The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-09-29
TO THE REPUBLICANS OF THE UNITED
sTATEs.


TO us many interests which will not permit TO
tire as we contemplated.
A period has arrived therefore, when it has be-
come necessary in justice TO oursef and the public
10 Indicate our course for the future.
II Is well remembered that the MADsoNIAN was
established in the conviction that the great character
and interests of the country, as well as the success OF
the administration, required another organ at the seat
of the National Government Born in the Republi-
can faith, and nurured in Republican doctrines, we
DESTROYS of seeing the leading principles of the
party TO which we were attached preserved and ear
ried OUT not only in theory, but in practice. We
pledged ourself to sustain the principles and doc
trnes Of the Republican party, as delneated by Mr.
MADISON, and came here in good faith TO support the
present administration upon The principles acAich go
ueragd the party irhich elected Mr.. Pan Buren, and
apoa tie pledges By cAfeh that election tras secured
We have, throughout strictly adhered to those prin-
cples. Had the Executive of this nation done the
same; had he received in the spirit in which Il was
offered, the advice of his best friends the continu-
ance of this paper would not have been necessary,
should we have beheld the distracted counses by
which he is governed, or have seen the disjointed
and defeated party by which he is surrounded.
No Chief Magistrate, since the days of Washing
tom ever came to that high station under more favor
able auspices than Mr.. Van Buren,, A combination
of circumstances, which seldom transpire, clearly
Indicated the wav oihe affections Of the people, and
gave him the power TO have disarmed opposition by
the very measures which would have established his
popularity But, ill-omened and evil counsels pre-
vailed and the hopes of that political millennium,
which many Republicans cherished as the fulfment
of their creed were disappointed and postponed.
Whilst the MADIsoNIAN and its friends were en-
deavorng TO restore The prosperity OF the country,
the Executive and his advisers were urging forward
measures directly calculated to destroy ito keep
the country convulsed and prostrate-measures,
subversive Of the principles of Republican govern
ment and tending TO the establishment of an unmit
tigated despotism. Accompanied as they were by
war upon the CREDIT SYSTEM OF the country, and an
unusual spirit of intolerance, denunciation and
prescription, justice could not have required nor
honesty expected any support from consistent Republic
cans. In that spirit Of independence and love of
freedom which characterized the founders of our
institutions, we resisted these nefarous attempts
depreciate and destroy them, with the best Of our
ability. The same spirit which prompted us to do
this, finds no justification in supporting the men who
made it necessary.
II is an incontrovertibe truth that every prominent
act of this administration has been an open, une-
quivocal violation Of every principle and profession
upon which Mr.. Van Buren, was elevated to the
Chief Magistracy by the people.
In his upholding the specie circular which made
determinations unauthorized by law, and which
had been twice condemned by Congress; va...
In his recommending the Sub Treasury scheme
contemplating union of the purse and the sword
and the subversion Of the entire practice OF the 60
vernment, and still persisting in it, notwithstanding
it has been four times condemned by the Represen-
tatives of the people; '....
In his recommendation of Bankrupt law to be
passed by Congress, applicable only to corporations,
control over all the State institutions and be able to
crush them ALL at pleasure; and taking all jursdic-
lion over them from the hands of the State tribunals
In his breaking faith with the States, by recon-
mendng a repeal of the distribution law;
In his repeated recommendations of the issue of
Treasury notes, to supply the place of legal money,
recurring thus to the exploded and runous practice
of deprecated government paper money, for circu
laing medium; thus exercising power derived
only from loose construction of the Constitution
and repudated by the best Republican authorities;
In his attempt to establish Treasury Bank with
an irredeemable papermoney circulation;
In his effort TO overthrow the State Bank Deposte
system established by President Jackson and take
the public moneys into his actual custody and con-
troll ..~ -
In his attempt to divorce the government from the
interests and sympathies of the people;
In his attempt to create multitude of new Off
ces and to send swarms of officers to harrass our
people, and eat out their substance !"
In his attempt to "take away our charters, abolish
our most valuable laws, and alter, fundamentally, the
powers of our governments"
In his display Of sectional Partially;
In his cold indifference to the interests and wants
the people during period of extreme suffering;
In his attempt to throw discredt upon, and even
ually, to crush the State banks through the revenue
power of the government, and embarrass the re-
sumption of specie payments;
In permitting the patronage of his Office TO come
in conflict with the freedom OF elections;
In his open contempt of the will of the people as
expressed through the ballot box
the throats of dissenting brethren by means unbecom
ing a ma unanimous Chief Magistrate;
In his refusal to acquiesce in the decisions OF the
majority; and
s. Senate on the I'd July, inst. to seize the public
treasure, by aboshing all law for its custody and
safe keeping.
He has abandoned the principles by which he came
into power, and consequently, the duty which they
prescribed; and he has obstnately persevered IN
his erroneous course as to preclude all reasonable
hope of his retracing it.
And finally to this long catalogue of grievances,
we may add, what may be considered minor Of
fence but certainly very obnoxious one, that con-
trary to all preconceved opinions of his character
Mr. Van Buren, has rendered himself the most
inaccessible both TO friends and adversarles OF all the
Chief Magistrates that ever filled his station.
And from all these considerations, to what conclu-
sion the nation come, but that their Chief Magis
trate is either wanting in integrity, or wanting in
capacity?
We need not say that we expected different things
Of public servant bound by his sacred pledges, to
regard the national wiil as the supreme law OF the
Republic. That blind infatuaion which. has needed
not this rule of the American people, must and
ought to meet its reward and sink in indiscriminate
and everlasting overthrow.
The financial policy OF this Administration cannot
be sustained upon any principle of necessity, expe-
dencv utility practical philosophy or sound econo-
my It's plain object, the perpetuity Of power, and
It's plain effect the destruction OF the banking system
require, of course, too great sacrifice from the
American people to be, for moment, tolerated
The greatdesderatum, a sound uniform, and con-
vcnieut currency and system that will equalize, as
nearly as practicable, the domestic exchanges, is de-
manded by the practical wants of the people, and,
sooner or later in one form or another, will be OBJ
tanned by them. To accomplish this end and 10
preserve and regulate" the credit system of the
country, which this administration has attempted TO
impair, will be one of the great objects for which
feel constrained to continue our labors.
No Administration of this Government can pros
per, none deserve to succeed that is not CoNsERvA-
TIVE, both 10 theory and practice. Enlightened i'm
pr1vements and liberal practicable reforms may be
permitted and encouraged in our system, but violent