The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-11-13

represent his State, in his singly recorded vote
against the .Force Bilp'-in the unwayering
line which has marked his political march from
the foot to the very heights of the "Mount Of
Famen-in all these things are seen manifes-
tation of extraordinary character, and all go to
show that, if Roman virtue should be respected,
and that if TO do right is to be most rise, that
il was to be expected that the People Of this
Confederacy would recognize and reward such
wisdom and such virtue.
In the third paragraph the contributor appears
to have written that of which he has very
faint conception, and, certainly, the style of the
writing does not compensate for the weakness
and untruth of the subject matter. He re-
marks:
Whistler for his own or his nations sin, Mr.. Ty-
Ter was forced from the obscurty Of private life into
the position Of trust and power which he now occu-
pies, we do not propose to determine. The fact we
consider equally unfortunate for both In the quiet
exercise of his profession as lawyer, he doubtless
may have secured the confidence of the community
in which he lived, though imagine that an
advocate in causes of much magnitude requiring a
nice perception Of principles, clear assertion Of
them, he can never have been much sought after--
The dignity Of his manners the purity and integrity
Of his personal morals, would suffice to make him
good citizen in his relation to the state and to the
society in which he moved, yet this same prong
headed conscience exhibited in his public life, would
be apt to the practical value of his influence
in any scheme of local or general beneyoence, and
make him one of that large class Of men who, with
the best Intentions are always doing social mis-
chief"
This entire paragraph is either false, in point
of fact, or it is an abstraction--not Virginia
abstraction, either, but Scotch metaphysical
one. If Mr.. Tyler has assumed the Presiden-
tial Chair, elevated to,a discharge Of its high
functions from the !" obscurity Of private life,"
we cannot imagine what the writer would call
a public life! We had supposed that if any
American citizen had led life, strictly devoted
to the public service, it was the present Presi-
dent of the United States. Representing his
native county, with but one exceptive vote, at
the early age of twenty one years, he has filed
every legislative and executive post, constitu-
tionally created, which the State or Federal Go
vernments can offer to the ambition of an Anne
rican, and Mr.. Tyler is now in the prime of
health and life, at fifty lone years of age In the
short round of thirty years, he has risen from
the representative of county to that which has
been emphaticaly called the g HIGHEST POST OF
HONOR IN THE WORLD" There is no other indi-
vidual in this Union Of whom the same history
can be witten. This, too, without stain upon
his public or private reputation A
BRIBE AND WITHOUT AN INTRIGUE What the
writer means by the Presidents possessing a
I" wrong-headed conscience" we can con-
ceive, but it is sentiment to which Christian
man cannot affirmatively respond. Conscience
is to yield, on all occasions, to erpediency! a
party politicians views of erpediency! Is this
what the writer means 1t is the only con-
struction to be put on his language. We do
not-cannot-never will, voluntarily, nor can
we be torced-ro subscribe to so impolitic and
sinful heresy. Impolitic, because it leads the
country to the preclpice of its destruction, and
sinful, because both the moral law of man and
the Gospel of God condemn it, Besides, if the
success or unsuccess, to take the ground as
sumed by the writer, of possessing or of not
possessing such aorong- headed conscience, as
Mr.. Tyler enjoys, is to be measured by the
standard of his example, we would advise
all men who wish to obtain consideration
in the world, in the enjoyment Of its places OF
power, to affect to have it, if they have it not.
Follow his history, and, in the short space of
his life, what places has he filed beside Offices
of honorary character, the most honorable al
Uays He is presented to US, as State Legis-
tor, State Councillor, State Chief Magistrate,
member Of the House of Representatives of
the United States, United States Senator, Vice
President Of the United States, President of
the United States,-and all these Offices at the
hands of the people-he himself poor, without
patronage, and without a single newspaper
press at his command. We humbly think a
rare constipation of fortuities" could not have
produced this result. No-the people of Virgil
MIA, the American people, have seen that wis
dom, and that excellence of virtue, in John Ty-
Ter, which the bind or non-inquring optics Of
the writers of the New World have not seen, or
which, having seen, their prejudices have dis
torted, or they have wilfully misrepresented
We desire to comment, briefly, on the fifth
paragraph, and, since these portions of those ar
ticles are a fair specimen of their value, we have
done. The writer remarks:
In surveying whatever public acts of Mr.. Tyler
have survived in memory, we find something of
these features Even those worthy in the eyes of his
friends displaying to the best advantage the peculiar
traits of his character and challenging if any of his
acts can the respect and admiration of his countymen
betray lack Of symmetry, forthcoming, which dis
turb if they do not Destroy their full effect. These
acts, too have been performed in conjunctures where
the conduct of really great has furnished ready
and most unfortunate contrast to that Of Mr.. Tyler
When, rather than yield his conscience to the man.
date of the State of Virginia, and further the perpe-
tration of act savoring equally of servity and y-
ranny he filings Mt the feet of his constituents the
power and dignity of his Senatorial station, his party
applaud him and his friends admire But the nobleI
course of his eminent colleague under the precise cir
cumstances checks the applause and dverts the adj
miraton to himself With integrity no less stern,
with pride no less unyieding, but with juster esti
mate Of his position, with sounder views of that
fabric of Government in which himself and the great
State of Virginia formed equally part, Mr.. Leigh
sgnifed his intention neither TO obey the usurping in