The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-10-27
PERSECUTION FOR OPINIONS SAKE.

Let us reflect that having banished from our
land that religious intolerance under which mankind
so long BLEED and suffered, we have gained little, If
we countenaEce POLITICAL INTOLERANCE, as despotie
as picked, and capable of bitter and bloody perse
cutions. "-Jebersoa's Inaugural Address.
Probably there never was a measure
brought forward by the Executive Of this
or any other country, that was urged with
equal pertinacity to the Sub Treasury. Those
who conscientiously oppose il are prescribed
and prosecuted and it matters not howuniform-
ly and steadily they may have heretofore sus-
tanned the administration, or with what fidelity
they may have acted with the party and sup
ported measures of party character. For OPP
posing this one measure which neither the n
conscience sanctions nor their judgment APP
proves" they are denounced and ostracised
from the party. On the other hand, we see that
all who come forward and give their support
to the Sub. Treasury, are taken into full com
munion with the party, their past sins, ofwhat-
ever character, or however atrocious, Of
party nature, are forthwith obliterated and for
given, and they are held up before the world,
as the best Of men and the purest ofpatriots.
These gracious dispensations, granted from
high quartersh have brought together and misled
in their support, NuLLIFIERs, ABoLITloNIsTs,
MoRMoNITEs,a nd the aaoating scum, the rabble
followers Of the camp" These are the ingre-
dents that form the heterogeneous mass that
support the measure, on which the administra
ton has declared it will sink or SWIM"
There is another remarkable feature in the
policy at present pursued by those in power.
Through the official organ they assert, that the
But little more than four years since we saw
the Chief Executive Magistrate engaged in a
conflict with the Bank, Tor monster as it was
then called,) ofthe most sanguinary character,
wherein it was, for some time, doubtful which
would eventually become the victor, and
which the vanqushed. In this contest there
were very few who did not take part, on one
side or the other. The ferceness with which
the battle was conducted in the National Lee
gislature allowed no legislator to remain neu-
trail.
Those who, at that time, went with the
party that sustained the Bank and opposed
the great measure Of the Executive, were
classed with the enemies ofthe administration.
Those who supported that measure were
looked upon as friends Of the administration.
Mark the change that has come over us
Men who were then, as now, conspicuous in
the councils of the nation; who were then
4 4 A. e. 49,. nr
and patriotism; some of whom resigned posts,
Of which they might well be proud, rather
than do violence to their own consciences
and principles, by yielding to instructions
ard voting in opposition to both; are
now prescribed, mathematical and denounc-
ed as "federalists," "traitors,"" Renegades,"
and " enemies 10 their count'y" And this,
too, through the columns Of the official organ
of an administration that stands pledged to
tread in the footsteps of that which they had
been reviled, for supporting And where
fore? Why, because they oppose now, the
leading measure Of the administration, 1.-THE
Sub-treasury.) as they did with the admins
tration in 1884, when it was brought forward
by a federal Nulfer. They oppose now
National Bank as they did then; they advo-
cate the same measures now they did then;
yet are the "dogs Of war let loose upon them'
and the cry of havoc" havoc" set up
against them. We see the eloquent and pa
triotic RIvEs the dauntless TALLMADGE; the
persevering and unyielding GARLAND; the
unnoving SMITH, Of Maine, and many others
who, in 1884, were foremost in the battle, sup
porting the administration, now singled out as
targets to be shot at by the minions of the
Executive. Year after year, the columns of
the Globe teemed with articles, appaudng
and compmenting the manly and patriotic
course Of these gentlemen.
In July, 1893, the Globe thus spoke Of Mr..
Smith, of Maine:
"In Cumberland District, il will be highly graft
tying to the friends Of the administration in aparts
of the country, to learn, the Hon. +. o. J. Smith,
President OF the Senate of Maine, has been nomi-
mated FOR CONGRESS- He received As out Of SO
votes at the first ballot, and upon the resolution to
support the nomination. there unanimous vote.
Mr.. Smith is favorably known to the democracy of
the nation the writer of series of numbers which
appeared in 1928, originally in the Eastern Argus,
over the signature Oh LEoNlpAs ana heauea,
HIcKoRY," and were copied into most of the demo
cratic papers OF the Union. He is a gentleman Of
first rate talents and decided democrat"
On the contrary what do we now see
Men who then were opposed TO the admins
traton, who united with the antagonist Of the
administration, and lent their utmost aid to
overthrow it, and obliged it to succumb to its
adversary, we now see rewarded with the best
places in its gift, or taken into its embraces