Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-03-09
THE INAUGURAL.

Ihis paper Websterian throughout Full of
profession oisocitude for the maintenance OF popular
institutions, II directs the eyes of all the enemies of
the Democracy to the only acticable mode of des
oying IT. Ii, at the same time labors TO divert ,bs
attention OF the people from the real power which
endangerL their rights. by exciting their apprehen-
SONS against that which, emansting Immediately
from themselves, has hitherto proved their best de-.
fence.
AT every step in this Inaugural, il will be found
that the Constitution is itself assled and on thai
very point where the popular will is most potent
~ eoncentrated-n the first officer of the Renub
ic--Ihe Constitution vested in the people the cleo
ton OF President, at short Intervals that he might
De Immediately responsible TO them. Thew made
HIM re,egibe. that all his hopes andears might rest
upon their will; and they gave him the pow err of the
Velo, mat ne might interPose IN their behalf-migat
arrest laws and charters, tie offspring of selfish
COMB niuons among the Legislators endan ERIN,
their rights, and so enable the people to brns ib.,
own authority 10 bear upon them in subsequent
elections.
All these features are condemned by Mr. wsbs,sr
IN the Inaugural; and why7 Have not the Amer;c,n
people found IN their chief officer, as al present
mountaineering all to them in the FIRST ns,nnc.
ana expecting all from their favor, in setting final.
y hrs character in future electons-their rues, nd
best rePreseniativesl Were not Washington. Jef
lerson, Madison, Monroe. Jackson--the two term
observation-disclosures guardians Of our popular insti.
tuuonsi And was the veto power as exerted hv
any one OF them, ever employed but as barrier 10
sons vetoes were put forth TO protect the neon,,s
rights from the invasion ola Bank aris,ocreev She
uIstrionllon oil the public domain among them--the
creation OF national debt to establish a Svxt.o, 81
internal improvement for their benefit MIR Van
buren, has fallen in the attempt TO arres, the s,,5
OF this same gigantic moneyed oligarchy reaching
from both sides Of the Atlantic, to grasp again The
whoie treasure oil the nation. And now the art of
Mr.. Webster Is TO seize the moment of ,riumnb
over a martyr IN The popular cause, to bring into
suspicion me power OF the popular Office in which
he was struck down for the calamities which his
enemies, and the banking institutions thew WELD
nave Drought upon The country.-lGLobe.
We are glad to meet with such a paragrapb in
the Globe. IL presents the true issue between the
two great parties of the country-th. Wbio and
Tory, or Republican and Monarchcll. IL defines
more distinctly and broadly, than we had ventured
10 nope, the great dividing line between Liberty and
DesPousm. Gen. Harrison, re- echoins the senti
ments of Patrick Henry. George Mason, George
Wythe and Thomas Jefferson, warns his country
men that the great danger 10 their liberties il n he
aPprehended from the Executiye-which heinz n
unit, and already clothed with too much power is
forever stealing more from the other Departments
and from the people. He assures his countrvmen
that he will exert the influence of his station 10
curb the power Of the Executive, which has inersas
ed, Is increasing and ought TO be diminished. In
this, he but uters the sentiments and convictions Of
all the enlightened Republicans Of the land and
IN this, he will lie sustained by the people of tbi,
country, who owe freedom foe its own sake and for
the blessings it imparts
The Globe, however, representing the an,sponi.t
and monarchica party, acting out its principles de-
nounces these sound republican views, and utters
opinions, which are only suited to the region of
Russia. The President, according to this paragon
OF Democracy, is not the mere chief magistrate of
aree people-the mere organ and insrumen Mt for car
rying out their wishes-but he is, or ought TO be.
invested with absolute power to protect the people
from the effects of their acts. They are inca
pable OF self-gOvernment, and must have a Master
to save them from themselves. We have long be-
lieTed, because their studied acknowledgement Of the
Executive warranted the belief, that these we're the
sentiments Of the defeated fiction; but we never
before saw them so fully and explicitly avowed-
We invoke the serious consideration Of the country
to the Globes article; and we challenge any man
to give u any other construction than that which
we have done. II explicitly and in terms declares,
that the President is the guardian Of the people,
and that he cannot have too much power to rule the
people TO theirown good.
Wet1kc issue on this point with tho organ Of the
deiunct faction, and we appeal to the peop!e. Gen.
Harrison's views in favour Of a limited Executive.
are those only which are compatible with public
liberty. The antagonist views Of the Globe, are
those, which only monarohsl would employ, and
are utterly subversive Of free institutions.