The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-10-20
TO THE REPUBLIcANs OF THE UNITED
STATES. II

saSsre conaici as interesting and important TO the
Republic as any thai has ranspired since It's organi
cation. The cause, ana our course, nave auacheo
to us many interests which VIII not permit US 10 re-
tire as we contemplated.
come necessary in justice to oursef and the public
10 indicate our course for the future.
II is well remembered that the MApIsosIAN was
established in the conviction that the great character
and interests OF the country well as the success oil
the administration required another organ at the seat
of the National Government Born in the Republi-
can faith and nurtured in Republican doctrines, we
were DESTROYS of seeing the leading principles Of the
party TO which we were attached, preserved and car
ried out, not only in theory, but In practice we
pledged ourself TO sustain the principles and doc
irines of the Republican party, as deneated by MIR.
MADISON, and came here in good faith TO support The
present administration upon the principles ichieh go
rerncd ne party ioAteA elected M Van buren,, and
upon ke pledges By pAicA that election secured
We have, throughout strictly adhered TO those prin
ciples. Had the Executive of this nation done the
same; had he received in the spirit in which il
offered the advice of his best friends, the connu-
ance of this paper would not have been necessary
should we have beheld the distracted counsels by
which he is governed or have seen the disointed
and defeated party by which he is surrounded
No Chief Magistrate since the days of Washing
ton, ever to that high station under favor
able auspices than Mr.. Van Buren, combination
of circumstances, which seldom transpire, clearly
indicated the way to the 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 fulflment
oftheir creed were disappointed End postponed.
Whilst the MADIsoNIAH and IDS 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 10 the establishment Of an unmit-
tgated despotsm. 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 Republi
cans. In that spirit OF independence and love of
freedom which characterized the founders of our
institutions we resisted these nefarious attempts 70
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 II necessary.
1t is an ncontrovertible 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 uphoding the specie circular, which made
determinations unauthorized by law, and which
had been twice condemned by Congress-
In his recommending the Sub-Treasuay scheme,
contemplating union of the purse and the sword,
and the subveIsion of the entire practice OF the go
vernment and still perssting in it, notwithstanding
it has been tour times condemned by the RePresen-
tatives Of the people;
In his Recommendation of Bankrupt law to be
passed by Congress- applicable only to corporations
so that this government should possess an absolute
control all the State institutions and be able to
crush them ALL at pleasure; and taking all jurisdic
ton over them from the hands of the State tribunals;
In his breaking faith with the States by recon-
mendng 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 ruinous practice
Of deprecated government paper money for crcu-
lating 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 paper money circulation;
In his effort overthrow the State Bank Deposiie
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 10 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" -..a
In his display of sectional Partially;
In his cold indifference TO the interests and wants
of the people during period of extreme suffering;
In his attempt 10 throw discredit upon, and even
tually to crush the State banks hroug the revenue
power Of the government and embarrass the re-
sumption OF specie payments;
In permitting the patronage Of his office 10 come
in conflict with the freedom of elections;
In his open contempt of the will Of the people as
expressed through the ballot box;
In his attempt TO cram obnoxious measures down
the threats of dissenting brethren by means unbecom-
ing magnanmous Chief Magistrate;
In his refusal to acquiesce in the decisions OF the
majority; and
In the despotic attempt of his parsans in the U.
S. Senate, on the I'd July, inst TO seize the public
treasure, by abolishing 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 so obstinaely persevered in
his erroneous course 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 all preconceived opinions of his character
Mr.. Van Buren, has rendered himself the most
inaccessible both TO friends and adversaries, of all the
Chief Magistrates that ever filled his station.
And from all these considerations, to what conclu-
sion can 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 thing
of public servant, bound by his sacred pledges, to
regard the national will as the supreme law of the
Republic That blind infatuation which has needed
not this rule of the American people, must and
ought to meet its reward and sink in indiscrmihate
and everlasting overthrow.
The financial policy OF this Administration cannot
be sustained upon any principle OF necessity, expe-
diency, utility, practical philosophy, or sound econo,
my. Its plain object the perpetuity of power, and
its plain effect the destruction OF the banking system,
require, of course, too great sacrifice from the
American people to be, for a moment, tolerated.
The greatdesideratum, a sound, uniform, and con-
venent currency, and system that viii equalize, as
nearly as practicable the domestic exchanges is de-
manded by the practical wants of the people, and,
or later in one form or another, will be OBJ
tanned by them. To accomplish this end, and to
"prcScrve and regulate" the credit system Of the
country, which this administration has attempted TO
impair, will be one of the great objects for which
we feel constrained to continue our labors.
No Administration of this Government can pros