The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-04

party endeayoring 10 suppiant MN IN favor VI a oP
ponen alledging desire for peace! Should an oppo
nent, under such circumstances, come INTO power,
there would be danger of his changing, nunousiy 10
the nation, the Of policy adopted by the govern
ment.
If candidates for the Presidential office, neither OF
whom is President opposed TO each other, he who
is elected will necessarily come IN as the opponent
of the preceding administration. But II the President
is candidate, and rejseted, the expiring admnstra-
ton may adopt measures, which 1t would not other
wise have adopted Thus, when John Adams was
rejected by the nation, his political friends passed
law for discharging great part OF the oicers ana
| seamen of the Navy OF the United States and d.
reced the sale of two-thirds OF the vessels OF war
| ask would Mr. Adams, whose attachment TO a Navy
is known, have approved of act reducing the Navy
from thirty eight vessels of war; all aoat TO thirteen,
only six OF which were TO continue afoat had he been
elected, or had he not been ousted by an opponent F.
Would he who, think you sir, have sanctioned bill,
the Sd of March, 1901 discharging three hun
bred officers of the American Navy, had he been
tinued for another four years commander nchief of
| that Nayy1 believe that he would not.
have said that the tranquility Of the nation requires
that the President should not be candidate.
| Sir, when the President shall be candidate, the
tranquility of the country will be disturbed. hiseven
probable that may be engaged in II II will I'M
crease the popularity of the President Perhaps
quasi with France might have been avoided, had
il not seemed that to the people against France
was to augment the popularity of the President who
/ was a candidate A civil war may be provoked a
measure very likely to strengthen those who admin
| lister the Government. Some State may be goaded in
TO resistance, and blood may flow Arevolt suppressed
always strengthens the arm of governments and thus
| the reelection of the President might be secured.
| The President will have the strongest motives TO
endeavor to be reelected for posterty will consider
that President who, being candidate, shall not be
elected second time as one weighed IN the balance
and found wanting" He will, therefore, every
means in his power to secure his reelection. Now,
let us contemplate his means. He will have all the
power and resources of the Executive branch of the
Government at his disposal All the powers of the
Administration will be brought To influence the cleo
ton in his favor There ten thousand officers of
the Government who may he displaced at the pleasure of
the President. This influence will be equal to one
hundred thousand votes. These officers may inter-
fere in every election in the States. We may
erons made to influence elections OF Governors and
members of Congress. What will be the consequence
The election Of President will produce intense in
terest The opponents of the President will rouse
| themselves to such exeron the case demands.
They will consider that mighty effort is necessary
because the powers ofths Government and all its con-
tingent funds, on the other side. We have seen
the consequence when John Adams President,
and a candidate Perhaps the sEDiTIoN LAW was
passed to his reelection by silencmg opposi
ton We have the effects OF the late contest in
which the President candidate Every State
election effected by that for President
/ 1t owing to the circumstance that one of the
| candidates in power that those contests became
fierce and threatening. From the immense power,
patronage and influence of the office, it to be ex
pected that he who is in possession w make great e
forts retain it, II has not been when the Pres
dent not candidate. The nation not thus
4 agtated when John Adams was elected nor when
| Madison was first elected; nor when Monroe was
first elected; was it so when the present Presi-
dent elected, although he, with Crawford, Clay,
and Jackson all before the people candidates
| at the time neither of them President 1t
not then the interest of the Executive Government
to put down any candidate The Government was
neutral But lately two Of these candidates have agi
atadt he kyh u
longer neutral of the candidates was President.
We then have proof by experience, that an election
between new men, neither being in power, will not
disturb the tranquility Of the country and that if
one of the candidates is President it will. Exclude
the President from being candidate and then, dur
ing the canvass, the Government may remain ncu-
trail, and the n-tion tranquil.
Sir it is inconsistent with the fairness of elections
| for the President to be a candidate.
Topreserve our institutions fair elections free from
| all undue influence, are most desirable Such you
cannot expect during the term of President who is
candidate. Every election for President ought to be
fair appeal to the deliberate judgment of the people
The candidates for this great office ought to come be-
fore the people equal terms, neither possessing the
means of exertng undue influence. What can be
more unequal, that in election to be made by the
poodle of the candidates already yields the whole
power and resources Of the Government?
| If it shall be said, that the elected will have
then the means of rewardng his supporters, reply
| let each possess that chance equally But the Presi-
|
warding his friends
Thus John Adams after his rejection by the people
appointed many officers; six of whom were members
| of Congress. have said that an election should be
fair appeal to the uninuenced judgment of the peo
pie. How election be fair, when the business
of the administration draws into its service hun
| drcd presses, which exercise immense influence
over the public mind | understand that single
office of the government takes from 26 presses less
| than $50 newspapers.
Although that respectable and powerful body ofmeii
the officers of the United States can never be neutral
when the President is a candidate yet between new
men, net possessing power they will divide like other
citizens, and will not, as class be dangerous. How
il be expected that they will vote freely and unn
fluenced when their salaries perhaps their whole in
come, depend on the pleasure Of one of the candi-
dates
! If the Chief Magistrate of a nation, by whatever
title he may be distinguished, shall come, as a cand-
date before that people whom he rules with
powerless private citizen as his opponent fair dis
passionate election is not to be expected 1t is true
this great influence has been twice overcome in the
United States; but that neither proves that the inu
ence docs not exist that it is not dangerous The
party in opposition had it their power both of
those occasions to bring forward extraordinary men
No one but Thomas Jefferson could have defeated the
first Adams. No one but Andrew Jackson could have
defeated the second Such is the advantage of pos
sassing power
Sir when private men only are candidates the cleo
ton will not affect the honor the welfare the
guilty of the nation, the fairness of elections
1t would not IN the year past have been asked
test, in every State election, whether the candidates
were for Jackson Adams had not that question
been OF the same import another" are YOU for or
against the present administration of the federal 90
vernment = One party, perhaps, conceive that they
were called upon by their loyalty to the government,
to support the administration. The ether party con
ceived that their sacred regard for the rights and ber
ties of the people required that they should aid in put
ting down the administration. No man. or set of men
coult possibly have produced the excitement,
had the candidates been both private citizens appeal
to gentlemen TO say whether the late presidential can
vass has not produced state of political hostility and