The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-08-14
From tie World. Edited by Rnssell Jarvis.
1 POLITICS FOR THE PEOPLE.

In these days OF paItizan STRIFE we hear and read
much about democracy, Bot judging from the vague
ideas expressed by most Of those who speak and write
about, we should suppose that the term was very I'M
perfectly understood Some who profess 10 he thorough
democrats tell that democracy signifies govern
men OF II admit this, end ask them to spcci-
~ the mode IN which The people govern, they utter
" confoundcd, aud exhibit entire ignorance of demo-
cratic principles They will say that Gov Porter and
President Van Buren, democrats. and that demo-
cracy consists in approving whateyer they recommend
they will say that democracy consists is supporting
tho present administration of the Federal Government.
Most Of these men honest in such opinions. They
are sincere democrats IN feeling they love liberty, be-
leve that its best securities democratic institutions,
that institutions democratic, and that they
administered in democratic spirit Presuming, there
| fore, that every act or recommendation Of MIR. Van
EBuren In democratic spirit that the whole admin
istraton Of the Federal Government is comfortable
the spirit Of the Federal Constitution they very
j rally regard Mr. Van Buren, tho great leader Of de-
mocracy, and his administration the grea. support Of
democratic principles.
Va admit that democracy is government Of the
people; the exercise OF the popular will But how is
this will to be proclaimed Some Of these democrats
will say that is proclaimed by the people directly
sembled in meetings. This is the tumultuous demo.
crazy of the Romans; or, il they insist upon il, the
orderly democracy Of the towns in the Northern and
| Middle States But this democracy exist only in
a single city, as among the Romans, or 10 a single
town, as in these States Thus the people of German
town, making all their municipal regulations in gene
raj town meeting, are democracy and the people Of
West Chester, doing the same thing another de-
moeracy But neither can legisate for the other, and
therefore their relations each other are those Of two
distinct nations How then shall they unite 10 legis
| ation, and make one government for both For both
to assemble collectively is difficult and for all the towns
in the State impracticabe, The only resort is dele
CATION Of authority the substitution OF few to speak
for the whole This brings to representative GO
vernnent; and when we have reached that point. the
voice Of The people in general meeting to have
any authority They have renowned the right to speak
for themselves, and have invested it in their agents,
and consequently are bound by whatever their agents
say within their delegated authority. But TO whom is
this right surrendered Not the agents, bot to each
other. The people OF each surrender il to those
Of all the towns Then il one town objects TO the
proceedings Of the whole body Of agents. il speaks
against all the other towns the whole body 10 whom il
| has surrendered the right to speak.
Some OF these democrats say that the proceedings Of
the last winter at Harrisburg by which the representa-
tyes Of ell the people were driven from tho house OF all
the people, were an exhibition of the pure spirit Of de-
mocTacy in defence of liberty; the voice OF The pecple
demanding justice from their unfaihfuL servants But
according to The fundamental principle Of representative
democracy. the surrender by each, Of his right to
speak, to the representatives of the WHOLE it
exhibition Of rebellion BY portion OF one town, against
| all the other towns. The rebels minority Of
Philadelphia, and much smaller minority OF the whole
State and therefore had right interfere with those
to whom the whole State had delegated the right to
tpeak and act 10 certain This therefore the
scton Of few and no. of the whole, and Of the few
in opposition 10 the many consequently, instead OF
being in the spirit Of democracy, it the spirit Of
aris,ocracy and Of tyranny II the government Of
the few and not of the many, and government in the
Of forms, piolence. Yet this called democracy
aud is believed to be such by thousands Of sincere,
honest minded democrats! How crude and indefinite
are their views Of democracy And how much do they
need light upon those very important subjects the cx
/ L. r. A.
position and action Of the provisions for guarding them
Should not such men examine for themselves, instead
Of implicitly believing every political asplrant who calls
himself democrat, aud talks them very plaushly
yet very indefinitely, about Jefersonian democracy H.
Should they do their thinking, instead Of sur
rendering the important prerogative to those who seek
ing the gratcation OF ambition, may be interested in
| deceiving them!
Our own governments, State and Federal, being
representative democraces, in which The people govern
by deegat0a and not s0iicctiDey the entire independ
ence Of the delegate within the scope Of his authority
is necessary TO the proper action Of the government
and to the purpose for which it was established, the
liberty Of the citizen. Mr. Sergeant is sent the fede-
raj House Of Representatives by the city Of Philade
| phia Is he the delegate Of Philadelphia alone Nor
He speaks for all Pennsylvania, for he whole nation.
The people Of North Carolina, Of Virginia, Of Massa-
chusetts, have agreed not only with Pennsylvania, but
with every other State, that the representative from
Philadelphia shall speak and act for each Of them and
and act for Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia. IF
then the whole delegation from New Hampshire should
say TO Mr. Sergeant, Sir you shall vote for the Sub
treasury bill" they would violate the rights Of all other
States as much as those Of Pennsylvania, and the
representatives. of all the other States would be bound to
protest against this attempt upon the freedom Of the
| delegate Let US suppose another case. The people
| OF Pennsylvania. opposing the Snbueasuv bill, have
elected representatives in full confidence Of their oppo
Ston to it in Congress. The President, ascertaning
fhnfG unfao H..
misses foreign mission seat in the cabinet to each
of five members from Pennsylvania, If they will vote
for the measure and IL is thus carried Would the
people OF Pennsylvania and all the States opposed to
tho measure, being majority regard this un,ho
zed interference with the freedom Of the delegate, and
destructive to liberty!
Here are in which part interfere to defeat the
will OF the whole; in which the minority rule the majo-
rty. Is this the spirit Of democracy As under
stand the term, is aslocracy operating by violence
in the first case and corruption in the second An en-
| hghtened democrat will regard such proving
that representative democracy cannot be maintained
without perfect freedom in the delegate, in all
within the scope Of his authority and therefore that the
people cannot be too vigant 10 guarding such freedom
This brings MS to the question, is that government
representative democracy in practice, whore all the
legislation is at the control Of the executive through the
influence Of patronage consisting in the appointment
| OF hoo hundred thousand erecutiue e6icersi Every
enlightened democrat will 10 the negative. This
brings us TO another question Does the present federal
executive control the legislation of Congress through
this influence Every enlightened, independent and
| candid democrat win answer in the o6irma,ire. This
brings us TO third question: Does democracy consist
in unqualified support Of Mr. Van Buren's admipstra-
ton, aud in appreciation Of all his Official acts and re-
commentators, all his individual acts fitted to exer
else any Influence over politics! We leave this qtes
ton to every honest democrat advising him to ink
Democrats Think Of these things, Thnki
An occurrence recently took place at Dubuque Iowa.
which places in its true light the odousness OF the
| Lynch idp as it is commonly termed A Mr. John