The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-17

the society, is certainly great breach Of frsst and !,
perfect declaration Of design 10 subptn the govern
inent Is possible TO be met with. To which IL wa
shall add rerayds end plnishmenis." tms,k, Mr. Pre-.
sidenf how similar the practices Of power 81 age.
and countries . visbly employed TO the same end and
al the ars OF perverted law inside Of TO take off and
destroy al tina, stand IN the way Of such design and
,ou comply and consent 10 beyay the hJer,ies or
ihen eoaniy, twill be past doub, what . doing"
Here tiud Mr. President, this great apostle OF IL
perry. Of American ss well as English liberty (lor our
own great statesmen. the fathers Of the epublc~ere
his discpes asserting the very doctrines which have
been maintaining against the Senator from New Jersey
declaring that any Interference Of the Executive (he
ther indirectly through bic officers aud agents. OF direct
y by HIMSELF is inmsieris with popular elections sny
attempt 70 pesngage me tise,ors and prsscribe 10
heu ehoies those whom they should elect n a fund,
mental breach Of Hnss gross violation OF ,ha, riob,
Of freely ehoosisg their representatives which the peo
Pile haze rsse,red 10 smseisss aud is Ia fact Il, u,e
his own energetic and noble language 10 Vp ne Ga
rermmenDy me roots and 10 poison ihe rery foanfa,n
Of public seenuy" ID this school tia, The ores,
men OF our Revolution we've taught the urincpIes Of
liberty aud It Is easy trace. indeed in the yery mas
sage have read TO the Senate. the princples which
early impressed on the mind Of Mr. Jefferson led HIM
10 proclaim, IN the outset of his that no.
bie sadenylng ordnance which, have seen he laid
down as the rule Of his conduct, and that Of all in
/ authority under him
But the Senator from New Jersey in his report tells
Us that this Is English docirne--that such plant is
indigenous in such soil" We have seen, sir that Il
is American doctrine. sanctioned by the most venerable
names 10 the calendar Of republican statesman, well
as English doctrine, derived from the pnres Of
1 English constitutional freedom. But woald ask, Mr.
President IN what soii with the exception o!
favored and) has the tree OF liberty struck deeper
root, spread larger and vigorous branches
than in the soil Of England Is it the land Of our
glorious ancestors whence they brought the valued
principles OF our institutions with their instructive love
Of freedom, and hatred Of tyranny aud oppression and
above all that sturdy spirit Of independence which If
now revived would be the hsppes omen OF the perpe-
iuy OF our liberties! Is il rot the land Of magma
ehdrta OF the peoa Of righ. and Of the bill Of nghfs!
is II not the land OF the habeas corpus Of the trial by
jury. and OF representatives government itself Is not
from these monuments Of British freedom that Mr. JEFF
ierson himself {" the great apostle Of democracy
the Senator from New Jersey has learned to call him.
tells we have derived the materials Of which our
own happy Government Is constructed!'s And has 1t
come TO this, that principles and doctrines Of the most
vital Importance 10 the preservation Of free nstitu
tons 10 be scornfnly rejected because they have
come down to US from English ancestors Are
Lock aid Sidney, Milton and Hooker and that long
line OF iusrous sages and patriots from whom Jefer-
and his immortal associates drew their lessons of
political wisdom, be thus dishonored and condemned,
ard held as writings and idiots" / suppose. com.
pared with the guiding lights of modern LOCO focoism
The Senator from Now Jersey also tells Us in sub
stance that there il mnch less for throwing up
legal barriers against Executive interference and en-.
England the chief Executive Magistrate is hereditary
here he il elected by the people and hence the Senator
would infer thai he should be free from
tuonal legislative restraints. But this very crcum-
stance Of the popular election Of the Chief Magistrate,
in another and phosqnca Of the subject Gre
the greater necessity for raising barriers law against
the abuse Of his authority being chosen by the people,
he naturally has their sympa,hes and confidence They
in him the creature of their power-the reflected
image Of their sovereignty They therefore, very
naturally less disposed to he jealous distrnstfu Of
him, than they would be Of hereditary Chief Magis
trate. holding his existence and power independently Of
their WILL On the other hand. the eecfipc chief msgls
trate HIMSELF relying on these natural sympalhes and
liberal dispositions IN the popular mind, would often be
tempted abuse them and unless restrained By am,
TO stretches Of influence or sahority which
hereditary magistrate the object Of publc
vigilance aud jealousy, would be unwilling to risk Ac
cordingly, OF the Liberal well profound
political writer's of the age, whom his country
man (Tallcyrand) pronounced to be second Monies
quien, has remarked in his generally candid view of
American institutions. that public officers here ord-
narly far more independent within their sphere Of &C
ton than the civil officers Of his country and
from reliance the sympathy and indulgence Of the
people, whose agents they they sometimes venture
feaatOns Of their poirer 1rhich ast0nsh eren
an Eueopean" {" By This means" he adds habits are
formed IN the heart Of free country ,ch,eh may one
These remarks Of De Tocqnevile are not made with
reference to the President particularly, but applied
TO American public officers in general His book isby
far the most favorable view Of American institutions
that has been presented by foreign writer and he
holds them up indeed, for imitation and gradual INTRO
duc,ion into Europe, far the different crcnmsan-
Of the old and the new world will admit: The re-
mark have quoted from him, therefore, coming from
So enlightened and friendly source deserves at least
the candid consideration of every who chershcs,
and would preserve and perfect free popular nstl-
lotions. Il shows that we should not he content with
the fact important that is. that principal public
officers chosen hy and fixed periods. reson-
sble to, the people; that every circumstance may en-
holden them, from reliance on the sympshIes and
protection OF the people, 10 venture nnwarrantable
excuses. The true security Of freedom to throw up
beforehand, barriers by law against the abuses Of oeer
though it be conferred by the people and then the re.
sponsihity Of eleciirc agents will be something real
and efIectusl. 1T would be dangerous delnslon,"
Mr. Jefferson has told us, "were a confidence in The
Of choice to silence fears for the safety OF
| our rights" In questions Of power, then. let no
more be heard Of confidence in but bina mn, do""
| from mischief by the chains OF the CONSTITUTION
/ And yet how often has this syren song about me
men Of orr cho,ec been sung to nl the jealousies OF
1 free people, and to strengthen the arm OF delegated
power In this very report Of the Senator from New
Jersey the sympathies Of the people constantly IN
yoked on behalf Of the Office holders whosc interference
with their sacred rights is sought TO he subjected
to legal restrant by being told in not less than
half dozen doleful passages, that these poor pro-
scrbed officers" are the peoples officers honored BY
1 the choice and confidence OF the people !. III IKE
manner, il measure Of the President deemed danger
Gus to the liberties and hes, interests of the country
opposed. and opposed with effect, the generous feelings
Of the people appealed to. TO come forward
and sustain the President Of their choice.
From whatever cause has arisen whether from that
suggested by De Tocqueville. from the operations oil
party discipline from the political organization OF pub
lie officers or from the prerogaves conferred on the
President by the Constitution itself or from all com
bned the fact is und subedly that Ereertire pow
er has attained strength and development here which
does not possess at this moment in other constr
tutional system existing in The world. In England and
in France, we know the Executive veto has fallen into
| taldisnsc Here il has become ordinary and