The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-05-04

public measufes. and Of the qual6ca Of candidates
for public trust and consequently upon the equal and
unrestricted freedom Of discussing their compsrs,ise
merits and demen,s The citizen who, by The choice
Of his lows - distinguished by being selected per-
form official duties ard trusts is moi thereby elevated
above ihein nor degraded below them. He parts with
no rights OF citizenship, but remains On equal among
equals still connected with them ny the strong and
enduring ligamens Of muiuauy Of rights and priyi-
leges, Under our Constitution. The People. not The
Government, possess the sovereignty and the doors Of
office can he opened only by the powerful charm OF the
public voice, aud degrading sacrifice Of any Of the
privileges Of citizenship, any separation from the
community. Of rights, feelings, aud interests. which
bind The People 10 tho Government, 10 required
Here, sir, (sald Mr. u the honorable chairman al
lndes supposed grounds Of peculiar caims TO the
electoral night arising from the distinction OF serving the
Public, aud VI having been selected from the general
mass aud the high ground Of having been thus Sc
ee,ed is placed The right Of interfering. Of persnadlng
aud dissalng in the popular elections But the ho-
norabe chairman prncreds:
THE object Of the Constitution is the protection Of
the equal rights AID privileges Of allthe few well
Is the many The spirit Of dcsposn Is widely differ
c erected upon the destruction Of the rights Of man.
iis main object protect the few against the many
Hence The policy Of separating ia officers from oil syIn
pahy o feeling and lDrrest with the MANY hs attach
ny office attractive DISTINCTIONS and seductive priv
eyes which creates distinct GLASS; and eleystes them
above the mass. or by Degrading them by unnatural
n,,,ilstions hrow their fellow men, prepares them to
become fit instruments Of arbitrary power, Drspots,
WIN surround their thrones with ecbs and muies. act
upon The latter principle. and npell.d hy the IN.
s,et Of tear unnatural and UNJUST means 10
retain what Is ujIsily acquired Happily onr lnsiitn-
lions, resting upon The isr foundation Of popular rights,
ne,rhsr drinsld Will admit Of the mntlAon Of the
person or the privileges Of citizenship as prerequt
site for otlrc" t
Now. SIR, (said Mr.. + il is somewhat dificultts
perceive the OF ressnng Of the honorale chair
man Here Mr. p made some remarks no, well heard
by The Reporer, which he understood to argue
some Inconsistency the report ~ relation ID project
ing the eN we'll as The and 10 Insist that the
uhlcet aud actual effect al the E,glish election laws
TO project the many against The lew snd mat this
precisely what NOW proposed ny the MI re
thought the srgnnea OF the report this point was
greatly confused, even il IL not full Of sophls-
i n,l
Bu says the honorable chairman, (proceedrd Mr.,
P the object OF the bill Is 10 render what Is law
iui anc praise worthy aud Ia strict conformity both
with the letter and spirit OF institutions Tor all
| 81 liens, criminal 10 particular class, who have
been honored by the confidence Of the people OF the
whole States" Now sir, hold him to his words In
the face OF his denial that quoted him rightly.
| Pfalseworhy! Pr.iseworthy! have said that he
represented the interference OF Federal officers in
elections as deserving Il sulogy and has not he
pronounced il pra seworihy2 said that he vindica-
ted il; and does he not say that il Is praiseworhy!
What sir, Is III. object OF the bill2 Il Is 10 prevent
interference in elections. This is disputed. But
the report says The object of the bill Is TO render that
i illegal which is praiseworlhy. This Interference,
the bill implies is wrong, and demands legislation;
bn the report in terms not only denounces this, but
goes further, by vindcaing such interference and
declaring il prdsewerthy; thus enlosizing il, while
the object of The bill is declared odiuus because II
provides do away that which is prasewoflhy and
the whole Argument OF The report goes to This result
! But TO the extract:
The object Of the bill is TO render what is lawful
and praiseworthy, and in strict conformity with both
the letter and spirit of institutions, for all cit
n n v
honored by the confidence Of the people of the whole
States. IL Is not 10 punish crime NAHUM IN Sc, but
10 create new crime II is not 10 punish bribery
and corrup on the robbery Of the ballo box the sup
preston or forging of returns usurpalon or ne
gleci of official duty in giving effect To the will ut the
majority in elections, but the use Of persuasion or
discussion, OF inlermeddling 10 control or influence
voters by means that are lawful and right in others
The very terms (said Mr. P) which are used in
the bill o the Senat r from Kentucky, and this in
ermeddlng OF these officers, is the precise thing
which the gentleman calls praiscworlhy.
Sir, let us pause moment. |, Is not, says The
genllem u, malum in sc, offence in itself. Sir,
Tue gentleman is lawyer, and lei me ask him Is
VIA, Is nlalum in Sc i there any one 10 the hole
catal su- of political offences which is NAHUM in Sc
II the gen lenan should iud OUT that the ,ll, box
mas been distracted after The polls fully lde
mp, Is that nahum 10 sc Is 10 offer or take bride
nahum Ia Sc Z Is II thing at which Nature revos
as crimnal in itself Sir, all these are but crea-
lures 1.-THE law, conventional crimes drpendiDg on
broad and general principles; and vet the Senator
from Kentucky is censured because This thing is not
milun in Sc But the report proceeds:
Il Every citizen ought To qualify himself BIZ study
conversation and every other means Of acquiring
knowledge, 10 understand The theory and prime pies
ot our institutions and asce ri lin HE bSi mode of
administering them in their spirit so as 10 pro-
mote the sr 'ateSt good OF the greatest number and
TO render himself capable of diSchatsng any trust
mat may BE- conferred on him by his fellow citizens"
! II Is their duty Il, do all; 10 agate To discuss 10
en'er into an interference jllmlbe, in direct con.
TACT wiki elections, is declared only be praise.
worthy ny ne committee aud good in itself, bit they
simultaneously announce that It is not only right and
praSsWor,hy bat II Is duv u make use of pltrnn-
age and power IN elections, lake The lead and con-
troll them, (tnr The very word control is used) And
INV, sir viii The no orab Bile gentleman tell me thai
he does not rally the office holders to interference in
the elect INST That he is not coutravening in terms
the pnrpn>c and object Of the bill by declaring il the
utv Of F'ederaloificers 10 control the elections And
'no this u>ing power ~ interference in elections
| against which they fought 10 be ir.e2
/ But lurher, sir, the report says:
us as well his light as his dny dismiss and pro-
! nudge freely the measures OF any Adninistra ion
anu The character and conduct OF those who support
or oppose u, aS well To control the By The censorship
| Constitution"
To control them BY the censorship of public opin
ION! The public officer is bound 10 advocate or CON
test against the men aud measures OF an Adminjsa
lion, Illus controlling them, and working themselves
up into cen >orh hip Of public opinion; that i. any
public opinion which may be held BY the office hold
ers oil The country for that b. the committee is made
The standard 10 which the and the character of
an Administration are TO be REFEREED that is TO The
public opinion which they make it the duty of the
Office holders to establish.
The report says ia Their, I" In doing SO he may win
the confidence OF his fellow ciiiz .ns"-an emanaion
irotn AID dependent III Executive" BY his de.
clareG opini ms, or may beco identified with some
great principle which conciiiaes her supp ri"
Sir, the report not only declares II his duty, but
furnishes reasons and arguments why he should go
forward and endeayor 10 identify himself with some
great principle; and what will that principle be in
TACT The principle OF selI.preservarion.