The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-09-08
Commute attou3.
FOR THE MADlsoNIAN.
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
STATES.
A DEFENCE OF THE ADMINISTRATIONS

powerfully arrest his atenon ia Specializing on H. We
specu ate on human nature, up n what IT endure
and what II is capable of producing for political phi
losophy Is more than the experience of mankind,
derived iIom the views ia which they have been
serted and governed. Every Thing, therefore, which
Il not founded on experience and which does DoiIook
to it the only possible mode OF arriving al tru h,
may delude infatuated People, but he
the subject OF practical operation, aid ia the small
est extent Ia The promotion of human hoppln,s and
prosperity.
Although long since withdrawn from The political
scenes IN which have taken "a active part fnd II
impossible remain uninteresed spectator ofpass-
ing events. The transactions Of the day involve OBJ
jects too important the country vitality ntia
to the Liberties of the People leave possible for
any man who justly appreciates t'e prosperity and
happiness ofthe country view them with unconcern
However years may have slaekened the Of that
vital current heh rushed lmpetuousy through
his VEINS, or retirement have enabled him
plate the low ntugues and vile s,ratagems OF party
the real patriot feel for his country
he her hurried to the brink of hat preci
pice 10 dash which is DEATH without raising his
warning voice to announce the danger.
No man will deny that the dangers that surround
the country at the present crisis many and alarm
ing and therefore, 1t must follow, that the opposition,
who have the majority Congress- cannot be said 10
have faithfully performed their duty Then We
contend, that the People will not give a bind and
implicit confluence ~ any party without grounding
that confidence thorough, complete and detailed
Investigation of their proceedings.
There periods in the transactions of every
country, well III the life of every individual,
when self Examination becomes the duty of the high
est obligation, when the National Administrations
must resort 10 the rectItude OF its measures and when
appeal to the People fail 10 engage their
sympathies. The President of the United States IN
these Impressions neither insensibe bese adj
vantages 10 the duties of his peculiar situation.
The volume of The history of his adminlsra lies
open, IL glance, to every eye. The policy pursued,
therefore, whatever 1t has been in It's foreign well
lis domestic relations, is impossible conceal and
be difficult mistake Ii the assertion thai
has been his policy tn advance the interests of the
country, be doubted, the proofs at hand. Ii The
assertion tina, II has been the policy OF the President
extend the powers of the Constitution beyond their
legitimate dimensoi S, be made, the proof must be
exhibited. Ii the assertion, that he has manifest
ed disposition TO act in decided resistance
TO the opposition party, be called in question, our
proofs will be found in the archives of the Government
Whatever may have been the trials of his pride and
his fortitude; whatever may have been the imputa-
tons upon his fidelity and his honor it will be demon
strated in the sequel that he has, throug the whole
of this warfare, which has been waged against him
with unrelentng fury, and amidst all the political
changes since his elevation to power nhexiby adj
hered to the principles which have characterized
him through life and strenuously sustained the pro-
visions OF the Constitution,
1t is natural that the enem of the Administration
should be vigilant in detecting ITS and exposing
its abuses and when consider the splendid prize
which rewards success in this of Wig lance and
exposure, must pardon little eXaggeration to the
frallty of ambition But with all this tolerance, it
is still difficult to account for, and impossible to JUS
tify the spirit in which the Opposition have thought
proper assail the conduct of the Chief Magistrate
We do not know whether more prudsh than
others in matters of political morality, but we cannot
help condemnng species OF resistance which APP
pears TO us illicit mode of warfare, something
analogous to carrying false coltrs and which, such
ought to be discouraged by all, of whatever political
party persuasion who wish for free and serious
discussion on points which the people have deep
interest in understanding.
To put arguments in the mouth of political adj
verSary for the sake of avowing and refuting them
to imputc to him OF reasoning deducble from
his conduct for the sake of afterwards exposing the
absurdity of that reasoning, and condemning that
conduct founded upon it, articles of eloquence
fair in themselves, and sanctioned by the practice of
the ablest debaters and controversial writers. But |
to the very garb of the person of your adver
sary, and in that disguise, profess, in his behalf
timents probably foreign to his feelings they
certainly inconsistent with his character and prejud-
cal to his interests, is unfair and uncandid, not
that adversary alone, but TO all those who may be
msIed by the dclusion
The object Of these communications will be to dis |
spae all these false DISCUSSES and present to you the
real state of the facts connected with the Execu-
tive of the Federal Government and to vindcate the
character of his high Office from unmerited obIoquy
In undertaking to place the conduct of the Chief
Magistrate in its proper light, deem it proper to
premise, that it very far from our intention to de-
lend him by impeaching others. Where they have
differed have no doubt that they differed honestly
H. &c -.
controlled by honorable and patriotic considerations
in every part Of this, hia new career, we cheerfuy
accord them the same degree of honorable inter-
ton and lofty patriotism.
The present Chief Magistrate has been in office six
een months. During that time he has assumed no
new powers he has evinced no desire to enlarge
those confded to him by the Constitution and if, in
their exercise he has not exactly followed the march
which the opposition think he ought to pursue; if he
has consulted his views, and not the dctaiion of
The oppositon--surely he ought not to be denounced
as entertaining principles destructive of the liberties
IF the People In examining the Constitution for the
rules which were to direct his duties, he certainly
found nothing written there by which he was bound
10 conform his opinions To that of the opposition
party Where discretion is given TO him, he has used
i on his own responsibility to the People, and the
exercise of his discretion, if it be not conform
able to that which would have been suggested by the
superior wisdom of those who arraign his conduct,
cannot authorize them to call his principles in ques
ion Where no discretion was given to him. he has
confined himself, as far as we have heard, to the
,trictest rule of the Constitution and the laws.
But we will remark that the only mode by which
he principles of man may be known, are either 10y
ms professions or by long course OF action evin-
1--WE of them. First his professions. Take his
wo communications to Congress--bis Message at the
,xtra session. and his Message at the opening OF the
asst session Surely it is not intended to apply
strong denuncatory epithets, such as have been al
owed on the floor of Congress, TO the principles
vowed in those documents Those principles, there
as those by which he will be guided, are
m adherence to the Constitution Of the United States,
respect for those of the individual States, economy,
ustice liberty, incidental protection TO industry,
manufactures and trade, and the extension of com
nerce the observance OF treaties, the assertion oil
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