The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-07

BILE of discerning what is true and conscious of their
power to correct what is wrong and we put It TO
YOU our countrymen TO answer-Are not all that we
have here set down, become the sad and memorable
facts of history
1t is painful consideration, thai the great popular
effort Of lS40 has been defeated Of its generous and
sautary purpose by the relentless spirit Of party and
the American people must be constrained once more
in the funess and purity Of their own power and pa
triotsm to rebuke again its wantonness and etron-
terry, before IL will succumb TO the popular VIII, or
allow the country the repose and prosperity which u
so much requires. Even at that period, you had all
become satisfied that TO save the country from rum
you must it from the eager hands oil pahsams
Political hucksters literally trafcklng IN the puohc
interest, had already wasted the puoiic resources
mperilled the public liberties-sown broadcast the
seeds of corruption-and fattened upon the robbery
of the trusting people II for this, that the most
remarkable Convention known since the glorious Gays
Of the Continental Congress- was assembled AZ mar
risburg in December of that year II was for this
that that august and venerable body, with full con-
ception of the dangers and wants ana the rights oil
ltheir constituents, representing truly the popular
mind, and expressing faithfully the feelings of the
popular heart unfurled 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 countrymen, these two were Sc
lected for the great work OF reformation, because
they patriotic and honest, and because they
srerr not paltsa,,s They had been tried, and
found wanting The records of their public service
were filled with proofs that they gave to party
what belonged to country. Therefore, they were be-
ieved TO be fitted for the weighty duties about to be
assigned to them You know, fellow citizens that
Harrison and Tyler were not the choice of the poll
iticians they had their favorites. The adhe-
rents of party 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 ito the vctors belong
ed the spoils." But the people had suffered long
enough under these gadiatorial conflicts, and they
now came to the rescue, not of party from party,
but Of the country from all parties. Yea, wing and
democrat, republican and iederais' mason ana anti
mason, sprang together, in determined and reso-
lutte co-operation-not to gain the triumph OF pdrfy
but to deiiper the countyto purify the government OF
corrupons 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 pdrfisaH 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-
tious few, exhibited the sublime and instructive spec
tacle of great Republic in the process OF peace
full, but and effective revolution You know how
the people, intent upon their object casting OIL the
trammels which had been thrown around them, now
for the first time, since 1900, reproved the insolence
and folly of partisashp-set bounds to the hopes OF
the demagogue, themselves led the "leaders" and
commanded the ''captains"-and achieved triumph
worthy Of the of Revolutionary Fathers But
this glorious achievement as it was in itself
satisfactory to the friend of popular freedomterri-
fc to the enemy of human berty-decisve as ii was
of public opnon-this brilliant triumph of the true
American spirit the contracted and selfish spirit
Of party has been almost fruitless of practical good
and unproductve of the happy effects which we all
expected and were authorized to expect. And why
are our hopes disappointed Why have the anxieties
and labors the and eXerons which distinguish
ed the movement of 1910, and which resulted In plac-
| Al 81,
hands of worthy citizens, the free choice OF gene
rous people-why have they avaied nothing in re-
moving the evils which beset and in restoring us
to prosperity Fellow citizens, the reason is obvious
the dscouraging TRUTH that your hopes have been
deceived The pocer Of pdrtiSanship still holds its do
,ninion in a coordinate branch of the Government.
The mperousness Of party potcer in the Legislative de-
partment though lettering to its fall despises as yet
the suferings and dees the inunctions OF the peo-
pie. When in 1910 in the election of the two high
est officers of the Government the people revealed
| their W i'll in "A manner which could mistake, il
was not believed that the most needless and selfish
| partisan would disregard disobey it. When they
thus solemny put the seal Of their reprobaton upon
the extravagances of party spirit by rejecting the pre-
tensions of paras and concentrating their sufrages
with equal enthusiasm and determination, upon the
| honored hero of Ohio and the retired statesman of
Vrgnia-when they thus plainly affirmed their reso-
luton prefer the interests of bleeding country to
the selfish behests of nfuriae party, it believed
that the most daring and ambitious politician would
respect the popular decison-and wherever found, in
Senatorial Hall Executive station, in place out
of place. would acquesce in determination so clear
ly approved of reason and patriotism But it is not
so. The act by which you adjusted to your pleasure
the Executive did reach the Legislative branch
of your Government And herein are we to look for
the distractions which stood in our way and discon-
certed and defeated the contamination of that great
reform which we decreed in 1910 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 deaf to its plants its persua-
sions its prayers or its commands And all this for
the qualification of their wild ambition or petty
malignty.
But have we not unhappily the exemplifcaton fall
this daily before eyes See you not inthe con-
duct of influential and leading members of Congress,
whom the people have not yet been able to bend into
subsection TO their will W ho would have foreseen
in i640-when the people, with one mind and one
heart surrendered preudiccs paralies party attach
ments and parry hostities; all upon the altar OF their
com non and suffering coun,ry-who would have fore
seen that their servants, 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 uency, oggraDd Re themseves-to secure
the waning power Of their pdrties--to promote theii
ow individual inerests-to accomplish the projects
of their ambition, or to satiate the longipgs OF
their spiteiu passions w ho then would nave credl-
ted the yaticuation which told of such o future
Nav verify such anticipatons, at that hour of JOY
and hope when were assured That we had wrought
out the certainty of deserance and safety, would
have been esteemed the Authorizations OF an unset
lied o, the morbid creations of suspicious and tnid
mind
Rut what lave we scent What this moment is the
spectace exhibited to the world by an American
! Congress With an honest andcapable Executive
President devoted the interests OF his countrymen
surrounded and assisted by the members OF Cab-
net unsurpassed for ability, energy, and fidelity by
any who have preceded them nothing IS done for
The relief Of he people The Legislative Depart
ment to which il exclusively belongs absolutely re-
fuse or neglect to adopt TO remove the burh
ems and promote the welfare OF the people We, the
people knock at the doors of representative halls
and cry TO our servants for help who will moi hear US,
-. theu shnll be able 10 nrosir rate Tie