The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-05-17
From The southern Geo Miscellany.
THE NEXT PRESfDENT.

he I~EA
Our readers need not be startled at our caption
stick to our olive branch" and we have no idea
Of running up any other flag, or Of taking up the
cudgel for any man, or party. We propose 10 treat
our subject rather abstraction. and int nd TO
make our remarks abstract enough TO prevent the least
party suspicion. We know that politicians corns
are very tender and shall take especial not to
step on them We shall not assume the prophet, and
undertake TO say, who is to be our next President;
for we consider il question involving as much doubt
as tohetter al our elections The uotes Of faction
should be governed By e bias efjursPrudenee or in
ternaI suggestions"
We know of nothing unless il be making money,
which so much engages the mind Of the American
people as President making. Ever since we have
known any thing of poltcs-the great question which
has kept the people in almost uninterrupted excite
ment, divided them into hostile and contentious par
ties, separated neighbor from neighbor, and friend
from friend and even kindred from kndred-has
been, " who shall be the next President :" Each
party has contended for It's hvore, with as much
venom and violence and impacable enmity, as if the
salvation of the country beyond doubt, depended
upon the election of their man. The whole mass of
popular mind has thus, during every presidential can
vass, been ashed into tempest ofpary fire and fury
The bad passions of men have been suffered to rage
without restraint, and the kindlier feelings OF the
heart have BEEN at least for the time, stiled and
blighted ScuriIity invective threats, maledctions,
and curses have been poured out by each party upon
the other indscrimnaie wrath The purest and best,
q
this vengeful and ruthless warfare. And scarcely s
the successful candidate indicted into office when
the campaign opens for his successor the defeated
party rallies" and organizes" and comes to the
rescue retrieve the fallen fortunes of their leader
and the other rallies" and " organizes" nd comes
to the rescue" to proven, il and the country must
again be convused, and the same scenes of vndic-
tive and protracted strife be re-enaced.
No act of State Legislature can be passed, until
the party in majority have ascertained how it will
,sa.,o of dat he npyt
President" The fitness of any man for Office,
whether high or low, depends upon his choice for
''the next President; and we have known many who
Judged of the integrity and virtue of fellow citizen
by his adherence to their fayorte for he next Pre-
sident" This is fact, and within the experience of
us all IT'S true, have enjoyed comparative peace
for the last few months, but we fear it is deusve
calm, and only harbinger of the approaching storm
Parties are already sounding their wachwords choos'
ing their leaders, and marshallng their legions and
we may expect to our beloved country again
arrayed against herself conflict which will spread
through every portion of her fair territory, the
and clamor and commotion of party warfare, and
which will shake the Temple of Freedom, perhaps
to its fall Who can contemplate such scene with
out ill-boding' Who that has one lingering spark Of
patriotism, can his country distracted and alien
ated, and mighty people, like ours, making alegi-
TO party leader the only passport to each others
favor, without fear. No republic can exist without
harmony, 70, bearance, and affection, and if free
freemen, is to be overthrown and furnish last and
conclusive example of the ncapacity Of man for self
government party spirit will be the demon of its de-
struction We do not object to preference of one
to another for office, or to the existence of par
ties in politics. or to viglant watch upon our rulers
or to thorough information among the people upon
all matters of public Importance. This is to be
mended and encouraged. In truth, we deem it in-
dspensable to the safety and proper administration
of republican government, that parties should exist
Nhare tha aof,Iau lie hmm rant az
who chosen to official trust should be under their
watchfu supervision--that any assumption Of power
unjust legislation may meet its proper reward
Man is proud aspiring, and fond of power; and
rulers, in their ambition for sef-aggrandzement, will
shape their conduct for the promotion of their own
ends unless rebuked by the voice of the people And
it is natural that there should be difference in popu
lar opinion upon the conduct of rulers and questions
of public policy and the effect of this diversity of
sentiment, so long il is candid and honest and tenn
perate, is salutary upon the administration of Govern
ment. But what we reprobate and condemn, is party
spirit running riot-making e next Presidency
the graat object Of ife-party of more consequence
than the country-villifying and denouncng another
because his opinion upon some public measure, or
choice Of men for office, may differ from ours-tak-
ing the opinions of our fayore leader the rule of
our conduct, without examining their truth, and |
branding another as fool traitor who thinks for
himself-settng up the demagogue instead of the pa
riot and treating his loud and empty professions as
the language Of honest conviction and patriotic zeal
severing the ties of ndshpscattering the seeds
of dscord among families and neighborhoods- heav
ing the nation with its mighty throes of passion, and
provoking the fertilization of Heaven Ii is this that
we fear, and against this that we raise our humble
voice. Party spirit may be viewed harmless-it
may be argued thai escape from its violence past
contests, insures safety in future. We think not
God grant that the error may never be discovered in
our country's irrecoverable ruin