The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-10-17
rur IuTRAIsM OF THE DAY.

r.
Throughout the whole OF the e1tfa-oroina1y
session of ls4l, the public mind was kepl IN
continual fermentation; the rePose 'he iun'
and ouiet so fondly hoped, so confidently pre-
saoed. from the reaction consequent upon 'he
excitement of the preceding year, were never
realized but in their stead, heartburnings, jea-
ousies. disconrent, were reused into violent ex-
preston by the overbearing conduct OF the same
individuals who had promised halcyon days
The arrogant leaders Of the party thwarted oy
their own violence the ful6ment Of their own
prophecies, and countenanced agitation where
thew should have inculcaled harmonious and
peaceful action They excited excitement
reused malevolent feelng-encourased strife,
and preached instruction. So that party ran
cor, widely extended, and uncalculaiIng zeal,
unholily exasperated, spread, like an epidemic,
from the halls of Congress to the homes of the
People.
1t was political movement, all this unneces-
sary agitation. 1t was stroke of mOnstrous pol
icy, which has served to plague the inventors.
Few knew, none cared for the popular desire
every action, every purpose was but ior sell
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and the perpeinaii"n Of power.
To achieve these ends, tremendous exertons
were made--in the halls of Congress, through
combinations and the cementing of different
interests abroad, by means OF the subsidized
presses-by forced agitation OF the public mind'
from indignation meetings, and burnings IN ell
6gy. Torrents of defamation were poured up
on one individual who prevented the consum-
nation of Wing intentions which, carried out,
and discreetly exercised, would have served
much to perpetuate their power. A moneyed
combination, the one master-slroke OF their pol
icy, in complete operation, would have furnish
ed them with effective weapons for attack or
defence. They had tried such and felt their
power.
And when they were foiled in their efforts by
the unexpected 6rmness of one man, in the ex-
travagance of their rage they forgot all the de-
cencies Of language, and violated most of the
prophecies of life. These very Wings" who
had, in boasliul tones, proclaimed to the People
of the United States, unvaryingly during the
campaign, that they solicited their sufrages for
the second office OF the Government in favor of a
man of the old Jefersonan school These ve
ry Wings" denounced the man they had
elected 10 high Office, and on the sef-same
ground by which his election was advocated
aud secured! Their enemies could not have
placed in more complete contrast their profess
sions and their conducl-nor is there an exam
pie, since the times Of the "Roman Consul in
an early period of that celebrated Republic" Of
more profigate inconsistency.
II is needless for Us to go over in detail the
melancholy transactions of that shameful ses-
sion. Adler pens and minds have already I'M
dertaken and perfected just and impartial re-
view of its merits. We recollect to have seen
it stated somewhere that among the portraits, in
Venice, OF the Doges Of that once proud city,
there is one place, untenanted by like
ness the niche, which, like the rest, should have
been filed with the portrait of some former ruler,
is unoccupied, and shrouded, if we recollect, by
a dark curtain, which conceals from the casual
observer its emptiness. And the story that
accounts for the omission, speaks of a Doge,
who had conspired against the liberties of the
State, and had been decapita,ed, and the vacant
spot was left purposely TO record an era, and 10
convey warning, for the date Of the Doge's
reign saved the historical connection. and the
absence of the portrait evnced the patriotic hor-
ror for treason. Would that, in the future an
mails OF our country, the dark mantle OF oblivion
might be thrown over that session, and its ex-
istence, abor,ve of effect, be ever unknown by
name
We dislike to dwell upon the consequences
that must have inevitably followed the consum-
nation, by heated party, of its rash and ill
advised measures. The violence by which
they were forced through Congress, speaks,
but too plainly, Of the counsels which dictated
their introduction. The virulence of party, in
all It's besotted confidence of strength, dared OPP
position; the denunciaiions of party, less rea-
sonable when most dreaded, anticipated and
pre-occupied every advantageous position and
the insane and hungry rancor of party was smo-
thered to be the more effective ia instant explo.
slon A measure, therefore, originally good,
must have become tainted with the heat Of its
progress, and, before it reached maturity, been
unit for adoption. Urgent action outstrode
elaboration; and, whilst the few were protest
ing, the majority had determined
Most disastrous the evils they would most
infallibly have engendered, had success crowned
this extreme faction--and no less so from the
good they would have prevented. For we haz
ard not too much in the assertion, that had the
"Whigs" succeeded in the dangerous schemes
they desired, none of the salutary measures Of
the last session could have been matured III
cessful, fruitless Of good in themselves, they
would have procured realization of evil from
other sources. For had President Tyler so far for
gotten the pIincinles he has ever nrofessed and