The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-26


with Tear for your safety, and trembling appre-
henson OF approaching evil, they gave you the
nourishment Of nature, invoked blessings on the
head Of the noble HARRISON, and little thought
that those infant lips whose life, perhaps, de-
pended on his daily and nightly exertons in the
camp and in the field would ever SO far forget
their protector and benefactor, as TO give utter
ance 70 so heartless calumny against him
.hat OF cowardlce! Happy is il, however, for
me honor OF our country, that your desperate
hangnity hnds no response in the hearts Of the
nation, The American people, long as they
nave oeen held under the grasp Of usurping
power, stu feel an American spirit, which re
Dukes your ingratitude. That spirit is now
aroused, and speaks in tones which cheer the
friends OF the FATHER or THE WEST, and strike
CONSERVATION into his wicked and INSCRIPTIONS
foes. The minions Of power uemble in their
strong holds, and the friends Of pure and I'M
perverted repubcanism are pressing forward to
the rescue OF the government from gloom and
| prostration, and the elevation Of the hero and
| statesman Of the west, the PREDEsDINED chief
magistrate Of great aud free people
| Az, PREDEsTINED. Far be it from me TO
approach irreverently the nscrutable DEGREES Of
Providence; but is il too much to suppose that
the brave and veteran HARRISON IL about 10 Jaf-
/ fiji the DESTINY reserved for him, by all-wise
and all-seeing intellgence2 If there ever was
"A case in which predetermined purpose seemed
| 10 be indicated, il is this IL ever events pointed
| 10 nations redemption from overwhelming ca
amity, through one man, they seemed to do so
| now. Born and educated in the midst OF pure
and devoted patriots, such, as IN our prouder
days, were common, but which, in these less ia
vored times, are few and scattered, HARRISON,
| laid in his early years the foundation of a cha
racter, which ripened with his age into one fit
ting the ruler of populous and growing coun
| try. Intended by his guardians for civil pro
| fesson, the call of his country reached HIM in
| the seclusion Of his study, and in day his fate
was changed His steps were turned from the
walks of peace, TO the path of war in distant
| wilderness where, in the fulness Of time, he
won for himself an elevated name and a proud
| and enduring fame. His fortunes were thus
cast in region which afforded him an ample
field, in the service of his country, for the dis
play Of his native traits of character, and for the
development of intellectual resources which in
other walks of life would probably have slum-
bered in inactivity. Here, too, was given him
an opportunity for the attainment Of that hold
on the affections Of the people, which every
where exhibited itself in the most fervent ex-
pressions Of attachment. So delicate in frame
that when he first Joined the army an old soldier
of ST. Clair remarked that, /" he would as soon
have thought Of putting his wife in the service
as that boy y yet through protracted period OF
| active and most trying border service, he was
preserved, by power unseen until now IN the
vale of years, he enjoys a green old age, and
possesses ripe bodily and mental vigor. Though
many time in battle, and always in its most
furious midst, an all-preserving power for some
wise purpose, saved him unhurt, when friends
and foes in scores were felled around him. And
i now when the nation groans under the weight
| of its suffering, and there IS universal and
piercing cry for deiverance; although for years
he has been the humble tenant of his rural home,
far removed from the strifes and conflicts OF the
times, a blessing rests the deliberations of
cd IN a r. no
people and he who successfully withstood our
country's foes upon the tented field, is called
forth TO confront other foes who, in the specIous
guise of friends, would destroy all that nation
should care 10 have,-her prosperity, her purity,
and her happiness
| And he will fumph--triumph gloriously. As
| in the war of the sword he was invincibe, SO
now in that war of the ballot box, he will not be
beaten. AS in the day of BATTLE his name was
| a watchword which gathered around him thous-
ands of eager, brave and devoted soldiers, so
now il brings 10 his and the country's standard
| tens of thousands, who all alive to the pre-
! servafion and protection of institutions, which
| have been too long under the dominion of ire
| sponsible and reckless partizans. No man could
have aroused popular feeling as he has done;
none possessed many elements of character
as he, upon which the popular heart can fix with
confidence and delight. Every thing tends 70
encourage in the success of our glorious cause.
of the hand. The sun will soon rise, and as
the thick fogs which have enveloped us for
nearly twelve years, shall dispense before his
darling rays, scene will be disclosed which
will repay us for all our trials and all our wrongs.
nation will be seen giving itself up without
stint to every expression of happiness and JOY.
Life, sbuoyancy, and activity will be impaired
with electrical rapidly to every branch Of our So
cial organization. The fields, TO which the
plough has almost become stranger, will again
smile with an abundant harvest; the streets OF
our cities, over which silence and gloom have
lowered, will send forth once more the hum OF
busy and thriving people; the cink OF the re
employed hammer will again be heard keeping
time to the thrilling of a happy song; and
thousand sails will whiten the ocean wave, borne
onward by the breeze of prosperity and the steady
gale of wise, equal, and stable government
The whole land will present panorama OF
cheerful and reviving industry, and universal
burst of gratitude will reward the declining
years of the NATIONAL PREsERvER.
But let us MOI suppose the glorious end we ann
at is TO be gained by any other than the most
Jealous constant, and heroic effort. Let us not
fall in the fatal error Of too confident certainty.
While we rely, with assurance of success,
the widely extended and rapidly augmenting
popularity of the chief under whom we go into
the conflict, let us not for one moment falter in
our own exertions For twelve years we have
been borne down by the superior organization of
our adversares. The time has at length arrived
when we can throw of the shackles if we will
Light has burst through clouds and darkness
upon the people, and they are rising in the ma
jesty Of their strength, and grding themselves
about for the day when the thunders OF the
ballot box shall be heard far and near, mingled
with the shouts of the victors and the groans Of
the vanquished. The sceptre is departing from
JuJah One by one the Businesses of the foe