The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-10-17
MR.. LEGARE.

The Loco-foco-Sub-treasury- Calhoun ad.
ministration party, have succeeded in defeat
ing Hugh S. Legare, and have elected Isaac
E. Holmes as representative to Congress in
the Charleston District, S. C.
The people Of that district have right to
elect who they please to represent them; but
this transaction shows them to be at any rate
the mere subjects Of worse than military
despotism.
Hugh S. Legare is sound and true repub-
lican, friend to the administration, and one
of the most learned and eloquent representa-
tives which any State in this Union can boast
In soundness Of principle and character, in
learning and eloquence, and in consistency
and integrity Of political conduct, he is vastly
the superior Of the monarch Of that little
celestial Empire, John @. Calhoun. The
ardent friend of the country, and the just de-
fender of the South, he has powerfully con-
tributed to give dignity and strength to both.
No man from the South gave more character
to the administration than Hugh s. Legare.
He lent to it on every question, with the sin
gle exception of the Sub-treasury, the whole
of his mighty power and influence. On the
Sub-treasury question he had the boldness to
state that his opinions differed, he was sorry
to say, from those of many Of his friends
This was sin enough to bring an angel down.
He was soon taught that inparty arrangements,
to doubt is to be damned, and the Sub
treasury lictors were accordingly let loose
upon him. Mr.. Calhoun, out Of pure graft
tude for the many kindnesses he has received
from the administration, commanded his meni-
ais to execute the doubter. Mr.. Legare was
accordingly defeated, and Mr.. Holmes, a Ma
tional Bank Sub-treasury man, one of the hot
test little anti-Jackson Nullifers in the South,
is elected to supply his place.-Did ever
meanness and ingratitude equal this Z! Did
not Legare fight the Jackson battles against
these South Carolina "traitors" and 'disunion-
lists :" Yet the administration must put down
one Of its most faithful and constant friends,
and give the triumph to the enemy he has
fought so long and ably Mr. Calhoun must
be gratlhed: and we hope heartless admin
istration is appeased. We wish them Joy of
their National Bank Federal Mr. Holmes.
While upon this subject, we cannot refrain
from remarking that the imputed interference
of the Secretary of War in this election is
almost without parallel in the history of the
country. If the imputa,ion is correct, we
care not which side his interference has
benefited, it has deprecated the democracy
of the honorable Secretary in our estimation,
to a very low degree. We have been accus-
toned to entertain for the Secretary of War,
the highest esteem as gentleman and as
republican but what shall we say of any
man who uses his high Office in the federal
government TO influence the elective right in
distant State What was Jefierson's demo-
cracy on this subject
:" 1t is" said he, "deemed improper for officers do
pending the Executive Of the Union to attempt to
control influence the free exercise Of the elective
night II is expected that officer will attempt to in
tuence the votes OF other men, take any part in the
business of electromagnetic being deemed ncon-
sent with the spirit Of the constitution and his duties
But what is the democracy OF the Secre,a-
ry Of War-what is the "union party" patriot
ism of his friends
Mark what follows from a South Carolina
paper:
" letter OF Poinsetts was shown 10 a number of
gehtemen ana which we hope will be produced il cali
ed Tor, we saw 1t yesterday, in which Mr. Poinset de-
cares that ecouId not, friend Of the admnistra-
ton, sustain Mr. Legare in his clection-tha he had at
me instance of Mr. Calhoun, suggested either Judge
'pger' Mr. Memmlnger or Mr.. Bennett to be substitu-