The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-02

same effects and as long as the love Of power is a
dominant passion Of the human BOSOM and long as
the understandings OF men can be warped, and their
affections changed by operations upon their passions
and preudices, long will the liberties of people de-
pend their constant attention to its
The danger 10 all we-eslabshed free Govern
ments arises from the unwingness Of the people TO
believe IN It's existence, from the influence Of de-
signing men, dyerting their attention from the guar
ter whence il approaches, to from which il
can never come. This is the old trick of those who
would usurp the government of their country la the
name OF Democracy they speak, warning the people
against the influence of wealth, and the danger Of
aristocracy. History ancient and modern il inll of
such examples. Casar became the master of the
Roman people and the Senate under the pretence of
supporting the demot ratio claims of the former against
the aristocracy of the latter Cromwell in the char
acer OF Protector Of the Liberties of the people be-
came the Dictator of England, and Bolivar possessed
himself of unlimited power with the title Of his conn
! rys Liberator. There is on the contrary no single
instance record, of an. extensive and wel-estab-
shed Republic being changed into an Arstocracy
The tendencies OF all such governments in their de-
cline, Is TO Monarchy and the antagonist principe
to liberty, there is the spirit of faction-a spirit
which assumes the character, and in times of great
excitement imposes itself upon the people as the ce-
nune spirit of freedom and, like the false Christs
whose coming was foreold by the Saviour seeks and
were possible would impose upon the true and most
faithful disciples of liberty Il is in periods like this
that i behooyes the people to be watchfu of those
TO whom they have entrusted power. And although
there IS at times much difficulty in Distinguishing the
false from the true spirit, calm and dispassonate in
vestigaton will detect the counterfeit as well by the cha
racter OF Its operations the results that are Produced
The true spirit of liberty although devoted persever-
ing, bold, and uncompromisng in principle-that
secured-is mild and tolerant and scrupulous as to
the means It employs; whilst the spirit Of party,
sumng to be that OF liberty is harsh, vndictive and
intolerant, and totally reckless as to the character
Of the allies which il brings to the aid of its cause
When the genuine spirit oflherty animates the BODY Of
people to thorough examination of their affairs il
leads TO the excsion Of every excrescence which NAV
have fastened itself upon any OF the departments of the
government and restores the system TO its pristine health
and beauty. But the reign of intolerant spirit of
party amongst free people, seldom fails result in
dangerous accession TO the Executive power-intro-
duced and established amidst unusual professions of
devotion to Democracy.
The foregoing remarks relate, almost exclusively to
matters connected with domestic concerns 1t
may be proper, however, that should give some in
dlcations to my feowcitizens of my proposed
OF conduct IN the management of foreign relations
assure them, therefore, that il my intention to use
every means IN my power TO preserve the friendly in
tercourse which now SO happily subsists with every
foreign nation. And that although, of course not
well informed TO the state of pending negotiations
with any Of them see, in the personal characters of
the soveregns well the mutual interests Of our
own and OF the Governments with which our rea-
lions are most intimate pleasing guaranty that the
harmony important to the interests other subjects
well Of citizens will be interrupted by the
advancement of any claim pretension upon their
part TO which honor would not permit us to Weld
Long the defender o, my countys rights in the field
trust that my fellow citizens will see in my ear
nest desire to preserve peace with foreign powers
indication that their rights will ever be sacrificed or
the honor of the nation furnished by any admission
the part of their Chief Magistrate unworthy of their
former glory In our intercourse with our aboriginal
neighbors the same liberaty and justice which mark
ed the course prescribed to by two of my lusrous
predecessors, when acting under their direction in
the discharge Of the duties of Superintendent and
Commissioner, shall be strictly observed. can con
ceive Of no more sublime spectacle more likely
to proptate an impartial and common cieator-than
rigid adherence to the principles ofjustice, the
part OF powerful nation, in its transactions with a
weaker and uncivilized people, whom circumstances
| have placed at its disposal
j Before concluding, fellow-ctze ms, must say some
thing TO you ON the subject Of the parties at this time
existing in our country To me it appears perfectly
clear that the interest of that country requires tina,
the violence of the spirit by which those parties at
this time governed, must be greatly mitigatcd, if not
entirely exInguished, or consequences will ensue
which are appalling to be thought Of
i If parties in Republic necessary 10 secure
degree of vigilance sufficient to keep the public func-
tonaries within the bounds of law and duty at that
point their usefulness ends beyond that they become
!
tagons TO that Of liberty and eventually its lnevita-
bic conqueror We have examples of Republics where
the love of country and OF liberty at time the
dominant passions ofthe whole mass ofczens and yet
with the continuance ofthe name and forms free gov
eminent not yesge of these qualities remaining the
hosoms any ofits citizens 1t was the beautiful re-
mark of distinguished English writer that in the Ro
man Senate Octav'us had party, and Anthony par
~, but the Commonwealth had none" Yet the Sen
ate continued to meet in the Temple of Liberty to
| If q Ia and hoa,,f
wealth. and gaze the statues of the elder Brutus and
of the Curtn and Decii; and the people assembled in
the forum, not in the days of Camillus and the
Scpios TO cast their free votes for annual magistrates
pass upon the acts of the Senate but to receive from
the hands Of the leaders of the respective parties their
share Of the spos, and to shout for one or the
other, those collected in Gaul or Egypt and the
lesser Asia would furnish the larger dividend. The
spirit of liberty had fled, and avoiding the abodes of
civilized man had sought protection IN the wilds of
Scythia or Scandinavia. And so under the operation
of the same and influences it will hy from our
Capitol and our forums; calamity awful, not
only 10 country, but to he world, must be depre
Gated by every patriot and every tendency to state of
things likely produce Immediately checked Such
tendency has exsted-does exist Always the friend oil
my countrymrn never their aitcTe it becomes my duty
say To Them from his high place To which their par
aEty has exalted me, that there exists in the land
spirit hostile TO their best inlercsshostIle to liberty
itself It's spirit contracted IN its yews-seliish in
its objects 1t looks TO the aggrandzement OF few
even 10 the destruction of the interest Of the whole |
The entire remedy IS with the people. Something,
however, inay he effected hy the means which they
have placed in my hands. II is union that we want,
not party Tor the sake Of that party, but union
of the hole country, for the sake OF the hole
try For the defence of its interests and its honor
agains, foreign aggresslon-tor the defence of those
principles for which ancestors so gorlously CON
tended As far il depends upon me, 1t shall be ac
compshed, AL the influence that possess shall be
exered to prevent the formation at least of an ExeSu
tive party in the halls OF the legislative body. | wish |
for the support OF no member Of that body to any
measure OF mine that does not satisfy his judgment
and his sense Of duty to those from whom he holds |
his appointment. Nor any confidence in advance
from the people but that asked for by Mr. Jefferson
80 give irmness aad effect TO the legal admnisira-