The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-11-16
LETTER FROM THE HON. c. CUSHING

| LETTER FROM THE HON. c. CUSHING
We find the following letter from Mr. Gushing in
the New Hampshire Sentinel. the editor Of which,
Prenliss Esq is the Oldest editor in New Hampshire
The letter appears have been induced by some com
mcnis in the Sentinel upon Mr.. Cushing's Address
to his Constituents;
NEwBuRYPoRr, 30th Oct, lSil.
Dear Sir: In France, all men whose conduct u ar
raigned before the public in political newspaper en-.
JOY most precious right that, namely OF aaaies'1s
| the same public through the same newspaper
would be for the advantage OF the people OF tins coun
try If they had convenient access To- anu "oo $50
toned TO read both sides Of every question IN mn
they are interested; but unfortunately nose "no -.
attached 10 specific set ofopnions, for Inc most pAn
attend only TO what appears the papers OF Their own
o,inion That is the people who are to perform Inc
Office of Jury in the given case, hear the evidence and
The advocate of emily one Of the parties In merely
personal matters this ID evidently unjust that
venture to ask you receive and insert
10 the question addressed to in your journal oil the
9th instant.
You inquire, whether can feel fatteIed that
particular paragraph of my published letter OF the
9th September is extensively copied in the opposition
papers?
1answer-No: | regret the occurrence Of the elf
cumstances which compelled me to write that para
graph; but, if any portion Of the Wing party have
erred in hastily denouncng the President, and in
onize the Covers ment by sundy radical changes in
the Constitution it Is important the whole People
it is imporan' to the w hgs themselvesto understand
the fact and fix their eyes the machinery by and
through which such was induced and commit
ted And how this be- unless the subject Is dis
cussed And if injury accrue to the Wings, from
such discussion is the offending party to be blamed
Should not the blame fall rather on the attacking par
tyl Or is the idea TO be entertained for moment,
that some fifty Wings (not hundred az implied in
vaura of ths tan mn n n
vng the People TO condemn the President and over
turn the Constitution and that no other Wing has
right to defend the President and sustain the Constr
iuiion2
you "cheerfully go with" me in believing that the
Presidents conduct has been conscientious through
out" and in deprecating the attempt TO array
against him the resentments Of the Wing party as
being unjust, inexpedient and unwise" You cha
racterize the $50 cailed) Wing Address "has,y,"
and you regret that il was issued at ALL" You
truly declare as to the President that 1--WE have every
thing to gain by liberal support of his adminis,ra-
ton, and that 1--WE have every thing to lose by oppo-
sing him." and you admonsh to patience adhesive
ness-and confidence" Thus far we agree. But
then after that which you cheerfuly 60 with me in
admitting to be wrong has nevertheless been done
when that attempt, alike unjust, inexpedient, and
unwse is made to array the resentment Of the wings
main dumb, and yield in passive acquiescence to the
attempted prescription which embraces the Admins.
traiion and the Constitution well themselves.
cannot think il reasonable to expect this of US.
You say that "f the mass go wrong they will hard
ly be reclaimed by the efforts of an individual member
of Congress 1t may be SO. In the din of passion
and the strife Of interest," my voice may avail little.
And selfish love Of ease, cowardly fear Of obloquy,
the chance of personal danger f It were possible for
to feel regard any Of these things might have
held me silent, if strong sense Of public duty had
not mpeled to speak, instead Of leaving 10 unwise
cunsels and erroneous opinions to take the exclusive
occupation Of the public mind
Particular inducements operated in aid of conside-
rations of public duty to call me forth. You concur
with me in condemning the (so-called) Wing Ad-
dress. Yet that Address and other publ
cations had SO misled the public judgment after the
close of the session, that many OF the Wing news
papers proceeded without waiting to hear the other
side to heap every species of personal otloquy the
President, and all who wilhstood the general out
cry agains, him; and l. for being of those mem
bers who had defended the President in Congress
came in for my full share Of denuncaton and detrac-
ton. An interested and unprincipled press in New
York was taking the lead in pouring out against
daily stream of the most base malicious and wicked
| falsehoods. Thus compelled TO enter the arena,
grapped first with those great public questions the de-
cison OF which was apparently going the wrong way
by default and which it all important oset straight
| at once and without delay Other things in due time
aud in their turn. And though my letter Of the 9Th
September be the act of but an unit" have
10 believe il did something however little) to counter
|
which was fast carrying them into hopeless mi
norty in nearly every State OF the Union.
| You cannot have failed 10 observe how calumniout
and yruent has been the language Of portion of the
Wing press towards the President, and some of the
members of Congress conspicuously friendly to him
| The Washington Globe, much censured by the
Wings for the vituperatve character Of many Of its
articles, appeals to me, and with just to bear
witness that II never used terms gross and vndic
tive in regard to any political enemy have been ap
piled by certain of the Wings 10 their own PIesden
and to their own brethren who support his admnstra
| ton Ought any man, who is Free and feels ant
knows that he is right to submit in silence and quie
to such thingsl
But have spoken of caucus dictatorship" Well
| would have said nothing of this caucus dictaton
but for the evidence of it, in the history Of the Fsca
Corporation Bill contained ia The letters Of Mr. Ew
ing and MIR. Bell, and in the ESQ called) Wing Ad
dress itself You and others seem to suppose that
find fault with the ordinary caucus consultations 70
mutual adyisement and concert, which in man,
legislative assemblies, and are common TO both par
ties. BY means II is not the proper use, but thu
extreme abuse, of caucuses especially illustrated il
the Fiscal Corporation Bill and in the origin, tenor
temper and proessed objects of the $50 caled) WIFI
Address, of which complain,
In conclusion permit me add, that if we would pre-
serve the Wing party from incurable disruption
seems to should all sides hasten To bury tn
Ratchet, TO from mutual elimination, and to raj
once more on the same principles Of moderation, Q
mutual concession and of olerable freedom opinion
by means Of which we acquired and without whic
we cannot hold, possession Of the Government
am, very respectfully,
J. PRENrIss
Il liEAR LAURIE TODD.