The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-05
PARTISAN VIOLENCE.

mas worked himself up into violent rage against the
President and the Secretary of the Navy. The wrath
OF Achilles Is mere moonshine compared TO the sub
lime passion Of this redoubtable champion and his
distinctions of crime bid fair to rival the sage concu
sions Of that Justly celebrated magistrate, Master
Dogberry To knock down a Waterman is " fiat
burglary" To call Dogberry an ass is overt ,rea-
SON." Now, if this Editor had not such propensity
to explode on all occasions, would be apt TO sup
pose' from late article in his paper that The country
was on the verge Of volcano about to burst forth
and blow up the Republic, sky high But his fire.
quent anrums lave taught his readers to expect lit
tie else than smoke from his laboratory.
lie intimates that he has already convicted the Pre-
sden OF treason TO the Wing party, and that he is
now ehargeable with treason to the country He has
recently discovered book entitled the partisan
Leader containing treason against the United States
Having established the fact that the work is treason
able, he boldly asserts that the President "no,os"
that the Secretary of the Navy wrote the book and in
the same BREATH he says that the Secretary guilty
III he DC The author" Of the work in question. Now
il so happens that Judge Tucker the reputed author
Of the work. and thus the whole charge falls to the
ground, as the foolish offspring Of heated magma
ton.
Nevertheless, this book is made pretext for Zero
cious attack the President and the Secretary Of the
Navy. II is considered just such work would
lead TO the conviction and erecution" Of the author,
but for the important fact that act is necessary
to consummate high treason How very fortunate for
the President and his Secretary that the Constitution
renders il essential to crime that the act should be
committed Sancho Panza reasoned in regard to the
saF,,
when he least expected it." So it might be with the
President and Secretary They might find themselves
| guilty Of treason when they "Ieast expected It,"
OF the book referred to- never having seen it, we
know nothing more than the version Of its contents
furnished by the Courier and Enquirer 1t is repre-
scented as Tale of the Future" and contemplates
the establishment of Martin Van Buren, permanent
P,esident-as King in all respects but title, and his
the head of the army, with the understanding
of succeeding him. II is in fact fictitious history,
and presents imaginary view of what would be
likely to ensue in any President should usurp an
hereditary dictatorship. Under such circumstances,
the Union would be dissolved, and the different
sections of the country would seek emancipation from
immediate despotism each in its own way. It's, how
ever, all imaginary state OF affairs, written proba-
bly, for the amusement Of the author, just prior to the
last national election, and for aught that appears to
the contrary was designed electioneerng eflu-
sion, to defeat the reelection of Mr. Van Buren,. In
such cases il is to allude TO the ambitious
views and monarchical propensties of candidates
to throw out warnings of consequences to such asP-
rants and thus appeal to the power of the people to
pnt them down. This being the tendency of the
work in question: if it had any effect In defeating the
| he hat.
In consequence Of the existence of such work,
the Courier and Enquirer invokes Congress to insist
on the immediate dismassa of Judge Upshur from the
Cabinet, pain Of impeachment This would be
carrying out with vengeance the plan proposed in
the address Ito restrain the Executive, Mr. Clay is
for eflecting this revolutionary measure by amending
the Constitution. His eager partisan would accom-
psh the objectina summary mode-by impeach-
ment and if this could not be accomplished his next
step would probably be TO apply the coup dc grace to
the President and his Secretary, suspicion without
| judge or jury. lie makes scruple 10 call them
traitors and we all know the penalty for treason.
| But do the political enemies of President Tylcr--of
whom the editor of the Courier and Enquirer is one
of the most violent--suppose that they humbug
the People by such scandalous assaults their Chief
| Magistrate Look at the acts Of the case An
imaginary history is denounced reasonable one
of the Secretaries is falsely charged with being its
author; on this groundess charge,-mere moonshine,
if it were irue--but as it happens, an impuden,
rnth--on this charge the President himself held up
to scorn, as traitor to his country, and Congress is
gravely called upon to impcach him, suspicion that
he wishes to dsmember the Union, of which he is
the sole Chief Magistrate! As well might COM
mandiag General be charged with seeking to divide
and dismember his army and encourage one division
| to revolt against HIMSELF well might man be
pected of conspiring with banditti to plumber his
house, as for John Tyler to be charged with combn-
ing with traitors to the Union, and overthrow
the Government, of which he is the head And yet
the editor Of the Courier and Enquirer has under
taken to make such preposterous charage against the
President of the United States Such wild fanaticsm
is stranger than fiction.