The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-08-18
TO THE REPUBLICANs OF THE UNITED
. GTATEs.

TO THE REPUBLICANS OF THE UNITED
. STATES.
A year has elapsed since we first issued our Pros
pecus for the publication OF the MApisoNiAN. Dur
ing this eveniful period we have been engaged In a
severe conflict, Interesting and important TO the
Republic as any that has lranspired since its organi-
zatlon The q use and our course, have attached
TO US many interests which will not permit to re-
A period has arrived, therefore, when II has be-
come necessary in justice oursef and the public,
TO indicate our course for the future.
Ills well remembered that the MAprsoM.N was
established In the conviction that the great character
and Interests of the country as well the success Of
the administration, required another organ al the seat
of the National Government Born In the Republic
can faith, and nurtured In Republican doctrines, we
were DESTROYS Of seeing the leading principles Of the
party 10 which we were attached preserved and car
ried oui not only In theory, but In practice We
pledged ourself 10 sustain the principles and doc
lrnes ofthe Republican party, as delineated by Mr.
present administration upon the principles fckich GO
rsrgsd TIE party schicA elected Mr.. Van Barex aud
apen s pledges By chich that election tcas sscrei
We have throughout, strictly adhered TO those prin
sane had he received In the spiri, In which Il was
offered the advice of his best friends, the contnu-
ance Of this paper would not have been necessary,
nor should We have behed the distracted counsels y
and defeated party by which he is surrounded
No Chief Magistrate, since the days Of Washing
ton, ever came to that high station under more favor
able auspices than Mr; Van Buren,. combination
indicated the way 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, illomened and evil counsels pre-
vailed and the hopes of that political millennium,
which many Republicans cherished as the fulfllnent
oftheir creed were disappointed and postponed
Whilst the MADIsoNiAN and It's friends were en-
deavoring to restore the prosperity OF the country,
n~1
measures directly calculated to destroy Tito keep
the country convulsed and prostrate-measures
subversive Of the principles of Republican govern
ment, and tending 10 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 resisted these nefarohs attempts TO
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 nconroverible 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;
IN MS recommending SUD TeaSuay Scneme
contemplating union of the purse and the sword
and the subversion of the entire practice OF the GO
vernmen and still persisting in it, Notwithstanding
it has been fom times condemned by the Represen-
tatives of the people;
In his Recommendation of a Bankrupt law to be
passed by Congress, applicable only To corporations
that this government should possess an absolute
control over all the State institutions and b. able to
crush them all al pleasure; and liking all jurisdic
ton them from the hands the State tribunals
In his breaking faith with the States, by recon-
mend,ng 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 circu-
lating medium; thus exercising power derived
only from loose construction Of the Constitution,
ana p The sss
an irredeemable paper-money circulation;
In his effort to overthrow the State Bank Deposite
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 stake away our charters abolish
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
of the people during period of extreme suffering;
In his attempt to throw discredit upon, and even
tually 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 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 magnanimous Chief Magistrate;
In his refusal to acquesce in the decisions OF the
majority and
In the despotic attempt of his partisans in the u
s. Senate on the I'd July, inst 10 %ize 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 obstinatey persevered in
his erroneous course as to preclude all reasonable
hope Of his retracing 1t.
And finally, 10 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 preconceived opinions of his character
Mr. Van Buren, has rendered himself the most
inaccessible both to friends and adversares of all the
Chief Magistrates that ever filled his station.
And from all these considerations, TO what conclu-
sion can the nation come but thattheir Chief Magis-
,rae 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 will as the supreme law of the
Republic. That blind infauation 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
diency, utility practical philosophy or sound econo
my lis 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 greadesideratum, sound, uniform, and con-
venient currency and system that will equalize, as
nearly 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 to