The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-05
MR.. CUSHING'S ADDRESS
TO HIS coNTITuENTs.


amid the cares of the busiest Congress OF our
times, il has been impossible for me TO discharge
by individual letter las in order 10 render 10 all
an account of my stewardship thus far as your
Representatye,-to address you in this form on
the great public questions, which now occupy
the thoughts of the people of the United States.
A few words only, beforehand, in personal
relation.
II has been my anxious endeavor, at the late
important question, SO TO act in all things as TO
guard your honor and interests, and those of our
great common country.
My votes in The House Of Representatives,
on the several measures before Congress, speak
for themselves
In respect of all but one Of these measures,
there was, you know, perfect concord Of action
on the part of the two Houses Of Congress and
the President. Concerning one OF them, he and
they differed.
On the great political question,-as 10 what
course of conduct should be pursued by Con
gress in view Of this difference, what judgment
ought To be passed on his action, and on the
consequences OF that difierence,--it would have
been easy for me TO shun apparent responsible
~, leaving events to their own course.
But contingencies arose, thereupon, in which
TO be passive was to yield way, as il seemed TO
me, TO bad and foolish counsels, and inacton
became in its effect the worst of action, and to
"NfuitsSS tuulSly III uoiHP was 10 make
ones self as truly responsible for It as TO parake
in ITS preparation.
Besides which, in my estimation of the duties
OF one in public station, if he have clear convic
tons OF right, he is bound, time and place fitting
to strike in behalf Of the good cause
On account fmy conduct in these questions,
involving as they do great personal and political
interests, and stirring the passions of men, much
obloquy has been cast upon me by presses out
OF my District, and for the most part out Of the
Commonwealth OF Massachusetts, which have
volunteered TO influence or to anticipate your
judgment on your Representative.
BE il so. have nothing TO say in that re-
gard. contenedly submit myself, therein, to
the sober sense of the people, and the all-recti-
flying influences of time.
II is the public question, and that alone, which
demands immediate attention. | proceed at
once TO that.
A Caucus Dictatorship has been set up in
Congress, which, not satisfied with ruling that
body to the extinguishment of individual free
dom OF opinion, seeks to control the President
in his proper sphere of duty, denounces him be-
fore you for refusing 10 surrender his ndepend-
ence and his conscience to its decree, and pro-
poses, through subversion of the fundamental
provisions and principles Of the Constitution, to
usurp the command Of the Government
1t is aqueston, therefore, in fact, not of legis-
latlve measures, but OF revolution.
What is the visible, and the only professed,
origin of these extraordinary movements
The Wing party in Congress have been ex-
tremey DESTROYS TO cause a law to be enacted at
the late session, incorporating National Bank
Encounterng, in the Veto Of the President, a
constitutional obstacle to the enactment of such
a law at the late session, certain portion of
the Wing party, represented by the Caucus
Dictatorship, proceeds then, in the beginning,
to denounce the President.
Will you concur in this denuncation of the
President?
The answer TO this inquiry resolves itself into,
first question of expediency; and, secondly
one of principle.
First, as question of expo diency, it involves
the following (among other) points OF the cui
bono:
To do So dissolves the Wing Administration,
composed OF two necessary parts, namely,
united Wing President and Wing Congress
Is not Wing Administration of more i'm
portance than to have a Bank at a given mo-
ment Of timc2
Is it not worth more, for other purposes Of
good it may accomplish, than any mere corpo-
ration2
The Wing Administration dissolved, will
any other Administration give you a Bank2
In what does it advantage the Wing party,
to sink itself into minority in all or any Of the
States of the Union 2
Separating from the Wing Administration,
what is to be the condition of the Wing party ?
Is it to be an Administration or Opposition
Party organization is a secondary incl
dental fact but constitutional order, in the re-
gular action of government and laws, is ne
cessary fact.
This regular action of government and laws,
seeding Wings (be they ever so many cannot
stop, if they would. Ii must and will go on
Do they desire to go on 1cithoat them? If so,
by and through whom2
When Lord GrenviIe broke up the Wing
party of England, in 1907, by the unreasonable
pressure of some great question, and its conse-
quent loss,--" Why" said Sheridan, did they
not put it of, as Fox did? | have heard of
men running their heads against wall but
this is the first time ever heard of men build
ing wall, and squaring it, and clamping it, for
the express purpose of knocking out their brains
against it," This BON mot of Sheridan's will
apply 10 the Wing party in Congress, if, on ac-
count of the failure of the Bank bill al the late
session, they secede from the Administration,
and set up as Iertium Quid in the Govern
ment, neither Administration nor Opposition.
AS such I'ertium Quid, neither Administra
ton nor Opposition, having no substantahissue
with the President but the Bank question, in
how many of the States can the seeding
Wings expect to maintain majority by means
of the merits exclusively of the Bank question
The Bank question apart, is it possible to
build up or maintain great political party on
the basis OF rescntments, or OF suTmises, suspi-
cions, or gossip injurious to the Administrator
Is not the country at present desirous OF poiiti-
cal repose? Anxious to attend to business Is
it possible TO work up the people into political
fever and keep them in II for three or four years
to come, in aid of the resentments and personal
chickering's of few politicians here?
The first access of passion over, will the
Wings continue to think that the occupation of
attempting to bite off ones own nose is pleasant
or profitable
viii it aid the Bank question to heap on it
sundry great projects Of revolutionary change
i'm the Constitution of the Federal Government7