The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-12-20
TO THE REPUBLICANs or THE UNITED


saSere conAict as Interesting and important the
Republic as any that has transpred since It's organ,
cation. The cause and our course, haVs auacheu
to many interests when VIII not permit Us " re-
tire as we contemplated
A period has arrived, therefore, when It has be-
come necessary in justice 10 ourself and the public
Ia indicate our course for the future.
II is well remembered that the MADIsoNiaN was
established in the conviction that the great character
and interests of the country as well as 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 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
irnes Of the Republican party, as delineated by Mr..
MADISON and came here In good faith TO support the
present administration upon ne principles achtch go
vsraed Ae party ,oAteA eleetea NJ. van Baren, ana
We have, throughout, strictly adhered 10 those prin
cples. Had the Executive of this nation done the
same had he received In the spirit in which IL was
offered the advice Of his best friends the continu-
ance Of this paper would not have been necessary,
should we have beheld the distracted counses by
which he is governed, or have seen the dsjonted
and defeated party by which he is surrounded.
No Chief Magistrate since the DAYS of Washing
ton came that high station under more favor
able auspices than Mr.. Van Buren,. A 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 verymeasnres which would have established his
popularity But, ill-omened and evil counses pre-
vailed, and the hopes of that political millennium
which many Republicans cherished as the fuhment
of their creed were disappointed and postponed.
Whilst the MApisoNIAN and its 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 TO the establishment OF an unmit-
tigated despotsm. Accompanied as they were by
tl,a snffh Airy and
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 resisted these nefarious 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.
1t is an incon,roverble truth that every prominent
act Of this administration has been an open, une-
quvocal violation Of every principle and profession
upon which Mr.. Van Buren, was elevated to the
Chief Magistracy by the people.
In his unfolding 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 subverson of the entire practice OF the 60
vernment and still perssting in it, notwithstanding
il has been four 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 over all the State institutions and be able to
crush them ALL at pleasure; and taking all jurisdc-
ton 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 circu
lating medium thus exercising power derived
rDm n
and repudiated by the best Republican authorities
In his attempt to establish Treasury Bank with
an irredeemable paper money circulation;
system, esabiished BY IrcsIdens Jaelson, 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
css and to send swarms Of officers to 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"
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 TO come
in conflict with the freedom of elections;
In his open contempt of the will Of the people as
In his attempt to cram obnoxious measures down
the throats of dissenting brethren by means unbecom-
ing magnanimous Chief Magistrate;
In his refusal to acquiesce 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 to seize the public
treasure by abolshing 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 as 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 10 all preconceived opinions of his character
Mr. Van Buren, has rendered himself the most
inaccessible both 10 friends and adversaries OF all the
Chief Magistrates that ever filled his station.
And from these considerations, TO what conclu-
sion can the nation come, but that their Chlef Mags-
trate is either wanting in integrity, or wanting in
capacity? ,,:.
of public servant, bound by his sacred pledges to
regard the national will as the supreme law OF the
Republic That blind natuation which has needed
not this rule of the American people, must and
ought to meet its reward and sink in indiscriminae
and everlasting overthrow. a..
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, loo great sacrifice from the
American people to be, for moment, tolerated
The greatdesderatum, a sound, uniform, and con-
venient currency, and system that will equalze as
nearly 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
preserve 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
per, deserve to succeed, that is not CoNsERvA-
TIVE both in theory and practice Enlightened i'm