The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-04
From The Nashville Union
alteration.
MEN OF LETTERS

We venture to say that no President that ever filled
the Executive Chair gave more substantial encourage,
ment to "lhe republic of letters than Gen. Jackson
With that unerring and due appreciation OF mental
labor and the moral courage so indispensable TO the
faithful and fearless" advocacy of TRUTH, he called
to some of the responsible posts in the Govern
gentlemen connected with the periodical press
and the fidelity with which their public duties was dis
charged proved to be every way satisfactory TO tho
Government.
The Administration Of Mr. Van Buren, cha
racterised by similar liberalty towards the press.
Many of the most eminent writers OF the country
invited into the public service, and as specimen
of their high sense OF the honor conferred, we may
cite the conduct Of GEO. BANCROFT the collector OF
the Port of Boston, whose every act OF official con-
duct was perfect pattern and who voluntarily lay
down his com mission at IL o'clock on the day that
the President who appointed him left the Executive
Office.
We have heard much railing at the policy OF ap-
pointing editors to office by all parties but generally
emanates from demagogues who would monopoize all
the offices themselves, and who would prescribe any
set of men TO facilitate their own advancement.
1t is due to the memory of Gen. Harrison to say,
that, while we dissent from every principle upon
which he was elected, and believe him to have heen
surrounded by as corrupta set OF advisers as ever
surrounded the seat of Power, still the patronage
which he extended to of letters Is, notwithstand-
ing its exclusive partisan character part of his ad-
mlnistraon that will show brighter in history than
any other.
And we see that President Tyler Is not unmindiul
of the merits of this class of citizens who suffer
more from the envy of the ignorant and the SANDER
of the wicked than any other On the 9Th instant he
nominated WAsHlNGroN IRVING for enlistment into
the diplomatic corps of the nation abroad, as Minis
ter to Spain and Mr. BLACKBOARD, late editor of the
Virginia Arena, as Charge d'Aiairs to Bogota. The
later-though differing with us in political opinion
is repuied to be perfect gentleman and ripe scho
lar-and no selection that could have been made
would have been more acceptable to the press gene
rally than that Of Mr.. IRVING.
The truth is, that the people themselves kno,c who
the laborers in the national fields, who make the
greatest sacrifices In keeping up that healthy motion
Of opinion which preserves the State. Seldom is a
murmur heard from them at the encouragement Of
those who devote their lives to the investigation of
political economy, and assiduously pursue the course
that their consciences dictate in the discussion
Of public policy. The murmur if there be any, is
generally found on the lip of the demagogue-and it
obtains so far only as demagogues bear sway.
We look upon public Office not conferred directly
by the people among the things that are least des
rsple Nothing is more sacred than the obligations
of official trusts and if they are to lie distributed as
compliments to those most worthy Of public regard
we know not why those whose whole lives devo-
ted to the diffusion of intelligence and the defence Of
institutions should be prescribed Moved to these
reflections in quiet hour we have no other motive
in printing them than measure of justice to the
press t.,sE.' ...