During Mr.. Madison's administration
we engaged in the late war with Great
Britain. The course of the Federalists
during that crisis is believed to have been
an unwarrantable opposition to Madison's
administration more than to the war; for
the very same persons, composing the
same party, few years previously had
been the untiring advocates of war with
France-our ancient friend and ally, not
outstanding, when the "tug OF war"
come, they thought it "unbecoming a
moral and religious people to rejoice at
our victories" The fact is, that the sig
nal defeat of the party and their high
pressure system of "Alien and Sedition
Laws" by the election Of Mr.. Jefferson,
still ranked in their hearts, and they
hoped by opposing the war, and rendering
its termination inglorious, to re-instate
themselves in power. In this, however,
they were again signally defeated; for
the tide Of public opinion was still against
them. Unfortunately for the cause of
correct and liberal principles, combina-
ton of circumstances has again given the
ascendency to the political principles Of
the Federalists.
As extremes always produce extremes,
so the intense party strife during the
war was succeeded by perfect calm, in
which all Of democracy had been lost,
save the empty name.
In producing this fatal calm no one in
dividual effected so much as Mr.. Carey in
his solve Branch" work well known
TO politicians of that day. To his work
may be attributed the commencement Of
that decline in asserting and maintaining
the principles Of the Democratic party,
which has eventually rendered the citizen
,odous, who dares to assert the political
principles laid down by Mr.. Jefferson, the
father Of Democracy--the principles
which alone can preserve the rights Of
the States, and the Liberties Of the people.
Mr.. Carey, formerly professed Demo
crat, in scoring the Federalists for their
errors, thought fit to castigate the Demo-
Gratis also.
That they too have erred is conceded;
but Mr.. Carey to effect reconciliation,
ifnot to effect the entire overthrow Of the
Democratic party, takes the old Federal
buck, and applauds the "Alien and Sedi-
tion Laws" not only as expedient but as
constitutional.
But to remove all doubts, let Mr.. Carey |