The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-09-29
M course 70 Be thus tied up BY pledges and

| once In ONCE. tnetTihBJ hie ny .,s+s.I
this topic correct, or are they not? WIN one
voice the multitude indicated they were:) !.
| II. fellow-citizens, we examine the history OF
all Republics, we shall find they recedeu on
the purity Of Representative Governhen. ~.
condition OF obtaining Office was inc hakins =
promises. He who bid the highest m promises
was the favored candidate, and the higher 'he
bids, the more marked and certain tne cofruP
ton Look at the progress OF TINS 'hing IN our y,
own Republic Were any pledges required o.
your Washington or your Adams aa IS
! statesman was bound TO carry out the princi-
nles az his party. Was his successor, Thomas
Jefferson, the high priest of constitutional de-
mocracy, called for pledges NO. his
whole fife was a pledge of what he would do.
And il we 90 back TO this old system OF select
ing men for the Presidency, whose past career
shall be a guarantee OF their conduct when
elected 10 the Chief Magistracy OF the Repub-
lie, the nation would advance safely, rapidly,
and surely, in the path OF prosperity put OF
late years, the corruptng system OF requiring
pledges hath been adopted. The Presidency
hath been put up TO the highest bidder IN prom
ises, and we see the result. II remains Tor you,
nv owcitizens, 10 arrest this course OF
things. Cries olive will, we Will
While. then, fellow citizens, have never
hestated 10 declare my opinions on proper occa-
sons upon the great questions before the natioh'
| cannot consent TO make mere promises the
condition Of obtaining the office which you kind
" wish to bestow upon me. My opinions am
free 10 express, but you already have them, sus-
tanned and supported by the acts Of long and
arduous life That life is pledge OF my future
course, if | am elevated by your sufirages TO the
highest Office in your gift. Immense cheering
for several seconds
Il has been charged against me, fellow-citi-
zens, that am Federalist. While acknow-
ledge that the original federal party OF this coun-
try was actuated in its course by no improper
motives, | deny that ever belonged to that class
of politicians. tremendous cheering) How
could belong to that party Twas educated in
the school of anti-federalism, and though too
young to take an active part in the politics OF
the country, when, at the erection OF the Con-
stituton the nation was divided into twogreat par
ties, my honored father had indicted me into
the principles of Constitutional Democracy, and
my teachers were the Henrys and the Masons oil
that period. He who declared that the seeds OF
were sown in the soil Of the Consttu-
tion was a leader in my school OF politics. lie
who said that 6 if this Government be not mo-
narchy, it has an awful squirting towards mo-
narchy," was my Mentor Immense applause.
Some time elapsed before order could be restored
at hearing these emphatic declarations of the
GENERALLY If know my own feelings, if know
my own Judgment, ! believe now as did then,
with the patriarch of the Jefersonian school, that
the seeds of monarchy were indeed sown in the
fertile soil of our Federal Constitution, and that
though, for nearly fifty years. they lay dormant,
they at last sprouted and shot forth into strong
and thriving plants, bearing blossoms and pro-
ducing ripe fruit This Government IS nop a
Monarchy! Loud and long cheer
ing, indicating that the people felt the full force
r IL atfnrp
not by what name il is called The head Of the
Government exercising monarchical power may
be named King, Emperor, President or lmaum,
(great laugh1er) still he is monarch. But this
is not all The President Of these United States
exercises power superior to that vested in the
hands Of nearly all the European Kings. 1t is
power far greater than that ever dreamed of by
the old federal party.
1t is an ultra federal power, it is despotism
(Cheering.) And ! may here advert to an OBJ
lection that has been made against me. II has
been said, that if ever should arrive at the dig
nifed station occupied by my opponent, would
be glad and eager to retain the power enjoyed
by the President of the United States. Nerer,
nerer. Tremendous cheering.) Though averse
from pledges of every sort, here openly and
before the world declare that will use all the
power and influence vested in the Office Of Pre-
sident of the Union to abridge the power and
influence of the National Executive! Git is i'm
possible to describe the sensation produced by
this decaration.) Is this federalism2 (Cries
of no, no, for several seconds) In the Consti-
tuition, that glorious charter of Liberties, there
is a defect, and that defect is, the term of SER
vice of the President was not limited. This
is the source of all the evils under which
the country is laboring If the privilege Of be-
ing President of the United States had been
limited to one term, the incumbent would devote
all his time to the public interest, and there
would be no cause to misrule the country. shall
not animadvert on the conduct OF the present
Administration, lest you may, in that case, con-
ceive that am aiming for the Presidency touse
it for selfish purposes. should be an interested
witness if ! entered into the subject. But !
pledge myself before Hearen and earth, II
elected President Of these United States, TO
lag doun at the end fthe term faithfully that
high trust at the feet Of the People! (Here
the multitude was so excited as TO defy descrip-
tom go farther. | here declare before this
vast assembly of the Miami Tribe (great laugh
ter) that if | am elected, no human being shall
ever know upon whom would prefer to see the
peoples mantle fall. But shall surrender this
glorious badge of their authority into their own
hands TO bestow it as they please (nine cheers. }
Is this tederasm2 (no, no, no. Again, IN re-
lation TO the charge Of being a federalist, | can
refer to the doings previous to, and during the
late war The federal party took ground against
that war. and, as party, there never existed a
purer band of patriots, for when the note OF
strife was sounded, they rallied under the banner
of their country. But, patriotic as they were
do know that l tras not one Of them! (cheer-
ing) | was denounced in unmeasured terms,
as one of the authors of that war, and was held
up by the federal papers Of the day as the marked
object of that party | could here name the man
who came TO me, and more worthy man never
lived, to say that he was mistaken in his views
of my policy, as Governor of Indiana, when
was charged by the federalists uselessly in
volving the country in an Indian war. He told
me that | acted rightly in that matter, and that
the war was brought on by me as a matter OF
necessity, (Cries of-name him name him.