The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-06-30

,pas The source Of this policy aud thar ~ ras Hs1ea
10 operais ~ aaisoa igih has continental syseem
migh. perhaps, be understandable 70 ass1 80 ~
minisyafioa ,sere actually corrupted BY France oH
thai their politics sers biassed BY Arm ana ,mPpp1
pariiahy for that country, there ca. % no doaef
TIME WILL NOT ALLOW ME ToELu,
WICKED oJECTs or THE DEMO
CRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS. Suihce ~ 70
say that AFTER that they had deprived US OF the mess OIL
defence, by destroying our navy ana Outstanding our
army aer they had taken away from US the power Of
sem by running commerce, the great source
az our national and individual wealth after they had,
by refusing the hank Of the United states q CON
tinuation Of their charter. embarrassed the fnan-
ciaI concerns Of the government, and withdrawn
the only universal paper medium Of the country from
circulation after tho people had been unaccustomsd TO-
and Of course, unwilling to bear taxation; and without
money in the Treasury, THEY RASHLY PLUNG-
ED US INTO A WAR with nation more ableIo do
us an injury than any other in the world Wha was
the dreadful necessity for this desperate measure Was
our country invaded No. Were our liberties in dam
ger? No. Was il to protect our little remaining
commerce from the injuries it sustained by the orders
in councill No. Commerce not such favorite,
and the merchants wished for no war on that
Besides il the existence Of the orders in council had
been cause, after their repeal country would
have accepted the olive-branch which offered by
England. What then was the cause The one for
which we professed draw the sword and risk our ALL
was to determine abstract question Of the law OF
nations, concerning which, opinion different from
that of our administration was held by all Europe.
To decide cheihsr erpairrafe himself or not
In The decision Of This question administration pre-
tended 10 feel deep interest The greater part ofihose
FOREIGNERS, pho iroah be effected BY IL, had
long been their rarmest friends They had been ons
Of The great Of espatag the preseni ruling parity
and ooau hare been uagraiefai for that parry % haze
abandoned than.
Superficial observers may suppose this to have been
the real source Of the war; but whoever viii carefully and
mpartialy examine the history Of our country will find
its origin to have been far different. IL took ITS
rise from Tie operpeaniag Partially acich the demo-
cratic party hare Wniformly shoica France, and the
consequent hatred achich they feH against her great
adversary, England To keep this foreign feeling
alive has been the labor Of their leaders for than
twenty years and well have they been repaid for their
trouble for has been Of the principal causes Of
introducing and continuing them in power. lmme
diatey before the war; this foreign influence had COM
pletey embodied itself with every political feeling Of
majority Of the people, particularly in the west. Its
voice heard loud the of government that
the President obliged either to yield to its Dictates
retire from Office The choice in this alternative
easily made by who preferred his private interest
to the public good. We were, therefore, hurried into
the war utterly unprepared
What has been the resulti Exactly what every
reasonable man expected at its commencement, We
declared our intention oconquerng Canada; whether for
the purpose Of annexng it to the u States, of compel
ling enemy to yield the doctrine Of impressment, is
immaera to the present question Instead of conquer
and the best blood of the country has streamed in de-
fence Of our soil The very capitol Of the United
States, the lofty temple Of liberty, which reared and
consecrated BY Washington, has been abandoned to its
fate by his DEGENERATE successor, who ought to
have shed his last drop Of blood in its defence.
After the administration had entered upon the war;
instead Of coming arward with manly confidence, and
taxing the people for its support they hasey shrunk
from their duty, in order to maintain their popularity,
and adopted the ruinous system of carrying the
L., L1~-1 IL
this policy! Does not every man in the country know,
was 1t even disguised by the administration, that the
United States would, in short time, have become
bankrupt, had not peace been concluded Thanks,
them to Heaven, that we have obtained peace, BAD
AND DISGARCEFUL AS 1T IS; otherwise, the
beautiful structure Of the federal government supported
by the same feeble hands, might have sunk like the
Capitol into ruins.
This system Of anticipating our revenues has left an
immense load of debt upon the country, the payment of
which will be grieyous burden, not only upon the pre-
sent generation but upon posterty. This burden has
other mart az inc Union; account of the numerous
extensive dstieries. The late additional duty I'M
posed upon whskey has almost destroyed its manufac
ture In its consequences has not only affected the
distlers but has given severe blow to the prosperity
OF this country generally Whilst the distilleres were
in active operation, the cattle and the grain OF the
farmer always found good and ready market at home
The balance Of trade was greatly IN our favor and
wealth was rapidly dfusing itself throughout the coun-
try. But Congress- by imposing tax upon the article
more grevous than it able to bear have not only
blghted prosperity but have destroyed the very re-
venue upon which they intended TO raise This instance
among many others Of similar nature, shows how
totally destitute present rulers, OF wisdom and
foresight, upon subjects Immediately regarding the
pecunary interest Of the government.
These the only evils consequent upon that tmid
and time serving policy II has embarrassed the 60
vernment much that it must be long time indeed
before dare again to go to war with any power
full nation, for the maintenance OF our dearest
rights All these evils would, in great measure, have
been prevented by sufficient independence in the admi-
nisaton, to have imposed moderate taxes at the COM
mencement Of the contest The credit Of the nation
would then have continued good and we might have
avoided the painful spectacle Of seeing the public stock
sold IN the Market at enormous discount, and greedy
spectators enrching themselves OF the toll and sweat
OF the honest ycomanry OF our country.
Instead Of exempng scamen sailing under our flag
from mpressment by the war, have altogether relin-
pushed that principle because is well established
truth the law of nations that if war be waged by one
country against another for specified claim, and the
treaty which terminates the contest, silent upon that
subject is forever abandoned Thus the government
have at last yielded the very point for tho maintenance
OF which they protested TO go to war; after having ex
pended nearly $500, 10000
We hare not only not obtained By the ,car any thing
1chch are taught 10 expect but icc hare i0sf many
raiuahc privileges. All The numerous rights and ad-
panages guaranteed 10 By jays treaty hare been
reliaquished. Nay, have not only been compelled
to conc Jude treaty which does not contain one soa-
ny stipulation in favor, except that there shall be
peace but which unsettles the boundaries of
country, and leaves the decision Of commissioners
whether shall longer retain part OF our own terri
tory, which have held in quiet possession for more
than twenty years ....
But notwithstanding our immense national debt,
which, if the war had continued, would soon have
suited in national bankruptcy; Notwithstanding all our
property, the very necessares OF life, have been