The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-14
THE U. s. GAZETTE-THE PRESIDENT
THE CABINET.

When Mr. Clay issued his "GENERAL Or
DERs," it was at once resolved by all his special
organs that every means within the scope OF
mans invention should be resorted TO to ami
hilate the character and prospects of the Presi-
dent. Having constitutionally succeeded to the
Presidency for nearly whole term, mot being
elected directly by the People) and con-
sequenty having no regularly organized party, it
was determined that every means should be inter-
posed (as far as the Wing party was concerned)
during his Administration, to prepent him from
acquiring one. For this purpose it was neces-
sary for the generality of the Wing journals to
impugn the motives of the Chief Magistrate,
and TO condemn every measure emanatng from
the Executive in its incipiency. Another class
of journals were to deal in runors, and always
keep the political world in state of incertitude
and distraction. Another class (the Iowest)
were TO deal exclusively in SANDERS, and keep
up constant (and groundless) assaults both on
the political and private conduct of the Presi-
dent, his Cabinet and all connected in any way
with them. The next class (the highest, sue h
as the u S. Gazette, and one or two in New
York and Boston) were to abuse the President
only-assail him in every possible manner-and
at the same time exhibit disposition to screen,
vindicate, and defend certain members Of his
Cabinet. This peculiar warfare was expressly
designed to prevent any portion of the Wing
party from adhering to the President. This
mode of warfare, however fair it may seem at
superficial glance, we regard as the most ini-
quitous, unjust, and dishonorable of ALL If, by
false differences and misrepresentation, it can
be made to appear to the Wing party that the
very things Mr.. Clay and his organs condemn
in the President, are lhewise condemned by
his own Cabinet, or that they yield reluctant
and compulsory assent to his measures then
the text of Mr.. Clay viz: ga weak and vacilla-
ting Chief Magistrate" can be dilated on with
astonishing effect The uterer of the SANDER
will stand excused and justified, and the victim
Of this base conspiracy must suffer in silence
the execution of the sentence pronounced by
the dictator.
Thus the unrefecting readers Of these jour
nails are imposed on. Every editorial lngenu
ty is resorted TO to prevent them from viewing
the merits of the subject dispassonately. Their
a tention is confined to this one fact: the lead
ing Clay journals brand the President with all
the infamous epithets bestowed upon him by
Mr.. Clay hmself and at the same time they
affect to palate the conduct of the Cabinet, and
often seem to justify and defend them in the
same article devoted to unsparing savage abuse
Of the President! This mode of attack is cacu-
lated 10 deceive. 1t is designed to deceive.
But it shall deceive no longer! A half dozen
words will suffice to overthrow these sappers
and miners. "a man must be judged by
the company he keeps" If the conduct
of the President were SO repugnant to the
Cabinets sense Of justice, why do they remain
with him2 That it Is not so, we have sufficient
evidence in their determination TO remain with
him and share his fate, for veal or wo
But we desire specially to direct the attention
OF our readers to the articles of the United
States Gazette. This paper is conducted with
ability, and enjoys high standing in Pennsyl-
vania, and generally throughout the country.
We remember that, when Mr.. Forward was
promoted to the post he now occupies, this pa
per, though it condemned the Presidents We
toes of the puerile Bank abortions, yet hailed
his appointment with undisguised satisfaction
The inference conveyed 1--WE will not say it was
intended) was that the party was thus guaran-
teed check on the action of the Executive,
should any other so-caled Wing measure con-
tilct with his Interpretation of the Constitution
We all know that the paragraph was entirely
gratuitous on the part of the editor. But it in
duced Us to watch him, and others of that Xix. |
Not week passed that we did not discover
This magn disposition in the Gazette. 1t was
delicate subject, and it was lenderly handled
But recently ii has assumed bodness and ten
dency that leaves us alternative but to strike
the growing hydra-head fatal blow
When Mr.. Roberts Of the Philadelphia Gus.
tom-House was ordered TO remove some of the
culpabe partsans of Mr.. Clay, and restore the
old ncumbents that had been elected, or APP
point others who would not be guilty of hostli-
ty to the Administration, the editor of the Ga
zette made most furious and gross attack up
on the President He affected to know every
movement on the part of the functionaries en-
gagged in the transaction, in advance of all |
others. lie seemed to be IN the daily receipt Of
notes or bulletins, both from the Treasury De-
partment and the Custom-House First he |
purported to give the contents of the Presi- |
dents letter to Mr.. Forward; next, the cold and
indignant manner in which the letter was re-
ceived by the Secretary. Before any thing in
the matter was known here, we find paragraph
IN the Gazette limiting that Mr.. F. would not
contaminate his hand by writing order to Mr..
Roberts for the removal Of certain Wigs
and that he Just threw an envelope around the
Presidents letter and dispatched it to the Col