The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-04
COURTESY IN HIGH STATIONS.

COURTESY IN HIGH STATIONS.
Without intending to inhict upon our readers
homily upon courtesy and good breeding, we
feel it our duty to offer some remarks on the
bearing that should distinguish men in official
station in their intercourse with each other,
There is decorum that belongs to exalted rank,
the absence of which never fails to excite in the
mind of every observer feelings of disapproba-
lion, and even disgust. In country like ours,
where hereditary titles do not exist, and where
worth and refinement constitute the only nobili-
" recognized by our institutions, political as
well as social, it is peculiarly proper that those
qualities should be possessed by all, but especial
" those whom the People delight TO honor. If
there be in the nation class entitled to consi.
deration above all others, it must consist of the
men who, by the voluntary consent Of their fell
low-ctzens, are made the depositaries of the
civil and political rights of the community.
Such being the case, it is in our opinion at least
10 be expected that we should look upon the
scenes that have occurred, and we regret to add,
are Of daily occurrence in our halls Of legisla-
lion, with sentiments of the deepest regret.
It is to be presumed that there is not single
member of the National Legislature that, in the
capacity Of private individual, would tamely
submit to intentional rudeness and much less
open and wanton indignty. How is it then
that these same gentlemen, representing in their
persons the dignity of seventeen millions of free
men, submit, without blush, to imputations
and lndignites from each other which, as private
individuals, they would, il is believed, punish on
The spot? Nor would the evils to which we al
lude, however great, call forth our disapproyal
50 strongly, if they were confined to those who
can reconcile it to themselves to handy harsh
epithets one with the other. The same spirit
that has made the halls of Cong ress the scene
OF this total disregard of decorum and courte-
sy has, Of late, glored in directing its assaults
IN directions where not the slightest provocation
has been given and where no opportunity is af-
orded for reply. II must be evident TO every
body that we here have reference to the wanton
and gross attacks made by Members Of The Con-
gress Of the United States on the President of
this Union and the members of his Cabinet
However scurrilous assault and low invectve
are 10 be expected from certain description of
partisan papers, too frequently conducted by men
who are utter strangers to every law of com
mon decency, most assuredly they are in the
worst taste imaginable when they come from
the Representatives. of State sopereignties and
Of the great popular constituency Of the com
try.
That uprlghtness and propriety should be the
objects of attack on the part Of want of prin-
clpe and vulgarity, is to be expected They
are, and must ever continue to be antagonist
principles and can as soon be made 10 harmo-
nlze as the things that are most discordant in
nature, but certainly they are out of place be-
tween the Legislative Representatives Of the
nation and men who are invested with the exc
cuve charge of public affairs.
If one were to go into a promscuous as
semblage, consisting Of every description of
People, he would not be surprised at seeing
the thief assail the honest man, the drunkard
attack the advocate of sobrety, the idle vaga-
bond insult the industrious individual that earns
his subsistence by honest toll, but he certainly
otthese various classes respectively assailing, at
lacking and insulting each other. We would ask
If there be any thing SO degrading in the office
of President Of The United States or those
Of ms Secretaries, as to render their incum-
bents the proper objects Of contempt to those
who are sent here TO unite In making lars for
NE government Of The country; or is there any
'hlng so exalted about those stations as TO Gre
ate lnydous feeling, or excite consciousness
oi disparity on the part of those who compose
the Legislative Council of the Republic. We
mink that no such inequality exists, and that
me parties above named, are, at least, to be re-
spected by each other. If we be not wonder
July mistaken, the different branches of the Go
Yernment should go hand in hand mutually re-
spectlns and respected by each other, and We
we have seen Members of Congress, popular
representatives., as well as grave Senators, rising
III 'helr places and pouring forth torrents of
ABUSE against the Chief Magistrate OF the Union
mat would have shocked the authors of them in
their cooler moments
We may be told that liberty Of speech and
thought is essential to free institutions, and that
The freedom of debate should not be trammelled
by the Aimsy forms Of etiquette. Admitting
the correctness of the position, we ask gentle.
men IN all frankness and good feeling, whether
IL be partcf the freedom Of debate, to assaii
me assent and those from whom the privilege
y reply IS Withheid7 We ask them, as friends