The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-07

moro ;rau .triou, in the Office OF mi representa-
t;on and calumny, than Vindex, that nlrea scrio-
nj who WA one OF his (Mr. kiyes') chiti ac-
en- ,ers and whose articles, he had every reason
to believe were prepare undsr 'ns aey X III
came dirty woik of detraction, take especial
mains 10 conceal from the people the 'act mar ~
= very few day, after General Harrison made ms
renar, Il 1917. he brought forward propo itlon
~ omenJ the Con stituton, maintaining d 'tnct-
10 in { sueech he made upon his proposition, that
| Congress- had no authority 10 call out the Militia
for the purpose Of training them, or to appropr-
ate money to defray their expenses. ANA even
in General Harrison's proposed amendment 70
the Constitution, he did not ask that the excu-
siye right 10 train the militia should be conferred
upon Congress; but only that they should exer--
else il concurrenty with the States General
Harrison's plan, said Mr.. Rives, may have been
visionary; but where is the honest Democrat
who will deny It's Republicanism? He only
proposed to carry il into effect after II had re-
ceived the sanction ofthree-fourths OF the States.
He was anxious that the people should pass upon
IT, and did not proceed like our present rulers 10
foist il upon the country, insidiously and by
stealth He repeated, that he considered this the
most vitality important question which had ever
been presented TO the American people He
honestly believed that it wa the most outrageous
and daring attempt at Military usurpation; the
very last blow aimed at the liberties of the peo-
pie. He referred his auditors 10 the debates in
the Convention which formed the Federal Con-
stitution, for the opinions of James Madi on,
John Dickerson, and Roger Sherman, a; to the
absolute necessity OF the States maintaining the
control of the militia. If they mean to be free.
| Mr.. Rivcs contended that the first object Of
the dominant parry seemed now To be, 10 confer
supreme power upon the Federal Executive. In
proof of this, he referred to their untring per-
severance in fastening the Sub-Trea Jury upon
the country--the right claimed by the President
Of being left at liberty to employ State Banks as
fiscal agents Of the government or not as he
thought proper Give him, said Mr.. Rives his
standing army, and then add these powers, and
he becomes at once the Dictator of the liberties
and the fortunes of the people.
He referred next 10 the change which had
come over the spirit Of Mr. Van Buren's dreams
in relation TO the bankrupt system In 1926, he
was the clamorous defender of the State Banks
acclaimed against the revocation of charters
and the interference of Federal Commissioners
with State institutions. Then he denounced
the bankrupt system as odous and unconstitu-
tional. Now he recommends it, and rallies the
whole party TO its support. Another feature in
this sy stem OF executive supremacy, is the en-
ployment of the whole corps of ofice-holders to
sustain the party by their interference in cleo
tons II is now the received doctrine, that il i
not only the right but the bounden duty of all the
ofiice-holders to interfere in elections, notwith-
standing Mr.. Jefferson the great head of the Re-
publican party, considered such inferno ddling
good cause for removal Mr.. Rives here refer
red TO many instances, TO prove this outrageous
and dangerous abuse under the present Admi-
nj 'tration. He mentioned the evidence furni 81
ed in the Report of the Committee of Congress
raising to investigate Swartwout's defalcaton.
1t til re appear d, that the Office holder in the
of Xnrly laid md,
tributon-a tariff was levied upon III ir salaries
to u tain tn party in power TIL Presid Mt
Of til, United States encourages tn So enormous
outragas: Vindex--Van' Martin h ha been
call d, i, an office-hold r in Wa hington, and i ,
now indu ;triou ly engaged in debating to the
p cple of Virginia MIR. Singleton, U. S. At
torn in thu Winchester District, ha, lat Nv
app AIRED on thu hustings in dafence Of hi en-
ployrr, and certain Mr.. Thompson, once
good Con ,ervative, yes, said Mr.. Rives, an ex-
cclant Conservative, when knew him. but like
too many Of his Con ,ervative brethren he faint
I'd by the way side; Mr.. Thompson Pc stmas-
ter in Whe ling, lately quit his office and went
down to Mar hall county where he app AIRED on
the ustings as the representative of Mr.. Van
Buren,.
Mr.. Rives then exclaimed, and how is the
Crisis supported 2-that little black piratical
schooner, which is running up all the creek, and
inlets into the very DO som Of society, filed with
sharp .hooters--yes. with sharP-shooters--thoy
advert sed for sharp hooters. How il the Crisis
supported ?--the Crisis, the little nder OF that
vast vessel Of War, the Enquirer, which lttle
regards the acknowle dgtd rules Of civiliz war
fare as the little tender itself. What was the
Crisis int ndad for2 Its the mere recipient Of
all the low vulgar scurri!ity Of the ENQUIRER
And how is it supported2 Mr.. Rives here re-
marked that he lately happened at retired Post
Office, in the very bosom of the Mountain. in
the county Of Nelson, and there he found this liz
tie schooner. The individual to whom il was d.
rected knew nothing about it-could not tell who
sent il to him, andye said Mr.. Rives, PAYMENT,
| required in advance. And how he k d, did il
get there will tell you, fellow-citizens The
subscription was paid out of poney purse raised
by the office-hoders in the city of Washington.
Three office-holders in Washington, lately en-
closed $50 each, to help the Crisis along | dare
Mr.. Richie TO deny this statement take the
Enquirer, said Mr. Rives, and | mean TO take it
I'LL after the election, for the purpose of watching
Mr.. Ritchie--atter that period IL Rercr shall de,
file my portals.
| After hastily noticing some of the scurrilous
attacks contained in the Crisis. such rs ADVERT
sing him in the first number as having died of
apostacy, attended by Doctors Gilmer, Southall
and Grlever, the latter OF whom was said TO have
administered the fatal pill and the charge of Vim
dex that he had committed forgery. Mr.. Rives
referred to another high handed act of the party
in power, to wit, the deliberate and wanton dis
reimbursement of a Sovereign State. A more
direct and undisguised outrage had never been
attempted and perperated in any country. One
OF their most devoted partisans the Editor Of the
Petersburg Constellation, even gave back, and
declared that he would go no further
Mr.. II. here recapitulatcd most Of the leading
measures of the present administration, all tend
ing to con soidaton and Executive supremacy.
and charged the party in power as being on the
Federal side. He appealed strongly to his late
such party--drew parallel between Mr.. Van
Burcn's admin stration and that of the elder