The Madisonian., 1840-02-22
LETTER OF THE
HON. JOHN C.. CLARK,
TO HIS CONSTITUENTS
IL HIS CONSliiCC'i
on THE NECESSITY or ErFiciEsr POLITICAL Ae'o'
AND oRsAsIzATios.

AND ORGANIZATION
To hs WAigs and Coasepsares Of Cheaango'
A political campaign, more important to
the ascendancy Of republican principles, and
the great and vital interests of the country,
has never opened upon the American people.
We are contendiug. not only for the preser-
yation of our free institutions, but for the
bread with which 10 feed our wives and chill
dren. The unholy war which the admins
trafion has waged and is now waging against
the domestic institutions and the currency oil
the people, has produced not only bankrupt
cy and ruin 70 thousands of our industrious
and enterprising citizens, but threatens ~ the
utter destruction Of the values OF all sor's u
property, general and wide spread desoia-
tion. No one can claim exemption rom '''e
all-pervadng calamity. The prudent anu
wary share common fate WIN the IMPROVE
dent and reckless. Investments made with
cautious regard to moderate income are swept
awav by the same resisless torrent, which
nros,rates the air r.built castles OF the visiona-
~ speculator. Ruin, in its most appalling
aspects, surrounds us on every side. The
accumulation Of years of patient toll and
honest industry, reserved for the maintenance
of our families, the education of our children,
ana IOI tle COtllluItdDiC oupP'il W aSSA"''S
life, are buried beneath the avalanche OF mis-
shaped projects, and ill-dige,ted government
experiments In all the departments OF IN
dnslry reign the gloom and silence OF the
grave. What is the hearl-rending spectacle
presented to our view Agriculture without
its reward, manufactures suspended, CON-
merce crippled, credit destroyed, confidence
annihilated, a beggared population and bank
yVhora hut la,v Sh0rt
wears since, smiled Joy and plenty, are now
seen destitution and wretchedness. Turn
which way il may, the eye Of the patriot rests
on objects full of painful contrasts with the
past-This rich heritage, earned by the toll
and blood Of our fathers, and SO recently ra-
diant with life and vigor and beauty, now pre-
sents scenes Of untimely disease and prema-
iure decay; scenes of political corruption and
official proaigacy, of contempt of law and
order and Of disregard of official and consti-
tulional obligation. of industry paralyzed, of
fortunes ruined of prospects blighled, of
hopes crushed, of want and wretchedness,
over which the good man and the christian
patriot weeps in anguish. and mngles with
his tears fervent prayer for deliverance from
the hands OF the desiroyers. That aspiration,
warm from the bosom of piely and patriotism,
We doubt not, has ascended to Heaven, and
entered the ear of Him who guarded our na-
tional infancy, and who has thus far watched
over US for good. In the person of the re-
nowned citizen soldier whose place is the
world, and whose fame belongs TO eternity,
He achieved the triumph of our liberty. In
the person OF another equally brave, pure and
patriotic citizen soldier, will he decree its pre-
servation. Amid the cheeress waste of our
countrys desolation, amid the deep and mur-
ky gloom, in which she is enveloped, robbed
OF every thing but hope, shall we not rally
once more unto the breach" and snatch her
from the grasp of the spoilers7 Have we
. lost The breed of the noble bloods Z" Are
there no Bruises remaining, ready to strike
for liberty Shall we longer iamely, ignobly
crouch at the feet of our iyran,s, and continue
their degraded abiect vassals Forbid il ho-
nor, Forbid it patriotism
The American People might, with better
grace, submit to the disastrous measures of
the Executive, could they forget the means
by which they ure accomplished. They are
the results Of the most graceless and corrupt
union OF antagonist principles and warning
politicians that ever shocked the morals Of
any country. The ultra Democracy Of the
North is in close alliance with the Nulfca-
ton of the South, to perfect the degradation
and ruin of the Republic. The once proud
Eagle, which built her eyrie in the branches
OF the towering palmetto, is nesting with the
'foul and unclean birds" which desecrate the
palace and the Capitol. The once proud,
high meilcd and chivalrous Southron, is on
his knees worshipping at the shrine Of pow
er; cringng and fawning at the feet of him
who few short years since denounced him
as traitor and would gladly have consigned
him to halter. The modern Ca,aline, as
he was commonly styled by the Executive
organ, was not immorlaIized by demonstra-
tion of those public honors which are usually
decreed 10 unsuccessful rebellion For this
immunity, he is not indebted to a want of dis
position IN the "Norihern man with Southern
principles" TO pass his memory 10 posteri,y
tainted with dlshonor. The "beiler part of
yalor' prevailed. He read the proclamation
penned probably by him who boosted of the
consummalion of his glory in the service of
the chiei, who, in the language of one Of the
members OF the new coalition, "had lrampled
on the Liberties of his country and thus
reading, took counsel from the suggestions Of
prudence and discretion And now, what a
revolving exhibition is presented 10 the aston
ished gaze of a cheated and power-ridden
people Men of diame,rically opposite prin-
ciples and sympathies-"the very antipodes
in political geography--the negative and po.
silive poles of the political magnet, hitherto
waging with each other war of ex,ermina
uon'-have suddenly rushed into mutual en-
brace, and clubbed thei. counsels TO ride into
power over mulilated Constitution and an
impoverished country.
What can be done to save ourselves and