The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-09-18
"A CANDID APPEAL TO THE MODE
RATE
THE DUTIES OF TINS CRISIS.

THE DUTIES OF THIS CRISIS.
There has been no period in the history ofou
republic when the state OF our affairs has more
peremptory demanded calm reflection on the
part of the people, than at this moment Dis
tracted, as we have often been, BY party CON
fiicts, threatening hazardous changes in our in
situations, there has heen nothing to shake our
confidence in the recuperative power of our sys-
TEN to right itself. But we have reached point
where severer trial awaits us; and by every tie
which binds us together-by all the love and
pride we bear for our country-by every consid-
Grafton Of home and kindred-we are called on
| take more wholesome and expanded views of
our condition.
The inevitable tendency of power is to corrup-
ton. 1t was from this pregnant text that the OPP
ponents Of the administrations Of the preceding
twenty years preached up the political crusade
which resulted in the election of General Jack
son. The people were induced to believe that
corruption had then reached dangerous limit,
and that the stern and intrepid virtue with
which his -partisans invested that distinguish
ed individual, was necessary to reform and pu-
rify the Government Misled by the daring
falsehoods which were hourly and systematcal-
ly poured into their ears, the people assented to
the change; and now, after twelve years expe-
rience of its effects, in what situation do we find
ourselves? Let every man pause and reflect
before he answers the question, and then let him
answer by action.
u foundation nj uSfp laid
in human wisdom, chastened by experience
History revealed mournful evidence Of the frail-
ty Of other republics All the democraces Of
former ages, Slapped by the inroads of corruption
degenerated to despotism. Warned by the bea-
con-lights which blaze above their ruins, to show
the rocks on which they persisted, the founders
of our system endeavored, by careful adapta-
ton of the republican principle TO the condition
and genius Of the people, TO establish it on a
basis which might defy the hostility of time and
circumstances. Hitherto in peace and in war,
the machinery had worked with admirable pre-
clslon and success, when, at the end of forty
years, the Executive to whom its direction was
entrusted, conceived the dangerous project of
taking it to pieces, for the ayowed purpose of
cleansing and re-adjusting its parts. Such was
the confidence of large portion of the people in
the patriotism of his purposes, that few if any
OF them could be brought TO suspect the exist
ence of covert motive, even amidst the most
glarlng violations Of the letter and spirit of the
constitution, and the boldest usurpations of pow
or; and II IS only now, when the administration
OF Government has passed into less popular
hands that suspicion and alarm have been per-
mitted TO take hold Of the people
II IS only now, when plant Congress has
abandoned its control of the public purse, and
Withdrawn It's constitutional guardianship of the
| Treasury-when the Executive has demanded
a standing army of two hundred thousand men
to enforce his purposes-when, in the progress
OF new and visionary experiment, the interests
of the people have been troddcn under foot, their
loud complaints dsregarded, and distress and
discomfort have taken up their abode in every
dweling-and when the creatures of the Presi-
dent declare their determination to secure his
reelection by am means, and at any cost; it is
| only now that public intelligence has taken the
alarm, and that public energy is arousing itself
| from its slumbers. We have suffered ourselves