The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-02-01

executive business.
PARTY AND PATRIOTISM
The great question is, whether this coun-
try is TO be divided, like Gaul, into three parts,
to satiate the ambition Of party leaders, or,
whether it is ever more TO prosper in union
and harmony by the exertions Of DISTINGUISHED
patriotism.
What is the spectacle presented by this
nation to the civilized world
A country Of boundless territory and ex-
haustless resources, of Is millions of inhabi-
tants, and Republican Government, with a
revenue but recently overlooking, with COM
merce but recently extending to the remolest
seaports of the earth, with arts, sciences,
and trades, and every species of active
and profitable industry, but recently per-
vading and stimulating every portion of the
wide spreading land-all, all, Frustrated,
Slapped, paralysed and bound down, with
scarcely strength enough to raise an arm or
hope enough to stimulate one feeble exertion!
The ships of commerce are tied at the
wharves, trade is discontinued, money is lock-
ed up, every species Of industry is restrained
and men step forth only like the trembling
denizen Of the Last Days of Pompeii, falter-
ing with fear lest the impending cloud of their
threatening doom and destruction, should burst
upon them.
In the midst of this picture, certainly not
overdrawn, what do we see !
Does any one, having the temporary direc-
ton OF the destines of this nation, attempt to
raise the almost lilcless energies Of the body
polite, or even to whisper to the broken spirit
one word of confidence or encouragement?
Do we see any Of the leaders of the party in
power, here or elsewhere, extending any pros
poet Of relief or exhibiting any disposition to
offer any remedy for the existing evils or
even to promote in any degree, the great in
terests of the COUNTRY! No. The govern
ment " has no sympathy for the country
"the country looks to the government for too
much"-the government has nothing TO do
but to take care of itselfw SAVE THE
PARTY! That is the grand object, from
Maine to louisiana the COUNTRY is nothing,
SAVE THE PARTY! Look into the last Rich
mond Enquirer-observe the fur sets Of re-
solutions in the Virginia Legislature-see
how perfectly ridiculous men are making
themselves in the eyes of the whole civilized
world! They profess to oppose the Sub
treasury scheme, and yet fater in a quadru-
pie sense, not daring to say aught against the
measures they pretend to resist-presenting
impracticable schemes and useless resolutions,
and making all sorts of sounds signifying
nothing DO they say or do aught FOR
THE COUNTRY Nothing. Saue the
party Every thing for the cAUsE"-what
cause The PARTY! Nothing for the
country. What can be more melancholy at
such crisis as this than this humiating
and debased subsection to the trammels
Of PARTY. Are all the most cherished
interests of the country TO be crushed under
this JuGGERNAUT OF PARTY? Have men
lost their reason, their freedom, their INDIE
PENDENCE! Else WHtHCt lllS INVERSION
of all moral and political propriety Is not
the country suffering and PROSTATE |! Yet
"every thing" is to be sacrificed "for the
cause" Are not the poor absolutely threat
ened with starvation Yet "Sare the party"
Are not the merchants broken, the banks shut
mp, the factories stopped, business blighted,
and still darker clouds impending over us
And yet, the party must be saved! What
are all the great interests of tho country to be
weighed in the balance with the political
preference of faction of men, and the whole
to be overwhelmed and crushed in the general
scramble for the Presidency To SAGE The
party-is that the business of our lives TO
make Presidents that "our cause 7" No.
"'Tis RoME demands our helpr
i Would that Cato's words might resound in
the ears Of every man holding a seat in the
Halls of Legislation, until no should starle
from his slumbers, and awake TO proper