The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-31
THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.

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There is general calm in political affairs.
There is repose like that Of weary bird on
the lulled wave. Politicians seem 10 think that
the present moment has no demands upon their
attention-all are good -humoredly talking over
the past or calmly looking into the future True,
now and then the Globe lashes itself into a boot
less fury about some weak imagining, and is
laughed at for its folly The newspapers occa-
slonally indulge in speculations about the policy
OF the coming administration. But the present
dynasty is regarded as past and gone-gone with
the old year, and with its power, its policy, and
its elements Of cohesion. All are waiting the
new movements of the waters-the new rising Of
the winds, and the birth Of new events-a new
year and the advent Of the new fruits Of the po-
litlcal regeneration.
II is our opinion, however, that the new bark
that IS about TO enter on the sea, is not TO have
merely pleasure sall, or an easy voyage. The
new administration has an herculean task before
Il, and this is imparting new knowledge
But it will inherit from the present dynasty, an
empty Treasury, an impractlcabe financial sys-
TEN, and heavy national debt II will, beside,
lind around II, embarrassed if not paralized in
dustry national, state and individual credit
greatly impaired, and in many instances totally
destroyed the currency deranged; all the great
interests Of the country the victims of an expe-
rlmenting and temporizlng policy; the offices in
the possession of men, who obtained or retained
their places by their hostility to the opinion and
policy which has triumphed in the selection Of
Gen Harrison; all the books, papers, and re-
cords of the nation as well as the public rev
enues in their hands, and possessing the exclu-
sive knowledge Of the secret condition of affairs;
both the Senate and House of Representatives
up to the very moment when Gen. Harrison
comes into power, devoted to the outgoing Pre-.
sident, and deeply interested in concealing his
false steps, and in palliating every thing often
sive TO the people This is the condition Of
affairs. What is the obvious policy to be pur-
sued
According to our judgment, the people have
left, for the incoming administration, very little
70 decide upon for them, but very much for il
to do. EXECUTE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE; and
the whole duty is comprehended. Repeal the
Sub Treasury humbug-restore to us a sound
mixed currency-cease the war on the credit
and enterprise of the country and let private
and public confidence thus at once revive. Set
tie the public land question-economize the ex-
penditures of the government-and, above all,
get honest and capable men into office. Let
partsans who have supplanted good men for
opinions sake, be in their turn displaced by re-
spectacle citizens. Let the Republican prin-
cple of rotation in Office be observed, and pro-
vided good selections of new men are made,
the public service will be every where, and in
all respects improved. To those officers who
have used the influence and privilege of their
station for electioneering purposes, let the JET
fersonian medicine be applied Elevate the
standard of official moras-iniuse life and en-
ergy into some of the dead limbs Of the service
maintain the independence of the three great
branches of the government, and all will bloom
and prosper again s'like the greenbay tree
To the great but glorious task before il, we
have no doubt the new administration will be
fully equal, and the 4th of March, 1871, will be
the date of new and suspicious era in the his
tory of the Republic.