Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-10-07

Gus dead, by our respect for truth, by
our love for the honour ofour country.
and bv our own wounded pride. as
American citizens. We feel that the
country has been dishonored, and we
desire 10 free ourselves from all impu-
tations Of acquiescence in the paricidal
act. The late President, in commu-
nication to Congress, more than init
mates, that some of the earliest and
most important measures of Washing
toms administration were the offspring
of personal motives and private inter
ests. His successor has repeated and
extended this accusation, and given to
it, we are compelled to say, greater
degree Of ofensiveness and grossness.
No man with an American heart in his
bosom, can endure this without feeling
the deepest humiliation as well as the
utmostscorn. The fame of Washing
ton, and his immediate associates of
one of the richest treasures of the
country. His is that name which an
American may utter with pride in eve
ry part of the world, and which, where
yer uttered, is.sbouted to the skies by
the voices of all true lovers Of human
liberty. Imputations which assail his
measures SO rudely, while they are
an insult to the country, and an offence
against the moral sentiments Of civil
lied mankind. Miserable, miserable,
indeed, must be that cause which
cannot supportits party performance,
IFS ruinous schemes and senseless ex-
periments, without thus attempting TO.
poison the fountains of truth, and TO
prove the Government of our country
disgracefully corrupt, even in its very
cradle. Our hearts would sink within
us if we believed that such an effort
could succeed; but they must be impo-
tent. Neither the recent nor the pre-
sent President was born to cast a shade
on the character of Washington or
his associates. The destiny of both
has been, rather, to illustrate by con-
trast, that wisdom and those virtues
which they have not initiated, and 10
hurl blows, which the afectonate ven
Grafton of American cities and the
general justice of the civilized world
will render harmless to others, and
powerful only in their recoil upon
| themselves. If this language be
strong, so also is that feeling of indig-
nation which has suggested i; and on
such an occasion we could not leave
this consecrated spot, without the con-
seriousness of having omitted an indis-
pensable duly, had we not thus given
utterance to the fullness of our heart,
and marked with our severest rebuke,
aud most thorough scorn, a labored
/ effort to fix deep and enduring stain
on the early history of the Govern
: ment.
Finally, on this spot, the fame of
which began with our liberty, and can
only end with it, in the presence
: these multitudes, Of the whole country,
!, and of the world, we declare our con-
/; scientious convictions that the present
: Administration has proved itself inca
# pable of conducting the pub lie affairs
of the nation in such manner as 81 all
: presrve the Constitution, maintain the
If public liberty, and secure genral pros
perity. We declare, with the utmost
d sincerity, that we believe its main pur-
e pose to have been, to continue its own
+ purpose, influence, and popularity;
l. that to this end, it has abandoned in-
5, dispensible but highly responsible con-
S. stitutional duties; that it has trifed
( with the great concerns of finance and
N currency;that it'has used the most rep
Y; rehensible means for influencing pub.
" lie opinion; that it has countenancet
st the application of public money tc
ar party purposes; that it seeks to consol
u idata and strengthen party by ever
,st form of public patronage; that it labori
r Gus seeks to conceal the truth from
as the people on subjects Of great interest
he that it has shown itself to be selfish il
CHI its ends and corrupt in its means; ant
e, that, if it should be able to maintain
It's itself in power through an other term
of there is the most imminent danger tina
be it will plunge the country in still far
oh Their difficulty, bring on still create
ITO disorder and distress, and undermin
IS. at once the foundations of the publ
e, prosperity and the institutions Of tn
ed country.
in Men thus false to their own profes
Die sions, false to the principles ofthe cor
as stitution, false to the highest honor {
ng their country, are unfit to be rulers {
nj the Republic.
,rt, sThe!people of the United States hay
zen a right to good government. The
i've have right to an honest and faithful
ri exercise of all the powers of the COZ
re- stitution as understood and practise
of in the best days ofthe Republic for tt
the general good. They have an inalir
us nable right to all the blessings of tn
Mt liberty which their fathers achieve,
,ri- and all the benefits of that Union whiC
se- their fathers established.
out And standing here, this day, wi