The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-07
From the Old School Republican.
AN ADDRESS
TO THE REPUBLICAN CITIZENS OF OHIO.

THE CITIZENS OF Ohio'
The undersigned were charged, the 18th day
ofJanuary last, by meeting OF their fellow c.',Aens
he d al the city Of Columbus composed oi , o'
raj Government, with the duly OF addressing yo.,,
They, under whose instructions We Ae', y. 80
occasnn came tng, her for inquiry anu
They had been solemnly convineeu VI 'ne , .iIa
CONDITION Of public affairs. lhey uene'eu tue n'gh,
est interests Of the country 10 be iearuy involved
in peril They came, therefore, and conferred 70
pether as il their right 10 DO ant endeasoIeu 10
ascert am the causes OF the diihculues, emoar
easements and op, res sion, which weigh down the
industry and prosperity of the fsirest land upon
the wide earth and also, TO assure ihemses o.
" hat ought 10 be done recover II from the des-
pondeney and ruin VIII CHI persades or threatens II,
and restore it once more to hope and happiness
They did look for the sources of this widespread
DISASTER and they did satisfy themselves Of the only
safe and effcacious remedies, by which The plschei
that have supervened may be repaired, and the
greater calami,es before u averted 10 these deep
y interesting topics they directed the Undersigned 20
call your attention, fellow citizens, 50 that II you
shall concur with them in opinion, In respect 10 inc
production OF national troubles and the means "
which they may be removed, your patriotic eooPe'a
ton may be promptly and seasonably contributes "
deliver The people from the griefs and burdens "hicn
thew have borne until patience and orbearance are no
longer commended to them as the dictates OF wisdom
and virtue. go ..
IL would be a waste Of words, fellow-citiz ns, TO
distress of the county. They are obvious TO ALL
They are around and about Us every where. We
all see lhem-we all feel them. No class OF men
is exempt from them that Of the few trafickers
in money and currency, who thrive in proportion
as the multitude suffer, and grow richer as the
honest and laborous are impoverished. The tiller
of the earth is no longer rewarded for his annual toii
The bounties of heaven are not withheld IRON him'
indeed, the earth yields him her fruits, and he
pathers in the penteous harvests but his surplus
avah IN
trous mechanic gives his cheerful hand To his daily
pursuit whose profits wont to gladden. his home
with plen and secure TO his dependent family con-
tinuou' blessings and joy; but the fountains OF Ms
recuspense are dried up and want, with its cares and
an Kettles stands out In the prospect before him. The
honest and hardy laborer who day by day, has eaten
his bread in the sweat of his brow, hnds himself often
without northumberland the hard privilege OF
earning subsistence while grim penury siares him
in the face. Go where we may-look where me may
and we are met by the evidences OF an alpervading
Depression universal adversely. Business sagnant
commerce crippled money scarce-Prices of pre-
perty and labor proslratedcurrency deprecated and
IN state of '' confusion contounded." What a
contrast is presented between the features which dis
tingush this, day Of gloom, and those which be-
longed to periods OF prosperity! lew years
only have gone by, since this happy Republic exhibit
ed Of activity, successful enterprise and RAPID
progression rarely if equalled, and never sur
passed in any age cline now stagnation or decay
or retropresson-is associated with all our interests,
and accompanies all our efforts and operations.
Without referring TO details We appeal to all lnteh
gent men for confirmation of this melancholy picture
w desire to exaggerate nothing which we discuss
before YOU fellow citizen yet to extenuate augh
which as patriots becomes 10 grapp!e with aud
overcome. You know whether these grievances ought
longer be borne. II justice to ourselves, duty TO
our country and all the consideration which lmpart
value to life and liberty call upon you consider the
circumstances which surround you, 1t Is pertinent TO
ask why have these extraordinary evils come upon
this people? From what prolific source OF III have
they flowed in currents SO full and rapid AND now
shall they be arrested and turned back In then chan
hels These, fellow-citzens, appear to US to be the
questions VIII oh OF necessity engross the thoughts
OF every patriotic mind, and which must continue to
occupy them until they definitely settled, and this
generous, but abused people, are rescued IRON the
urasp Of that power by which these evils have been
brought upon them.
We AFFIRM with the confidence inspired by the r.
suit of anxious investigation, that 10 the wild ex-
Of party spirit and consequent reckless party
legislation be justly ascrbed the present unhap-
py condition of the country. This is no new doc
tgnenor is the principle upon which It is founded
for the first time developed. To say nothing OF
the experience Of all the generations of men--of the
results of sagacous and patriotic observation IN every
agtt is enough refer you to the counsels OF thai
great, good man, whose advices, while he lived were
as laws to his countrymen, and whose admonitory
legacy them will cease to be held in memory
aud reverence, while patriotism Is esteemed 10 be vir
tuous. and the love of liberty prevails among men,
1t was WASHING TON himself who taught us that
The spi,t gfpd ty, though wholesome and conserva-
tive tendencies while cherished IN moderation
and restrained by reason, is the very hend OF rum
when it usurps the dominion of he mind, seeks only
to foriy powers, and looks, in its tyrannIc
rule alone to lis own interests. And thls 10 true
The severest desp1sms preyed upon the world, have
been those ofdomlnant parties. Ihe direct amicons
WI ch have oppressed country since the founda-
,ion Of its Government, have been superlnduced by
this cause. Who that has lived during the last III
years does not knop that the adversely We now
bear-the worthless cuIrency-the low prces-the
prohtess labol--the deranged exchanges-the hope
less bunkrupcy-and the long train OF evils belong
ing to ,hem have all all been produced or aggravat
by purity leg islaion? Are any yet to os convinced
that tn, is, indeed, reerrabe me calamtous
of hhgs which agates he people from he Cell
tire the extremties OF The land calling IN thunder
tones popular nterposition, tor the sake tPoPu
lar protection
We may not hold set Of politicians only respon-
sble for our sufierings Had this been the cure
of our political maadies had long since been appa-
rent the application Of the remedy easy and safe.
We will not charge a particular class OF pdrftsans
that they have worked out for US the mischiefs we
endure The accusation would be untrue. But we
do mountaineering the imposing truth to reach
whom it may concern--we do MAINTAIN that the sell,
sh motives Of partisatip have for years controlled
the decisions of legislators IN the General Assemblies OF
the States and in the Congress Of the United States
that the consequence of selfish party Organization has
been the enactment Of bad lncslaws opposed to the
progress of the country in enterprise industry wealth
and power-opposed to the purity Of our Govern
mentto the ascendancy of right principles and right
practices-to the furtherance and permanency OF
our free instituuons-and opposed to the indepen-
dence, comfort, and happiness OF the people we
repeat, feow-ctizens, that we deem II superfiuous
to array before you the countless evidences of the
truth OF these assertions. Let any man retrace the
prominent inc dents Of our history since 1924 and he
will find the proofs multiplying upon his notice, to
of beneicent legislation have, during this interval
been begun and prosecuted with single eye to the
public good, irrespective of the interests of party
leaders and political aspirants Go back TO the recent
spectacle exhibited in your general Assembly al
its last session--n which opposing majorities con-
trolled the respective houses In the bitter conflict