The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-11-28
DUTY TO THE COUNTRY.

L
The Representatives of the People are sent
hilher TO make wholesome laws-not Party
Presidents The People will make the Presi-
dents themselves; it is their right aud their
duy; wherea, there is no power given By the
Constitution TO members of Congress to make
Presidents, until the claims Of the respective
candidates are first submitted to the decision OF
the People If the People cannot decide be-
tween them, then, and in that event only, Con
gre.s has the authority TO act
1t is the duty of members of Congress (ac-
cordng to our humble comprehen 'ion) 10 throw
aside all mere party considerations, when dis
Gu ,sing the utility of the important measures
submitted to their deliberations They ,hould
look to the interests of SHE greatest number"
Th, is the true Republican doctrine.
Permanently in all good measures is indis-
pensable to The uniform welfare of the country.
If an enactment Of vital importance i, made
party measure, and is passed by strict party
vote, we can have no assurance whatever of It's
permanency. The next year the defeated party
may be in the ascendency, and then. OF course,
the law will be rel called Such is the curse OF
ultraism, when applied to our national legiS-
lation. To this cause may be attributed most
of the distractions and distresses among The
People.
We believe the time has at length arrived for
the People TO take the matter in their own hands
and apply the proper remedy. They, and they
alone, can crush the evil The incidents Of the
last session of Congress, tended more than all
others, to open the eyes of the People to the
abuses Of their servants. They could not
but mark the palpably factious conduct of
the "Whig" majority in Congress. They
behed The evil Spirit Of party threatening
to stop the wheels Of Government merely to in.
lure the President. They beheld their Represen-
,atives spending weeks and months in the lau-
dable investigation Of the pirate Affairs of
members of The Cabinet, and printing con-
demnato,y reports, at the public expense, laying
before the world the personal business trans
actions Of Cabinet NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. that
transpired before they became members Of the
Government They beheld their servants pass
law, ostensibly to save some three thousand
dollars, but designediy 10 prevent the People
from having a knowledge of their lndetensible
proceedings. We aude TO the law prohibit
ing The publication Of the LAWS Of The United
States in any of the States and Territories
Thus the curtain is dropped before the eyes OF
the People They must all subscribe for the
Washington papers, or remain in ignorance OF
the conduct of their Representatives, 1t was
partly intended, at the same time, TO take a
paltry amount of patronage o ii of the hands Of
the Secretary Of State, that he might not cor
rupt the press of America with three thousand
dollars! TIuly, high compliment this 10 the
integrity of the American press And yer, but
day before, they voted Gales & Seaton some
fifty thousand dollars for bucks, for their Darn
private use, lohich they sent under frank TO
their homes! They also caused the heads of
Departments 10 advertise proposals Tor the
printing OF blanks used in all the States, that
the lowest bidder might execute the work, when
the expense of advertising alone, will amount
TO more than the usual annual expeu diiure for
printing!
Such was the conduct of the utras Of the
"Whis" majority last session. We say uhras;
we happen 10 know that the moderate members
of the party voted for these measures without
investi- aling their meIlts-relying too much on
the assertions Of those who took greater inter
est in them. Aud so it was, we willing to
believe, with the abusive harangues uttered
against the President. Only some twenty pas
sionate and inpe,uous ewing" members in
dulped ia violent abuse Of the President
What NAV b. the conduct Of these uras in
time to come, we know not, and care not
hut we entertain belief hat the liberal aud re-
Aectiug members who yielded 100 much 10 them
last winter, will give them no encouragement
the ensuing session.
The Democratic side was in minority
Among them were few ultras-but on afew
who occasionally assailed the Adninistra
ton. If they could do but little for the AID
ministration, they did but little against il.
The Democratic presses. however, always ex
cepting The Globe,) were respectful and encour.
aging On the other hand, the Clay presses
were, if possible, more rabd than the Clay
members. The People saw it all, and marked
the offenders. They spoke at the recent cleo
tons.
But now he critical time for politicians is at
hand. The approaching session of Congress
will decide the fate Of parties Tor years to come
The eyes Of the People will be steadily on their |