The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-09-07
Politics or THE DAY.

The letter Of Mr.. Prentiss, Of Mississippi,
contains many wholesome truths. the force Of
which the people Of his State have felt as
severely as most others. II the facts con.
tanned in this Letter fail not to arouse them TO
sense Of their danger, then, indeed, is there
cause for danger We present our readers
with the following short extract
aThe developments which have been made in re-
lalion 10 the conduct Of the financial affairs of The
government have astonished and shocked the whole
nation. II Is now a matter not oil mere surmise or
partisan inyectve, but Of solemn demonstration,
based upon admitted aud undeniable facts, inyesiga.
ted vouched for and published under the deliberate
sanction of the popular branch Of Congress- that
the Treasury Department Is rotten 10 the core that
Il Is but the pander to executive power, and exercises
It's high luncons not for the good OF the country,
but Of party; not honestly, Tor the general welfare,
but wickedIy and corruply for the most sinister pur
poses. Since MIR. Van Buren, assembled the chair Of
State, il has exhibited system Of peculation and
connyance unprecedented in any government
The correspondence between its chief and his sub
ordnaies Is offensive TO the moral sense and insult
ing 10 the intelligence Of the people Its open and
unblushing prohigacy would have shocked even the
loose notions Of that most venal Of ministers, Sir
Robert Wapole, whose political maxim was that
every man has his price" Corruption has been
traced merely TO the DOORS but into the very re-
cesses Of the temple. BY the foot prints upon the
q or we have discovered, as did the Chaldeans of
old, that the rich offering laid by the people upon the
shrine, have been carried away and consumed, not
by the God, but BY the Juggling priests.
Under ordinary circumstances, and In ordinary
times, the Developments to which allude would
have Frustrated any administration however power
full. Unfortunately the deep distress which has per-
vaded the country, and spread dismav and ruin
through all the oil business, has in some de-
gree Withdrawn the eyes Of the people from these
great enormilies,and directed them with melancholy
earnestness TO their own private sufferings Thus
the rude blow which the robber beSows with one
hand, Divers the attention for moment from the
then he is committing with the other.
But corruption is BY no means the only remarka-
Bile characteristic Of the party in power Out ofthe
very ruin which its measures have brought upon the
country, does i conriye 10 extract political capital
With unblushing erontery its parlizans assert that
is not accountable for the result of its action
that the dstresses Of the country have been produced
by the operation OF wing principles and all the re-
sponsibiliiy lies al the doors Of the opposition. The
unfortunate patient, who, from state Of perfect
health has been reduced by the of the quack
to the point Of death, is gravely told by the ignorant
pretender that his miserable condition is not owing
TO the nauseous doses he has taken but is entirely
attributable to his former physician whose prescrip-
tion he has discarded for years. A ,grosser insult
was never offered TO the good sense Of an intelligent
people"