The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-01
vox popULI, vox DEL.

Those who, on the one hand, suppose that the
people have been purchased the late election,
or, on the other, imagine that they have raised
their potent voice TO crafty any private resent
ments or 10 cure any personal griefs, are, we APP
prehend all greatly mistaken. The one suppo-
siton is a wrong to the virtue Of the people, and
the other an insult TO their dignity. To suppose
the people Of the United States capable of being
bought up, is TO relinquish the very basis on
which sefgovernment rests--to suppose them
capable of engaging in general revolution OF
political administration for the benefit of any
particular set of men, for the purpose OF turn
ing out one set of selfish ofhce-hoiders TO give a
chance to another set of hungry ofice-seekers,
is to suppose them incompetent to appreciate
the objects of government, and the duties OF
electors, and is derogatory TO their dignity and
intelligence as nation Whoever acts upon
either supposition, stands upon false ground,
and will fall. The People Of the United States
are not commodities TO be purchased and sold
nor are they tools fools, to be used or moulded
to suit the purposes of selfish demagogues. Men
and parties that have, in times past, held the peo
pie in such contempt, having misconceived the
desnies of their race, have met the fate which
their ignorance and arrogance deserved, and
fallen into recoverable disgrace. The people
viii nevec trust men who will not freely recipro-
cate the confidence they are willing to repose
No. This generation of American freemen are
the repositories Of an invaluable trust. There is
vet higher destiny in store for mankind, to-
wards which the tide of affairs is tending The
Democratic principle is the deeply laid, enduring,
and active agent which is working out the ut
most amount Of good a.tainable by mankind in
state of equality. Itrejects the idea that the
greatest good to the greatest number can be at
tanned upon any other basis than that of equality.
1t regards moi the Democracy Of the lips-but
cullivates the Democracy of the heart. Its final
cause is not the success of party, or the splendor
of goyernment-but it is universal happiness. 1t
regards government as its own auxiliary and Of
it, own creation-subject to change and modifca-
ton, as may best promote the common pursuit.
Government is an incidental rule, not the ult-
mate object
In a private family the pursuit of all is happ-
ness, but rule of life is established, which, al
though not the happiness itself, is yet deemed
auxiliary to it, So in democratic nation the
great common pursuit is happiness, and govern
ment is the rule set up as an auxiliary aid by
which that happiness is to be attained and Sc
cured.
Thus Is government secondary thing; but
It nevertheless has lofty and dgnifed AIM
To impute to its authors and supporters any other
motive in their elections than an honest and
straightforward desire to promote the general
good is an absurd injustice which cannot fail
TO meet justly contemplate fate. The pur-
chase of the people is an impossibility, because
II supposes the barter of the very object of their
existence for dross which bears no comparison
to 1t in value. 1t is an absurdity. On the other
hand, when the people lose sight of the purpose
OF life, and government simply, supplants il in
their hearts, that government will have no foun-
datlon, and must itself give way to anarchy.
We trust, therefore, that office-holders will
not indulge in the puerile absurdity of attributing
the popular revolution to bribery and fraud, nor
The otlice-Seekers deceive themselves by imagin-
ing it has been accomplished for personal and
selfish objects.