The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-04-05
COURTESY IN HIGH STATIONS.

COURTESY IN HIGH STATIONS.
Without intending to inAict 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-
ton, and even disgust. In a country like ours,
where hereditary titles do not exist and where
worth and refinement constitute the only nobi-
ty recognized by our institutions, political as
well as social, it is peculiarly proper that those
qualities should be possessed by all, but especial
ly those whom the People delight to honor If
there be in the nation a class entitled to cons
deration above all others, it must consist of the
men who, by the voluntary consent OF their fell
lowcitiZens, are made the depositares of the
civil and political rights Of the community.
Such being the case, it is, in our opinion at least.
to 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-
ton, with sentiments of the deepest regret.
1t 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 indignity. How is it then
that these same gentlemen, representing in their
persons the dignity Of seventeen millions of free
men, submit, without a blush, to imputations
and ndignites from each other which, as private
individuals, they would, it is believed, punish on
the spot? Nor would the evils to which we al
lude, however great, call forth our disapproval
so 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 Congress the scene
of this total disregard of decorum and courte-
sy has, of late, goried in directing its assaults
in directions where not the slightest provocation
has been given and where no opportunity is af-
forded for reply. 1t 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 has Cabinet.
However scurrilous assault and low invective
are to 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 mag ENABLE when they come from
the Representatives of State sopereig,,ties and
Of the great popular constituency Of the coua-
try.
That uprightness and propriety should be the
objects of attack on the part of want of prin-
cple and vulgarity, is to be expected They
are, and must ever continue to be antagonist
principles and can as soon be made 10 harmo-
nize 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
cutive charge of public affairs.
If one were to go into promiscuous 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 sobriety, the idle vaga-
bond insult the industrious individual that earns
his subsistence by honest toll, but he certainly
would be astonished were he to find the members
ofthese various classes respectively assaing, 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 his Secretaries, as to render their incum-
bents the proper objects Of contempt to those
who are sent here to unite IN making laws for
Inc government Of the country; or is there any
thing 80 exalted about those stations as to Gre
ate invldlous feeling, or excite consciousness
OF disparity on the part of those who compose
the Legislative Council of the Republic. We
think that no such inequality exists, and thai
the parties above named, are, at least to be re-
spected by each other If we be not wonder
fully mistaken, the different branches of the Go
vernment should go hand in hand mutually re-
specting and respected by each other, and YET
we have seen Members Of Congress, popular
representatives, as well as grave Senators, rising
in their places and pouring forth torrents O
abuse against the Chief Magistrate OF the Unior