The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-10-27

Why, gentlemen, kings and queens OF old, and pro-
badly in modern tmes, have had their fayorlies and
| they have given them unbounded trust. Well there
are sometimes among the people persons who are no
wiser than kings and queens who have fayones ALSO
and give 10 those avores the same blind trust and
confidence Hence il is very difficult, nay sometimes
impossible, TO convince party that the man al lis
head exercises undue amount OF power. Ihey
say he Is our frienl the more power he Yields, ine
better for because he will weld it for benefit
There are two sorts of Republicans Ia the world one
sa very good sort the other, think quite indifferent
he latter not what power persons Office pos
sess they have the election persons They
are quite willing their favonteJ should exercise oil
/ power, and are perfectly content with the tenden
cies OF Government 10 elective despotism n they
may choose the at the head OF it, and more espe-
ciaiy II they have chance OF being chosen them
selves That is one sort OF Republicansm. But that
| is not our American liberty that is not the Repubi
caDsm of the United States, and especially Of the
State Of Virginia Virginians do not rush out into
that extravagant confidence in men they are for
straniBg power by law they are for hedging in and
strictly guarding all who exercise it. They look upon
all who in office limited agents, and will not re
pose too much trust in any. That is Amencan Re-
pubicanism. What ii that Thomas Jefferson
| said with 30 much emphasis Have we found angels
| in the form of men to govern us1 However 1t might
have been then, we Of this day may answer no, no
| Loud laughterl We have found them at least like
others, :" a little io,oer than the angels" Roars of
laughter In the same spirit he has said, an elective
despotism Is not the Government fought for. And
that is But fathers fought for limited Go
vernment-a Government hedged an round with secu-
rities-or, as heard distinguished of Virginia
say one fenced in with ten rails and top rider
Loud laughter
Gentlemen a distinguished lover of liberty Of eur
time, in another hemisphere said with apparent
paradox that the quaint ~ Of liberty in any country is
exactly equal to the quantity Of restraints because #
Government Is restrained from putting Its hand upon
you to that extent you free and all regular liberty
consists in putting restraints upon Government and
individuals, so that they shall not interfere with your
freedom of action and purpose. You may easily sim
pify Government; shallow thinkers talk of sim
pie Government; Turkey is the simplest Govern
ment in the world But if you wish to secure entire
personal liberty you must multiply restraints upon the
Government that it cannot 60 further than the pub
lie good requires. Then you may be free, and not
otherwise.
Another great power by which Executive influence
augments itself, especially when the who yields
1t stands at the head OF party consists in the use OF
names Mirabeau said that words are things, and
they But believe that they often fraudulent
things though always possessed of real power The
faculty OF taking to ourselves popular and giving
AN unpopular name TO an adversary is faculty of
very great concern in politics. put to you gentle
men, whether, for the last month or two, the whole
power of this Government has not consisted chiefly in
the discharge of shower of hard names. Have you
for month past heard any man defend the Subtrea-
suryl Have you seen any man during that time burn
his fingers by taking hold of Mr. Poinsetts Militia
project Their whole resort has been to pour out
upon tide of denunciation arstocrats, arsto
deserved designation of true Democrats. How cheer
ing how delightful that man, independent of any
regard to his own character worth may thus range
himself under banner the most acceptable OF all others
to his fellow citizens. 1t is with false patriotism
with base money: all relies the stamp 1t does
wish to be weighed it hates the scales it is thrown
into horrors at the crucible must all 60 by tale; it
holds out the Kings head with his name and SUPER
scrption, and, if challenged, replies Do you
| the stamp my forehead : belong to the Demo-
cratic family--make me current Loud laughter and
cheeringl But we live in age too enlightened
be gued ty this business of stamping; have learn
ed TO inquire into the true and value of things
democracy most surely is not term of reproach but
OF respect Our Government is constitutional, De-
mocratic Republican Government, and ii they mean
that only, there is will dispute that they good
Democrats But if they set up qualifications and dis
tnctiOns, if there genera dnd species, it may
quire twenty political Linneuses say to which cas-
| sifcaton they belong
! There is another contrivance for the increase of
Executive power, which utterly abhorrent all true
patriots, and against which, in especial manner,
Gen Washington has left his lewell injunction
l mean the constant recurrence local differences,
prejudces, and jealousies That is the great bane
and curse tl,,s lovely country Of That coun-
| try extends vast extent Of territory hence
there are few from among Us in Massac husetts who
enjoy The advants of personal intercourse with
our friends in Virginia, and but few OF you who visit
us in Massac .iusetts; the South j. still more remote
the difference which EXISTS HABITS and pursuits
tween us enables the enemy TO tares by exciting
Il. l.
tually ascribed to which neither ever entertained
BY this party press is enabled destroy that
generous spirit OF brotherhood which should be-
tween US. All pa .otic ought carefully guard
| themselves against the effect of art like these
| And here am brough TO advert for moment
to what constantly in ali the A. .lnstration p4
pers, from Baltimore South. 1t is perpetual
cry, admonish ng the people of the South that their
own State Governments, and tine property they hold
under Them are not secure they admit a Northern
man to any considerable share in the administration
/ OF the General Government. You all know that that
i is the universal cry. Now | have spoken my sent-
ments in the neighbor rood of Virginia though not
actually within the State in June last and aran in
the heart OF Massachusetts in July SO that is not
now that proclaim them for the FIRST time but fur
| ther ten years ago, when obliged to speak this
subject, uttered the same scntin mt in regaru
TO slavery and to the absence of all power in Congress
to Interfere, in any whatever with that sub
ject. shall ask friend connected with the press
TO circulate in Virginia what said this subject in
the Senate of the United States in January, 1890
have nothing to add to subsract fron what then
said | commend it TO your attention. or rather de-
sire you to look at it, hold that Congress is ALSO
lutey precuded from interfering in any manner direct
indirect with this with any other of the insitu
tons Of the States The cheering here loud and
long continued, and from the crowd exclaimed
" We wish this could be heard from Maryland TO
Louisiana, and desire that the sentiment just
pressed may be repeated Repeat repeat" Well,
repeat it-procaim it on the wings Of all the winds
tell tito all your friends-[crics Of 1--WE will WHIP
tell il, Isay that standing here in the Capitol of
Virginia beneath October sun in the midst of this
assemblage before the entire country and upon all the
responsibility which belongs to me, say that there is
power, direct or indirect in Congress or the Gene
raj Government, to interfere in the slightest degree
with the institutions of the South. Immense cheer
ing, and voice from the crowd exclaimed THAT il
two thousand votes for Hanison."l
And now said Mr.. w. ask you only to do me
one favor. fWeTdit] / ask you to carry that pa
home 1--we will will 4 -