The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-08


power to correct what is wrong; and we Pa' "
YOU, our countrymen to answer-Are not all tha' W.
have here set down, become the sad and memorao'e
facts of history
1t is painful consideration that the great popular
effort of 1870 has been defeated of its generous ana
sautary purpose by the relentless spirit Of party ana
the American people must be constrained once more
in the funess and purity of their own power ana pa
triosm to rebuke again its wantonDess ana eiiroh-
tery before it will succumb to the popular WIN, OF
allow the country the repose and prosperity whch
so much requires Even at that period, you hau al
become satisfied that to save the country from rum
YOU must rescue it from the eager hands oil PrnSans-
Political hucksers literally traticking in the pubic
interest, had already wasted the public resources
| mpered the public hberties-sown broadcast the
seeds of corruption-and fattened upon the robbery
of the trusting people 1t was for this, that the most
remarkable Convention known since the glorious uays
of the Continental Congress, was assembled at mar
risburg in December of that year. 1t was Tor TINS
that that august and venerable body, with full con.
cepton of the dangers and wants and the rights Oh
their constituents representing truly the popular
mind, and expressing faithfully the eei'lgs VI ue
popular heart unfured the flag of REFORM, and made
the hero and the statesman, "Tppecanoe, and Tyler
too" the standard-bearers of the people. From all
the millions of our countrymen, these TWO were Sc
lected for the great work OF reformation, because
they were patriotic and honest, and because they
oere not partisans They had been tried, and never
found wanting. The records of their public service
were filled with proofs that they never gave to party
what belonged to country. Therefore, they were be-
eved to be fitted for the weighy duties about to be
assigned to them. You know, fellow citizens, that
Harrison and Tyler were not the choice of the pol
iticians; they had their own favorites. The adhe-
rents of paYty gave not their confidence to Harrison
and Tyler They had captains and leaders, around
whom they delighted to rally, and with whom, as
with prze-fghters in the ring to the yctors belong
ed the spoils." But the people had suffered long
enough under these gadiatorial conflicts, and they
now to the rescue, not of party from party,
but of the country from all parties. Yea, wing and
democrat republican and federast, mason and anti
mason, sprang together, in determined and reso-
lutte co-operation-not to gain the triumph OF party,
but to deuer the countyto purify the government OF
corrtons and abuses and to restore to Its citizens
prosperity and safety and peace.
We need not recapitulate the events Of that MEM
orable struggle. The people, aroused at length from
their inactivity, by the msrule of alternately ascen-
dant parties turned indignant from the patisas who
had long abused their confidence, and committed the
custody of their interests to patriots OF their own
choosing The free millions, long led by the ambi-
tous few exhibited the sublime and instructive spec
acle of great Republic in the process OF peace
full, but and effective revolution. You know how
the people, intent upon their object casting of the
trammels which had been thrown around them, now
for the first time, since 1900, reproved the insolence
and folly of patisanshp bounds to the hopes OF
the demagogue, themselves led the &C leaders, and
commanded the " captans''-and achieved triumph
worthy Of the of Revolutionary Fathers, But
|
satisfactory to the friend of popular freedom-terri
fc to the enemy of human iberty-decsive as it was
of public opinion-ths brilliant triumph of the true
American spirit the contracted and selfish spirit
of partly has been almost fruitless of practical good
and unproductive of the happy effects which we all
expected, and were authorized to expect. And why
are our hopes disappointed Why have the anxietes
and abors, the cares and exerons which distinguish
ed the movement Of 1910, and which resulted in plac-
| ing the Executive powers of the Government in the
| hopl Of cIfi1 fhn oh of
rous people-why have they avaed nothing in re-
moving the evils which beset us and in restoring us
to prosperity Fellow-citizens the is obvious
the dscouragng truth, that your hopes have been
deceived. The po,cer Of parfsansp still holds its do
ninion, in coordinate branch of the Government.
The nperiouseSs Of party potcer in the Legislative de-
parment though lettering to its fall despises as yet
the suferings, and defes the njunctons of the peo
pie When in 1910 in the election of the two high
est officers of the Government, the people revealed
their will in manner which none could mistake, it
was not believed that the most needless and selfish
partisan would disregard dsobey it. When they
thus solemnly put the seal of their reprobaton upon
the exravagances of party SPIRIT by rejecting the pre-
tensions of partsans and concentrating their surages,
with equal enthusiasm and determination upon the
honored hero Of Ohio and the retired statesman of
Virgnia-when they thus plainly affirmed their reso-
luton to prefer the interests of bleeding country to
the selfish behess of infuriate party, it believed
that the most daring and ambitious politician would
respect the popular decisionand wherever found in
Senatorial Hall Executive station, in place or out
of place. would acquiesce in determination clear
ly approved of reason and patriotism. But it is not
so. The act by which you adjusted to your pleasure
the Executive did not reach the Legislative branch
of your Government. And herein are we to look for
the distractions which stood in our way, and discon-
reform which we decreed in l840 Truly it is
we're trial Of public patience Men employed in the
public service, knowing the public wishes-yet refuse
to heed them Familiar with the stern necessities OF
the country, they are deaf to its plants its Persua-
sions, its prayers its commands And all this for
the qualification of their wild ambition or petty
malignity.
But have we not unhappily the exemplifcation ola
this daily before eyes? See you not In the con-
duct of influential and leading members of Congress,
whom the people have not yet been able to bend into
subsection to their will Who would have foreseen
| in lS40-when the people, with one mind and one
heart surrendered preudices Paralltles party attach
and party hostilities; ALL upon the altar OF their
common and suffering countrHr-who would have fore
seen that their serrante, appointed to do their bid
ding to obey their voice. to consult their interest,
would now be found rebelling against the just claims
of the people, and striving, at the expense OF ruin 10
| their constituency. aggrandze themselves-to secure
the waning power of their parties-to promote Their
own individual interests-to accomplish the projects
Of their own ambition, or to satiate the ongings OF
their spiteful passions? Who then would have credi-
ted the vaticinalion which told OF such future
/ Nav verify such antcipations, at that hour of JOY
| and hope when assured that we had wrought
| out tie certainty of deliverance and safety, would
have been esteemed the Authorizations of an unset
led OF the morbid creations of suspicious and timd
mind.
But what have we seen2 What this moment is the
| spectacle exhibited the world by an American
i Congress With an honest andcapabe Executive
President devoted the interests of his countrymen
surrounded and assisted by the members of Cabi-
net unsurpassed for ability, energy, and fidelity by
any who have preceded them--noting is done for
the relief Of the people. The Legislative Depart
ment, to which it exclusively belongs, absolutely
fuse neglect to adopt measures to remove the burth-
ems and promote the welfare of the people. We, the
,,oopa knock he oors our representative halls