The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-04-04

| country N
Mr. Chairman, I suppose 20 other member Of this
House, other than the honorable member hNsell, re
ques proof that he has changed his position but to
satisfy him that his position l. changed propose to
bring 10 his recollection few more Teininscences.-
Whilst the present Chief Magistrate at the Court
Of ST. James, he wrote certain letter home TO com
mittec Of his friends in the city Of New York, contain
ing certain sentiments Of which the honorable member
| thus spoke on this floor;
.Mr Chairman, I am perfectly aware that many
man might have uttered such sentiments without any
extraordinary degradation II they had from one
who had forever retired into private life, il would have
been Of no great Importance. II they had from
who humble aud lowy, and had private
fsAors from beneactor would have attracted no
tenon But coming as they did, from who srfu
and sagacious who had fixed his eye the FIRST offices OF
his country with ambition that has varied who
was gazing with esgerness for partisan support say,
sir that under all the circumstances Of the case. they
are BASE vile, degraded, aud degrading sentiments.
which no freeman conceived in his heart, and
but a,haiterer ever uttered II am to have leader.
IN the name OF oil that lofty and honorable let him be
one who has the feelings, the independence the heart Of
man. II amto follow, let il not be who cringes
before and fawns upon, the hand Of master. Every
feeling Of my soul reyots with and indignation
such sentiments
"But sir, look around and what is the glarng fact
in the history of the day These sentiments have had
their weight. Is not the whole patronage and power Of
this Government at this moment welded for the open
purpose Of rewardng their author ID 10 be disguised
that the Baltimore Convention assembled to nominate
q successor under the dctation Of the President! IL
there man, who has sagacty enough TO perceive con-
sequences, that doubts il Let these things succeed,
and il is idle TO talk about Government We
may have the exterior Of freedom. but it will be
whtened sepulchrc, fair and beautiful to look on, but
full Of corruption and rottenness within.
IL commit no man, party, but here take oppor-
tuny TO lay down the doctrine that he who comes into
power under such circumstances, comes IN, TO all IN
tents aud purposes much usurpcr he had como
in by the sword Of revolution Such Government is
TO be obeyed merely from political expedency and not
constitutional obligation What difference, in fact.
there between Government brought upon the country
by Presidential dictstion Fraud and patronage, and
forced upon Us by the arms of conqneror
"ln those countries where the succession may be
fixed by the hereditary laws Of the land, where things
have grown up from time mmemoral, and become the
fixed principles Of the Constitution, People make
claims to freedom, II the succession takes place con-
sstent with their institutions. But in this country,
where have written Constitution, every line Of
which maintains the freedom of the elective franchise,
from the hghes, to the lowest If submit to dctation
and appointment, directly or Indirectly, kon any earthly
power slaves in feeling and in fact and shall
deserve destiny. The jansssries of Turkey could,
time, bowstring Sultan. and enthrone his
| cessor Roman despot could at one time, make his
horse Consul, while his degenerate countrymen cow
cred beneath the imperial eagles waving along the lines
of pratorean bands. Cromwell amounted himself
prepared to be martyr, and called upon his round
head followers to bapze him in The blood Of Charles
that he might come out saint fit 70 wear the robes Of
dictator, and claim the allegiance Of deiuded
and enslayed people.
"True, we have janissaries-no pretorean bands
no army Of the commonwealth as yet. But we have
what 10 meaner, baser and more degrading-we have
hundred thousand ofice-holders and office-seekers
moneyed corporations from end Of the Union to the
oher-we have the patronage Of this Government, and
the power and popularity Of the Presiden-a, all act
ing in concert, and devoted TO the sole object Of ap
pointing successor. and transmitting ilgotten power
to those who will lawn TO receive it. care not Hhat
may be the principles TO be syowed by such Admi-
nsiraon, mako open and Incorporating against
the mode and manner Of appointment"
But again, after the apprehensons Of the honorable
gentleman realized, and the present incumbent
placed in the Presidential chair las he said by force Of
the dicalion Of his predecessor through his hundred
thousand office holders, he, as late as January, 1887,
issued another bulletin in the form Of speech. whilst
this House was originating an investigating committee
to examine into the frauds and conceptions oil the offce-
holders
The frs, paragraph which will notice is as follows
:" Such are the unvarnished facts Of the case And
who is there bold enough 70 deny that the President has
inerfered Sir the facts beyond the possibility Of
denial that he has openly Dterfered and used his power
and authority to nominate his successor and to do
by bargain and arrangement Every paltry intrigue
and profigatc proposition has been used and employed
to effect this purpose The chief offices OF the Repub
lie have been barered away and the President through
the tremendous power and patronage OF his position,
mas called upon betrayed country to receive its rulers
| at the hands Of master"
Afterwards, in the same document, the honorable
member in speaking how the late President had inter-
fered in eectDg his successor, employed the following
language:
"And ask, sir, If we confirm, by reelection, this
fraudulent appointment will not poserty say we, too,
free only name Our country has been fouy de-
ceived have been basey deluded by all the arts OF
intrigue, bargain and corruption" Let it not be
said that these things Of importance; that they
have effect upon practical liberty. Look to their
consequences the future In physics, in morals, end
in politics. those causes are first small which produce
the tremendous effects upon the destiny of
The collection Of few sbillings Of shp-money brought
the head Of monarch 70 the block and changed for q
time the Government Of Great Britain"
Again, in the same speech. the gentleman employed
the following language:
If now, in the infancy OF our Government, the Pre-
sident has IL his power to nominate and appoint sue
cessor, the day is not far distant when shall live
der power odious than hereditary monarchy, be-
cause i, will be exercised under the deceifu and
habiliments of Republic"
ave are told that the south is to be reconciled by
the falling into Southern principles" and that
1t policy to acqulesce in the appointment Sir. there
may be- at heart, traitors in the South, but it will be
treason to the Constitution and to the country TO sub
init to the dictation. No never! never! We have
been fouly betrayed and agans, the principles Of the
succession we declare incorporating. unextngush-
able war, war TO the knife 1t may be that shall
be but few liz number; it may be that flag, staff
shall be shattered and broken, but will nail the flag
to the gunwale, and conquer perish under it,"
Again, on the 4th OF January, 1897, tho honorable
member said
He had declared Incorporating hostility to the
principles upon which the Administration was coming
into power, and that nothing could reconcile him ra
y those principles by reelection Of the man. although