The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-05-19
STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE DEMOCRA-
TIC AND THE ARIsToCRATIC PRINCE


PIE.
The Globe quotes an article from the Lon
don Quarterly Review, and concludes its own
comments with the following:
1T seems from this, that the government is ex-
pected to admit into It's institutions soething egai-
paieat 10 The aristocratic principle dter What gug
gies this may the writer will not say
but, sooner or later, come il will Are we not in
one of those struggles nowP
Ay, we are Sin one of those struggles"
On one side we behold the aristocracy Of
federal office-holders straining every nerve to
consolidate their strength and perpetuate
their ascendancy," as Mr.. Cambreleng says.
They are striving to steady and regulate the
popular impulses Of the rest Of mankind" and
to subjugate the democracy into quiet sub
mission to their aristocratic dctation. The
grand "infernal machine" which they are
bringing to bear against the life of American
liberty is their FEDERAL Treasury BANK,
with its appendages Of irredeemable Treasu-
ny notes, and its secret mysteries of sliding
drawers and hydrostatic balances" Like
many Of the aristocracies of the east they are
founding their hopes Of success and conquest
upon the credulity, ignorance, prejudice and
superstition Of the people. They affect to
despise, at the same time they fear the demo-
cratic principle. They entertain no sympathy
of feeling or interest for those who cherish it;
but pretending that they alone were intended
by nature to enjoy the privilege and the luxu-
ny Of office, they arrogantly assume that the
laboring classes are bound to support them,
and that they are to live eternally in dignity
and ease. Thus do they loll in Incidence,
supported by taxes levied upon the people,
debating as European lords dictate to their
tenants, the amounts and the kind of money
they must hare, from time to time, to sustain
their career Of luxury and extravaganza.
!" Every man of them is gentleman either
an honorable, an esquire, a general, a colonel,
a major-aH their women, without any ex-
ception, are ladies'"
On the other side we have the plain, the
steadfast, the Woodworking, the soil-tilling
democracy of numbers illustrating by the
practice Of their lives the repugnance of ma
ture to these I" something's eguipaient 10 The
aristocratie principle" tina, infest the country
in the shape Of federal tar-imposers and Sub
Treasury ictors. Ardently loving the soil
that rewards their labors, they are the bull
warks OF the country in peace, and its best de-
fence in war. Virtuous and incorruptble,
they will ever be found in radical opposition to
FEDERALISM and ARISTOCRACY in
whatever guise they may seek to predominant
over the minds of men.
Every one Of them is for himself SovE-
REIGN-one Of the component parts of the
great system Of American government, feel
ing an equal responsibility with the rest, and
partaking an equal pride in the common glory.
They feel as one people-bound together by
a common interest and common sentiment.
They demand an equal voice in the admins
tration Of affairs in which they feel an equal
interest, and are endowed with equal rights.
The common good, on all subjects Of national
concern, is the common motive. For the
"perpetual ascendancy" oflazy and licentious
aristocrats for the experiments Of dema-
gogues who seek partizan glorification rather
than the general weliare-for governors who
gloss over the evil practices of mal-administra-
ton by deception and falsehood, the democrat
cy ofnumbers cannot and ought not to enter
tain any other feeling but that of disapproba-
ton and contempt.
The common people are unsuspccting, no.
nest, confiding. The democratic principle is
all-pervading amongst them and as deep and
enduring as the sentiment of religion. Let
them accurately know the true position of
their federal enemies--let them perceive where
the aristocratic principle is working, and we
entertain no apprehensions as to the result.
The Loco-foco-federal Treasury Bank party,
would be to the aroused democracy what
leaf is to the lightning. You would hear no
more of it, unless perchance its fragments
took root in some new quarter and arose in
some new and deceitful form. W." 4
The Report of Mr.. Wright, according TO
the Globe, "makes up the issue between the
parties in this country" The grand struggle
then between the Democratic and the aristo.
cratic principle is about to commence anew
with fearful spirit The issue is joined. The
great question is, whether the people are to
control their own affairs, or whether they are
to be subjected TO the unlimited dominion of
the demagogucs who claim a perpetual as
cendancy"- whether the Executive depart
ment ofthe government is to direct and con-