The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-29
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CONTRADICTIONS

vi
paper, declared il TO be boldly avowed design
..To set at defiance the Constitution and the law,
and take the chance of having majority OF It's own
party in the next House of Representatives to stand
By the aiquty."
When the W higs OF Ohio followed the pre-
else path the lnteigencer condemned on the
26th Of July, that paper (on the gath OF August
declared the act in itself
Consistent in every particular with the principles
of public and private morality, and as potdt"S ho
legal OF constitutional duty"
On the same day, the Inteigencer inrifed
the majority Of Congress TO resign IN the ioI-
loving significant words:
Gould many in power be persuaded to ini-
tate the example of the Wing members OF the Ono
legislature they would, by such instance OF self
denial confer lasting benefits on the country"
Two days afier Con the Goth of Augusta the
leading article of the Intelligencer was headed
"Apprehended Disgrace !" and after stating
that they (the editors) had been informed that
the Wing members intended 10 leave the Halls
of Congress in suficient numbers to destroy
quorum, and thus deprive that body OF the power
Of ransacting business, the article concludes IN
the following strong language
- There IS no one VINO Will Willingly incur the
odum of participating in any such design, the success
Of which could fail to The present Congress
with deep and lasting disgrace. Nor would the in
dydua members be able to escape each hs share, OF
bitter reproach should Congress informally adjourn,
leaving vitality important business undisposeu Oh ior
want of quorum
August 24th-,he Intelligencer encouraged,
advised and invited the majority to destroy the
Government by resigning, and thus leaving
Congress without quorum; and even went so
far as to say, that by 50 doing they would ''con-
fer lasting benefit on the country"
This was probably wriltea under Coffee
House in1uenc, and breathes ''head him or
die" spirit throughout.
The Wing members suddenly caught at the
idea as beautiful novelty among their schemes
to destroy the President and Government and
at once resolved, Gas the lntelligencer said they
would and shouid) 10 go home without even
resigning. We are informed that the article OF
the lntcligencer was alluded TO in caucus held
the same night, and that the proceedings of
some meeting, in the State of New York, were
mentioned, where they had been called on to 90
home and ''let the Captain go TO the d"
certain member of the majority, whose penetra-
ton deserves 10 be admired, and who would no
nestly have repealed any such attempt, had not
the iron rule been held in terrorenl, over his
head, advised the Intelligence of what the
editors knew before, but in language strongly
condemnatory Of the outrageous proposal The
informer was one justly entitled to the notice
and regard even Of the foreign lntelligencer,
and that paper dare no longer persist in its en-
deavors to overthrow a Government for which
the editors have no love, and whose free insitu-
tons they may fain occasionally to admire
though they never can appreciate.
Yet they were so careful not to go too far, lest
they should offend their loregn associates, that
they tell their readers they give the" apprehend
ed disgrace" in the words of their Informant
not in their own! Surprising that Perhaps
however, the country was not ripe for open
rebellion" they Id words Of their own, dis
couraging the grand design of general and
sudden dissolution. This is to fall back upon,
in case such rebellion should really occur, as they
can then assert that they discouraged it from the
first
We have tried to discover how it was posi-
journal so " weak and vacillating," or encourage
by their money and countenance such "a rick
city concern" A journal borro wing IDEAS, as
The vane on the steeple boTows its wind, from
every quarter OF the compass. Editors who, if
required to define their course, could only reply,
as did the honest andsman after his first voyage
across Lake George. When asked how they
had steered the vessel he said that he was g not
exactly certain, but he thought the sailors called
1t north half south"
But we have not thrown together these con
Trajectory notions and precepts of the House
printers, for the purpose of testing with the sub
Ject. 1t is too serious matter to be CLOSED
over with joke.
Our sole object has been to exhibit these
changeabe gentlemen in their true colors, and
do ii by their own articles. In this we have
succeeded most trlumphantly, as is quite evil
dent from the tone Of our exchange papers We
have shown their utter disregard of public OPT
nion--their total want of sel-respect aud their
constant practice of political egerdemain We
have exposed their daily trfng with the feel
lngs, hopes and wishes of the public; their en-
tire devotion to the god of ma nmon, and the
hourly exercise of their powers of hocui pocus
upon the guilibility of their innocent readers
In doing this we have quoted their own words ;;
placed side by side their own pictures, and com
pared the inequalities of light and shal in the
same drawing. We have only
" Held the mirror up to nature"
and exposed the terrible deformitv, the pretend
ed patriotism and real avarice, which horrify,
appal and startle the unbiased readers Of that
journal OF extravagan, monstrosties.
BRITISH OPPOSITION TO THE TREATY.