The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-12-03
THE MESSAGE.

mittcd on uSSuoy
OF course, know nothing OF what The
Message will contain but we know that the
Chief Magistrate is actuated by sincere de-
sire TO do his duty, and that il must therefore be
his object to recommend such measures to Con-
press as the good of the country requires
That the Message, whatever ii may be, will
be fercely and coarsely attacked there Is no
doubt So reckless has portion OF the press
become, that nothing else can be expected. In
deed the more merit the Message may have,
the more sure it will be 10 meet assault and
condemnation in certain quarters. In proper
ton as il is likely 10 be acceptable to the
country, in that same proportion will party
dog it, from the Metropolis 10 every point on
the frontier All this we are prepared TO see.
But il is our purnose a" 'h'@ -'.'"''' " au
dress ourselves TO that portion OF the public
press, which is really free and independents
and God be thanked, that there is such por-
ton of the public press, and that it is increasing
every day. We appeal to this part of the press
to give the Message full insertion, candid
reading, and fair commentaries. But above all,
that they publish il; that they circulate II,
80 that the People may have an opportunity to
read and Judge of it, unprejudiced anu unpre-
possessed, by condemnation of it, in advance.
But it is our higher purpose, on this occasion,
to appeal to the People themselves, TO the great
com munity of American freemen, to judge the
conduct of the Government, established by
themselves, with fairness and candor. 1t is
their interests which are at stake it is their
country which is to be benefited by good, or
injured by bad administration of public affairs.
They are competent 10 Judge, and to form just
opinions. We entreat them to judge for them
selres tits often said, that the present Chief
Magistrate is President without party. If
this be so, it would seem more reasonable that
all should Judge of his acts, free from the malign
influence of party spirit. Let him be judged by
his conduct.
1t is usual that reports from the Departments
having the principal expenditure OF the pub
lie money, that is to say the Departments of
War, the Navy, and the Post Office accompa-
ny The Presidents Annual Message. These
Reports give an account of the administration
of the respective Departments for the past year.
we Invite tue dlteullOu VI tOpic " tutSc
Reports. Let not their length, if they should
be long, deter any one from going through them,
who wishes to be truly informed of the progress
and present state of public affairs. They may
not be so vvacious and racy, as speeches in
Congress, or the commentaries of the press !;
but, being founded on facts and official docu
ments, they may be quite as useful in enabling
the People TO form just opinion Of the Admin
slration of the Government. 1t sometimes
happens that the commentary is read without a
previous perusal of the text; and there are but
too many newspaper editors, who dsingen-
uous enough to write and publish harsh and vio-
lent denunciatio vs. of public papers, without
publishing the papers themselves-a degrada-
ton, we believe, to which party has not fallen
in any quarter of the civilized world, except in
these United States. Here again we appeal to
the INDEPENDENT PRESS, the daily press, the pen
nv press, the magaZines-to every editor con-
Quoting any journal which processes TO treat of
public affairs, tina; they give the country-THE
PEoPLE-a fair opportunity to form their own
judgment.
We would lain address sim liar request TO
those members Of Congress who deem duty 10
the country to be higher obligation than at
tlchment to party We know there are many
such and the hour is come, as we think, for re-
Fiction and sober thought with them all. Re-
cent occurrences must have convinced every
thinking man that the public mind is not in a
t,mper TO second mere heated party efforts
There is vast number of the People, Of all
parties, who doubt whether party success, TO
whichever party it should fall, would afford as
surance of relief TO the suffering interests of So
ciety. They think that mere party power, ex-
erted angrily on one side, and opposed angriIy
on the other, can n,ver achieve that relief
They think that the business of the country,
the industry Of the county, and the public faith
and general honor and reputation of the coun-
try, can never be restored, but by the common
efforts and cooperation of sober ard patriotic
men, Of all parties.
Every man must see, in the circle around
him, that this is growing sentiment among
those who have no interest separate from the
general interest Of the community.
The Administration can have no object bu,
to advance this general interest. 1t desires and
seeks to advance it. Without too much retros
pect on the past, or anticipation of the future
it proposes to consider things as they are, ant
apply the bes, practicable remedy. Let its re
commentators be considered, fairly and can
didIy II found erroneous, let superior wisdom
correct them but let neither the personal OBJ
jects of individuals, the sel6shness and reck
lessness of party, nor the irrceness of animosi
ties arising from the past, deprive the People o
the benefits of good government and useful adj
mnisuation.