The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-09-11

man. this greater wrong to yourself, would nave
been impossible, if you could have taken sum,
cient interest in the politics OF the DAY 10 reau
occasionally any one OF hundred oil the oppo-
sition papers Of the country. Is there one ques-
ton of vital importance, now before the pupiic'
besides the following
! The Bank
Internal Improvements.
The Tariff
The Sub-Treasury.
Abolition.
The Veto.
| Public Lands.
| The general character of The Government
Nulllhcaton--or the . Force Biil.
| The Last War
! The Alien and Sedition Laws.
Imprisonment for Debt.
| Bankrupt Law.
Are not these all the subjects of vital inn
portance,n which aglate and occupy the nationf
If there be any other question mooted either by
politicians or people, what is 1t am entirely
in the dark, cannot read what IS plainly writ
ten, or hear what is loudly spoken, if there be
single other one question discussed as OF vital
Importance beyond the list have given. Yet
upon trhich of all these has not Gen. Harrison
expressed his opinions, so plainly, pointedly
and f,tliV, that ana honest man can possibly
misunderstood him? Upon which he has
eqltirocdted and used the double tongue ! can
readily believe, sir, that you may think me auda-
cious in my interrogatories. II your sources of
information have been confined to such portions
of the administration press, as am accustomed
to see (and of such journals alone here would
be understood to speak, or to hare spohen) /
can well conceive your astonlshment at my sup
posed temerity. You, sir and the ingenious,
contiding people of our State, have been grossly
abused and practised upon by the organs Of poll
teal information. Would you believe it-could
YOU imagine, that editors, born and bred as gem
tlemen, recognizing in their private walk the
courteses of life, the obligations OF strict truth
could be so far seduced from that which is
due to themselves and to their responsible and
respectable postlon-as upon the great question
of our interest and our ieelings-our existence
and our point of honor-that they could be in
duced TO injure one whom in need had proved
himself friend TO his orn hurt-by cutting
one Of his letters in tlco, and suppressng the
portion which indicated the consistency of his
life and his opinons-goried in the martyrdom
he had suffered for US and repeated and enforced
the generous principles OF an enlarged patriot
ism and devotion to the Constitution, which
prompted the noble sacrifice of SELF, TO the South
and the Union. If, sir you have ever read the
,choie of the letter or address, written to the
people Of his district, by Gen. Harrison, when a
candidate for Congress, Immediately after the
Missouri question, you can appreciate the extent
Of the ungencroue and unteeling injury whish
has been done him.
If your information has been confined to the
first portion of that address-the only know
ledge permitted or enjoyed by a large portion of
our population--you will have read of the fide-
ty Of Jirginian, to the abstract principles en-
tertalned by Washington, Jefferson, Madison,
and Marshall, and NOT been aitolred TO read of
that EVERYTHING FIDELITY to the Constitution,
which confined the application of those abstract
principles TO his own individual State. and for
babe them 10 be intruded upon others this
oyerrullng fidelity, contained in the latter por-
ton OF the address, being suppressed, and the
unsuspicious people of our State induced to be
lieve that Gen Harrison is an abolitionist, when
he cheerfully and deliberately laid down his po-
litical life rather than to be and violate the
rights Of others. In commenting upon this In
stance of mutilatlon, perverslon and suppress
sion, il was not my intention to vindicate Gen.
/ Harrison from the wicked imputaton of aboli-
ton-but to offer it as an illustration, of the
manner in which you and our people have been
informed and abused, and to account to the
/ world for your otherwise unaccountabe delu-
sion. And here would remark, that however
culpable the press may be, it is scarcely to be
censured, for thus beraying those who, depend
| upon ii for light, when we consider the icen-
tousncss of statement, which has been exhi-
bited by leading public men, more distinctly
charged as more deeply intrusted with the wei
fare Of the State, and the faithful guidance o.
their fellow citizens The painful conviction
has been forced upon me, that the State has re-
ceived deep wound, by the utter looseness OF
principle, with which this war has been waged
| may put too high an estimate upon its pas
character, but, sir, it has seemed to me, thai
there has been precipitous descent from thai
candor and fairness of spirit, which | have al
ways regarded as the marked attributes of oul
/ State. and the sources of its unequaed mora
power and elevated standing in the confedera
4 cy. We are but handful, sir, and our strength
4 depends upon our -valor--truth--clo
-wisdon--are our numbers and our pow
er--and he who brings our integrity into ques
ton DESTROYS us.
1t is hardly pertinent TO remark upon your so
Tenn detestalon of log cabins and hard cider, as
an objection TO Gen Harrison. With this you
will admit that he has nothing TO do-no more
than Gen. jackson, with the groves of hickory
which some time shaded and adorned our cities
1t IS not reasonable TO hope for any sympathy
/ from you, in the buoyant outbreak OF popular
4 feeling, which has converted into rallying cry
and sign of victory, hordcs of contumely ant
scorn. The shouts which rise up from thos,
vast and cheerful and enthusiastic assembage.
Of your fellow citizens, must fall with an un
\ grateful and harsh dissonancc upon a spirit, IN
4 love with solitude and gloom, and impatient o
all gay sights and sounds. But, sir, would
even expect from your calmer judgment in {
pleasant moment the confession, that the in
tended insult has been followed by its natura
result and that it is in the heart of man, TO con
vert the cmbems of uHdeserred degradation and
insult into symbols Of honor and triumph.
Gire Gep, Harrison $4,000 year and q
barrel 81 hard cider, and our rord for IL, h.
| rW st contented for he remainder Of his day,
II his Toe cabin on me banks Of the Ohio"
This sir, of the soldier and the farmer, whC
had led armies to victory, and won the solemn
thanks of his country Deeply read, as yot