The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-05-25
THE TWO PRINCIPLES.

FROM lie fhLNdetpdtd VOftd.
Two antagonist principles are now in full opera
ton in this country involving in their contest the
fate OF our democratic republican institutions One
is deaructire, the other conservative One is the
principle OF executive supremacy; the other the
principle OF checks and balances OF the mutual sub
ordination OF the legislative executive and Judicial
powers Of government. The triumph Of the rst will
destroy liberty, by reducing the government to an
impraclicable denocrary and practicable despot-
ism and the triumph Of the second will insure the
reign Of liberty under law Our Fede al and Stale
Governments are now conducted upon the first OF
these principles; for those who conduct them, as
well as those who aspire to conduct them, make the
{ deral executive eyerything the federal and Stale
legislatures and judicaries nothing This is exem-
pifea In all political action 10 any part OF the United
States the only test OF qualification for public trust
being preference the existing executive, or Tor
some candidate for his place, and the only end and
the other to the presidency.
Our political institutions cannot endure the con-
tinua and active operations OF this destructive prn
cipe, but will eventually be swept away TO be sue
| ceeded by government with the forms Of liberty
without It's substance with the suhjeclion OF monar
chy Without its force What is. the remedy w
can see but one; return 10 the conservative princi
pie Of checks and balances the independence of the
State governments, and the mutual dependence OF the
legislative, executive and judicial powers in each
government State Federal. But how is this to be
| effected We answer, by change Of men. Those
VINO now COuuuCt tue ~
on the principle OF executive supremacy, and will
not conduct any other Like the armies Of Napo-
| leon, they subject to strict incorporating
discipline. The present great object OF this army Is
TO re-elect Mr.. Van Buren,; and this being accom-
pIished their great object during the whole OF Mr..
Van Buren's term, will be 10 elect his successor
This also being accomplished, the object during that
successors first term, will be TO re-eect him, and
during his second, to elect his successor Thus this
party have presidential election continually on
hand, and spend the whole of one term in providing
for the next In the mean time, public interests are
sacrificed our treasuryis plundered our harbors are
deencelesS our land frontier is exposed our navy is
declining and the foundations OF our liberties
undermined BY false doctrines and vicious practices.
Ii then we would preserve our democratic repub-
licanism in other words our liberties, must have
a change of men. But will this change save US +
No! Ii is a means, not an end; an instrument not
| an object. We must change men, tor the purpose OF
changing principles As mere men, Messrs. Van
Buren,, Clay and Harrison are very much alike. We
have preference among them, tor either would be
dangerous under the principle OF executive supre-
m rev, and neither would be under the principle
Of checks and balances. We must restore the latter
principle; for without srch restoration, nothing will
be gained for liberty by change OF men. The peo-
pie will derive no benefit from change OF Pachas;
Tor each new Pacha whether lbrahm or Moham-
| med, or Musapha, or Seim will Cypress and grind
like his predecessor. But they piH prodl By snbsi-
tuting practical republicanism Tor practical despot-
ISM tor, under the former, nobody can DC tyrant
while under the latter, anybody may be one with
impunity. While, then, we change men, LEI us bind
our new men last for any man is safe in the presi-
DENTAL chair only when his hands are tied fast with
the ropes of legislative and judicial power.
But how shall we change men : The first step is
union. The elements of opposition TO prevent mis-
rule sufficient TO insure Its termination, II they
can be united But without the sacrifice OF personal
preferences union is impossible. Z oh must regard
his candidate as the smallest object OF his efforts He
must act, not for The sake Of that candidate, but for
the sake Of those principles upon which the preser
walton Of liberty depends BY making the princi.
pies primary and The candidate secondary union and
success are certain, while by making the candidate
primary and the principles secondary, discord and
defeat are Inevitable We therefore say TO all those
democratic republicans who would PROSTATE the
reigning principle OF executive supremacy, and no
democratic republican would refuse TO PROSTATE it,
restore the principle Of checks and Balances, and
unite upon men as the first means of restoration.
Let the first be your object the second your insru-