The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-06-09

'will not say he is Of easy virtue who can be Sc
auced by such deceiver. This leave TO the
judgment OF the country.
In another speech, made by this same mem
Der IN this House in January, 1897, after the
election Of Mr.. Van Buren,, but before he was
installed into power, in speaking Of the inter
ference OF General Jackson to secure the cleo
.ion OF Mr. Van Buren,, he employed the follow
ing language
Such are the unvarnished facts Of the case. And
VINO Is there bold enough 10 deny that the President
mas interfcred Sir the facts are beyond the possi-
Dih'y Of denial, that he has openly nterfercd and
Used his power and authority to nominate his sue
cessor and 10 do il by bargain and arrangement Ev-
cry Paltry intrigue and progae proposition has been
used and employed to effect this purpose. The chief
Offices Of the Republic have been battered away; and
the President through the tremendous power and pa
tronage of his position, has called upon betrayed
country TO receive lbs rulers at the hands Of
In subsequent part Of the same speech, he
said a6
Il speak Of the President as officially connected
with the institutions of freedom. scorn to excuse
Nun and to hold up his minions and understrappers
tor responsibility and denunciation No, sir, dis
dam to use moderate language | shall take his own
erthets here, them charge that the President has
wuy and openly interfered TO appoint his successor
and that he has endcavored to accomplish his object
by shameless bargain and corruption. He has sue
ceeded and now standing on the defaced and spurned
Constitution, waves aloft the unrestrained sccpre OF
empire over deceived and betrayed country Let us
be rich and prosperous let us be happy and free from
personal restraints let retain all the forms of re-
public yet are we slaves and history will hold up our
nfamy and degradation if we acquicscc and submit to
this lawless dication. Rome still retained the forms
OF republic long after her conquering generals fiom
devastated brought in the plumber Of sacked
cities to be divided among those who called Ro
man citizens. Her people still nominally elected their
Tribunes long after the very sources of power had
been corrupted and polluted by the bribery and profit
gacy Of captivating chiefs and abandoned demag
The Tibunes who were first elected to defend, as
they noby did, popular rights, afterwards became
prostuted, and although ostensiby appointed still by
the People, yet they knew the hand of their master
and prostituted the liberties Of their country before his
will: They were arranged and appointed beforehand
by those who held the power Of the republic We,
too, may still boast the forms of free people, and
long preserve them. We have seen the nomination
and appointment of successor to the chief executive
We have Witnessed the success of that appointment.
All the popularity and influence of the President with
his hundredthousand dependents all the weight and
power, and influence of the Government in all its
vast and extensive ramfcatons have been brought
bear upon the appointment of successor. And, !
ask, sir, if confirm by reelection this fraudulent
appointment, will not posterity say too only
free in name Our country has been foully deceived
we have been basely deluded by all the arts Of in
trigue, bargain and corruption"
This sounds like the language OF fearless,
bold, intrepid statesman, who, it would seem,
had not only the eye to see, but the tongue to
speak, and the arm to execute, whatever might
seem necessary TO save the liberties of his bleed
ing country! He feared not to attack power
even here, in its strongest CITADEL in the proud
est days of the imperial Jackson He dared to
charge him with reasonably converting our pure
Republic into most odious despotism He
dared to tell him to- his face, even here, amid those
whom he denounced as "minions and under
strappers," that he had foully deceived, and
basely deluded confding country, by g all the
arts Of intrigue, bargain, and corruption" He
stopped not here-he pushed his attack even
further. He pronounced Mr.. Van Buren,, on
whom Jackson was about to cast his mantle, as
9 base, vile, degraded. He Indignantly spurned
from him the idea Of submitting to have Presi-
dent dictate his successor. He swore eternal
enmity to the principles of the succession He
pledged himself TO oppose the reelection of Mr.
Van Buren,, however wise and virtuous his ad-
minstration, as the only means Of restoring a de-
faced and spurned Constitution. He denounced
him traitor TO the South, and guilty of treason
to the Constitution, who would submit to the
Upon this subject, hear his own Ian
guage:
" If now, in the infancy of our Government the
President has it in his power to nominate and appoint
successor the day is not far distant when shall
live under power more odious than hereditary mo-
narchy, because will be exercised under the deceit
full name and habments of Republic.
We are told that the South is to be reconciled by
the falling in to Southern principles andthat
it is policy to acquiesce in the appointment Sir there
may be- at heart traitors in the South but it will be
treason 10 the Constitution and TO the country TO sub
init TO the dictation No never, never We have
been fouy betrayed and against the principles of the
succession, we declare incorporating, unextingush
able war to the knife II may be that we shall
be but few in number; It may be that our flagstaff
shall be shattered and broken; but we will nail the
flag to the gunwae, and conquer or perish under il"
Would to God the South had stood by this
+, ledge of her intrepid son Would to God that
gallant section of this glorious country had not
fallen willing victim Of the miserable shallow
pretence of this Successor .faiiing into South
ern prTncipiesn Would TO God this "unex-
tinguishable war war to the knife" had not
been so soon compromised by uniting as band
of brothers, the leaders Of the two contending
armies Would to God this page in the history
of this generation could be annihilated
After the honorable member from South Caro-
lima had concluded his speech, the member from
Richmond, Virginia, (Hon. John Robertson
one of the purest and best men have ever met
on this floor, in the course of very able and
sound speech against the Administration and its
past policy, spoke thus Of the newly elected
President:
Let him. then, as he may in good faith, adopt
those measures which will bring about reformation
of the manifold abuses Of the Government, and
duction of its present wasteful expenditures let him
his face against the schemes Of the aboltioniss
dscountenance iniquitous tariff, national bank,
an unjust and unconstitutional system Of internal
improvement let him abstain from violating the rights
Of the States from the exercise of undclegated and
doubtful powers from the corruptng practice of be
slowing lucrative appointments members OF Con
gross let him. sir above all following the advice ofhs
predecessor exerminae the monster party spirit and
take that the public Offices be filled with capable
and honest men let him do this, conforming TO the
good old republican doctrines and his measures at
least shall have my humble support here or elsewhere