The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-09
FOR THE MADIsoNIAs
THE CRISIS-No. III.

Facility in the acquisition, and security in the en-
ioymen's Of property are among the essential ends
Of government; because property confers upon
mankind the means and comforts of If. The hope
Of honest acquisition is the grand stimulus to indus
try and yet this would avail bn, little in perfecting
the blessings which property confer, If there were
no security for its possession, well protection
and support in the constant labor necessary for its
attainment This is so obviously true, as TO be re-
garded as mere trusm. But when we come to
speak Of the means to accomplish one of the great
ends Of human happiness by means Of acquisition,
we open wide field OF speculation and disputaton.
Those generalize who talk Of the greatest good 10
the greatest number -of human rights--Staie rights
and universal liberty. Like the glow-worm and
the freely, they seem illuminated themselves but
impar neither light nor warmth 10 the surrounding
atmosphere They are full of the theory Of the
largest liberty, but spirit of domination has dis
PEELED all relish for equal rights, and the lust Of
Office, retaining only the theory Of rotation.
Who, but remembers that in the very acme of
zeal for human rights, at the period of the French
revolution, human blood flowed in torrents that
would turn mi-wheel Individuality was lost in
the burning enthusiasm for the liberty Of nations!
Mems imagnations were sublimaled; raised above
and lao. Observation detects analogy in the con-
duct of men; actions run, if it may be SO said, in
cycles. Men, Infatuated by passion, excited by am
bon avarice, in this age, find their actions truly
pictured in the history of the events of other times
and in other countries 1t was said that the fire that
kindled the French revolution emanaed from our
star-how it was purifying eleuent-then it be-
came destructive confagration, and brought back
70
late, the last abode Of liberty. The visionary en-
thusiasts for liberty in France, by aiming at too
much and too large liberty for the greatest number
seemed to forget in their maddened ZEAL that they
overthrow all liberty by forcing the people, under
pain Of DEATH to give in their adhesion forthwith to
all the dogmas of the revolutionary faction Of the
day. changing as they did, ottener than the changes
of the moon, uprootng and overthrowing in its i'm
peuous course, alike, and without discrimination, all
rights personal or possessory in order to establish
new basis for human liberty and happiness upon the
broad platform of and philosophy, as they un-
derstood these terms
Let the citizens of these States reflect upon the
dangerous analogy Of action here at this time, to
that which characterized that ever memorable and
disastrous period Of the French revolution.
| Demagogues there, as here, were imbued all oven
with the deepest affection Tor the sovereign psope-
ardent in their devotion 10 the doctrine of equal
rights and nnipersal liberty But in the midst of this
glow of love, and universal paternity Of affection
and zeal for liberty, mans head was safe on his
shoulders for twenty-four hours. Sovereign reason
superseded all law, and the property of thousands
was confscated, without other authority than the
DEGREES Of those who assumed to act under authori-
ty and in the name Of the people for the pretended
good of Franc.
What has been the action here, since the CON-
mencement of the usurpations Of General Jackson1
With what iron despotsm has he trampled upon the
expressed judgment OF the people, by their Repre-
sentatives upon the subject of National Bank
when that judgment was pronounced deliberately
as the result Of experimental acquaintance and en-.
ioyments by the people Of the benefits that ins,iiu
ton conierredl The resistance, the part of Pre-
Sdent Jackson OF the Legislative will by his veto Of
the bank was one OF the worst and most dangerous