The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-12-20
THE MADISONIAN.
From ne Nep Ywk Ereniag Posi-,

co,nnand,og comn.rei.i influence has thrown herself
into the scale Of the opposition Aiihoagn me ia'e
election is favorable TO The Government man mat
of 1897 although the whg majority Is smaller sim us
M, 10 be disguised that The have suffered
this fall are serious Than those OF the last year
That year Of panic. aud i was natural tha' Tue
alarm aud distress whichprevaed should operate against
the interests Of the administration This IS compare
lively a year Of prosperity, and we had supposed at
lrast many had supposed that the result would show
the different state Of things True we are not stoge"
tnef ,aten far from it, In Penns lsana. We MAINTAIN
our ground Ia Maine and Ohio we have greatly gained.
but i cannot be denied that Mr. Van Buren, aud his
friends the loss OF New York than offset for
our trlnmphs elsewhere.
II is The part OF wisdom. therefore, cooly TO examine
our position, to inquire calmly and dspassionasey to
what our defeat Is owing; TO consider without temper,
and il possible withou, prejudice, the reasons which
have brought failure on the heels Of the splendid
ceases Of 1894 and 1896. have apparently Withdrawn
the confidence Of the people from their most deserving
servants and have for the instant cast dark gloom
what we believe the principles Of legislation and
the hest interests Of the country.
We must further inquire what measures we are to
adopt 10 regain former position, and what is the
course which truth and the Of resl nocraty
Join US TO pursue, In the investigation therefore, which
| now undertake, wish my readers TO enter without
prejudice SO far may be- and while they lay aside
jot title Of their devotion their principles and TO
the party by which their principles represented TO
forget all the bitterness, oil the acrmony which party
spirit too frequently engenders.
To what then do we defeat
desire in the outset to make distinct declaration
that do not participate in the cry Of corruption and
fraud that has been raised That large sums Of money
have been levied the purses OF the victorious party
that this money has been freely and often VIGOROUSLY
expended, do not doubt. But that the result Of the
election mainly owing to the profgate application Of
this fund.- !, for one, do not believe.
For one my faith in the integrity Of the people is not
shaken by single second decision against
or my party For one do not believe that the people,
in the good faith and intelligence Of which have been
always taught TO conhde, has become Of sudden so
besotted IN ignorance, sunk IN corruption. There
facts TO the change and such charge,
to be made, should be substanated by cloud of wit
nesses.
But the supposition is too discouragng, and the
fact il established, istoo fatal TO future prospects
TO be received on mere random Iumor. II this be
so, from what are We to gather any hopes for the
hereafter. Ifthis election carried by corruption
why will not the next be decided in the same way
II majority of ten thousand be secured by bril-
berry and subordinaon of perjury, TO what are TO
look forward I; when can we hope the result 10 be
different? Ignorance can be enlightened, prejudice
can be removed local and temporary causes may
cease but what hope have we TO rectfy SO rotten a
state of the whole community as this change inn
plies The wings comprise the great moneyed class
ofhe State, and in this respect no change can be ex
paced believe the charge originates in disar-
pointment and irritation, that except in few isolat-
ed instances, it has foundation in truth and that
il is an equal error in point of policy and truth to
charge il as general fact. disclaim il as libel
on the State.
We must then look further and deeper for the
cause of our defeat. confess that my prevailing
impression is to attribute want of success whether
in individuals or parties to want ofconduct, 10 some
error against which they might have guarded And
in the present case believe it will not be difficult
to trace the loss OF many Of our adherents to our
own blunders. The limi $ OF these articles do not
permit full and detailed statement of the whole
case but il is easy in few words to maintain this
position.
Our errors believe commenced with the late adj
ministralion and We have to trace the gradual fall
ing ofof our maorities far back in The days of Pre-
sident Jackson. This most assuredly is said not TO
throw the blame now deprived Of power, but
because il is just 10 Mr. Van Buren, 10 acquli him OF
mistakes which he has not made. The present
chief magistrate is man OF the most acute sagacity
ofthe most calm and unrutltd temper. The firm
ness Of his conduct commands respect and admra-
lion and have no doubt that had he had the control
at an earlier day he would have avoided the errors
Of his predecessor
The frs, cause then to which believe the disas-
tiers are 10 be ascrbed is the violence of the late adj
ministration and the hostile position assumed and
retained by many OF its organs up to the present time
towards The commercial class The late President
had great and commanding virtueS-they were too
marked not TO be recognized-a strong sense of JUS
ce love Of truth and hatred Of Partially wrong
But he had also great faus-these faults were chief
ly what are called OF The minor cass-laus of tenn
per; but in his case they were Of much greater i'm
portance
ed States Bank, was one founded upon sound reason
and which must ultimately command the respect and
assent OF this country, but in The of the
troversy he permitted himself by the violence of the
opposition, TO be betrayed into retaliation of most
lasting injury himself and the democratic cause
For this violence OF temper, caught UP and echoed
by serve followers and blind ntators created a
belief in the minds of many tint the Government ,cds
hostile 10 the commercial interests Of the country.
What conviction could be more fatal to an admins
tra,ion1 country commercial to its core, Of which
the commercial characteristics are most intimately
blended with all the other pursuits, at took the
alarm, and it was only surprising that this did
not sooner produce its effect
Another fundamental error Of the administration,
Ohough this has been rather of the government
organs than Of the government ITSELF has been the
lent and ultra language that 1t has used the subject
of the circulating medium, and which has given rise
the wide spread belief that desired establish com
pulsory specie currency. This preposteous idea has
been readily caught up by the wing prints, and has
been rendered plausible by the ahsardaies that have
been echoed and received about gold and silver, if
country like ours, paper as medium Of exchange,
was not as necessary as the air we breathe.
With this is to be classed the hostility to the small
bill lava law which has undoubtedly produced great
effect upon the election Of this State But believe it
susceptible Of proof that thai law would have had
this effect, il 1t had not been conceived part ard parcel
In scheme to Danish paper money from circulation
and to fas.en upon exclusive specie currency.
The administration leaders appeared to be perfectly
blind to the inevitable result Of the they
pursuing SO far FROM seeing their danger-so far from
endeavorng to provide against it by cooperating with
the schemes Of reform in the currency that intro
duced into the legislature of State, they set
their faces like flint against them, and only after
the election of Why Assembly that succeeded in
obtaining the passage Of free banking law. Is it to
be supposed that these things not the poopel
Is to be supposed that they forgot them in deposng
their ballots!