Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-12-07
Judge BrackenrIdge's Letter TO the
SsDemocratic Parfy...

the very able and spirited letter of the
Hon. H. NJ. Breckenridge. We hope
every one of our readers will read it,
over and over again, attentively. 1t
bears the impress of a great mind, evil
dences thorough acquaintance with the
principles and practices of the late and
present administrations OF the Federal
Government, and depicts in a mastery
manner the ruinous effects and tenden-
cy of their blind, foolish and reckless
course. We hardly believe that the inn
mortal Junius-old stat nominis uRsbra
himself, were he again in the political
world, could give US better specimen of
the muitum IL, parro, or more thorough
castigation of the hoIow-hearted cham
pions of corruption, than is contained in
this letter.
When Gen. Jackson was elevated to
the Presidency in 1929, he found the
country in the enjoyment of a currency
more uniform, more convenient, than
specie. 1t was so regarded by his poll
teal friends and .bIest supporters in
each House Of Congress; and they &C
cordingly, in 1882, passed bill to re-
charter the United States Bank. But he
/ disiked some of the features of that
| bill, and therefore vetoed it. In 1888
he got ''his dander up" against the direc-
| tory of the late United States Bank, and
persuaded the people that the Stare
banks were entirely competent to per-
| form for the Government the duties pre-
viously performed by that institution,
and, also, furnish and equallze exchange
for the country. The people consented
to try the ''eXperimentn And down to
the very last hour of his administration
the old man really believed it was sue
cessful; for said he, in his valedictory
| address of March the 4th 1897, Il leave
this great people prosperous and happy"
Little did he dream Of the real state Of
things at that time existing. and which
was brought about chiefly by his 'expe-
riment." On that very day commenced
the ''revulsion'' which has already
brought many an honest, enterprising
man to ruin. and which must inevitably
consign thousands upon thousands more
and their hapIess families to the cold
and cheerless haunts of alI-shunned pow
erty and Indebtedness.
Well, what said, and what did he who
was '.appointed'' to s'tread generally in
the footsteps" when every one was sa-
tisfed that the experiment had failed
and the whole Union seemed ready to
be swallowed in the jaws of ruin? He
stood pledged to "uncompromisng hos
tility" TO a national bank, the State bank
system would not do; there was, there
fore, bat one road left for HIM 10 travel;
and shame--the apprehension of the hor-
rlbie charge of inconsistency, forced
him to take it, although it should lead to
the ruin Of his country:-this was the
''sub-Treasury" But he and his time
serving, corrupt followers, made a merit |
of necessity, and had the hardihood to
proclaim TO the people of this great re-
public, that this was the highway to pros
perlty and happiness which the patriotic |
ingenuity of Washington, of Jeffe rson, |
OF Madison, and even of his '.iIustrious |
predecessor" himself, had endeavored in |
vain to discover. Thrice did the repub-
lie through its National Representatives
tell him he was mistaken; yet he still /
persisted, using all the vast influence
which it had given him to induce the
people to follow him in the golden road
to ruin. What a scene is now exhibited
by ''fair America to the enlightened
nations of the earth. A man appointed
TO perform her will, to act as her servant
refusing to do her will, contendinn that
matters must be carried on to suit him.
self, or not at all!!i And yet, he. the Il
despiser of the will of the people, claim
ing for himself and his trained bands oil
corruption and tyranny the exclusive IL
tie to the sweet and soothing name of {
sdemocrats!ir When will the inteIIi-
gent and discerning of other nations !
cease to wonder at the strange infatua- !
Ion which now characterize the conn ,
rymen of Washington They are sunk d
MO the lowest depths Of political delu- t
ion Ia
But we did not Intend TO write thus :
much. Our object was to direct the !,
ertous attention or our readers to the 0
etier OF Judge Breckenridge. With il
I'M we believe, that the leaders of the >
an Buren, party are unwilling ..to place )
ne brand of infamy on their own fore D
eads;" and that they had ssrather suf. in
II the land to blaeken with ruin and de- oil
'lation than acknowledge their errorss' p p
he recent elections in the sempirc "a