The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-31
THE PRESIDENTS REsIGNATIoN

THE PRESIDENTS RESIGNATION. 2
We recur again to the subject of the PREsI-
DENTS RESIGNATION, which we have heretofore
remarked upon in allusion to an article which
appeared in the Missouri Republican of the goth
April. pp ast
We have said the DICTATOR felt secure, and
majesty sat triumphant on his brow, as if wand
and scroll were already in his grasp. But what
vision is it which now suddenly breaks in upon
his sight, blanching his cheek and shaking his
limbs with fear? Why looks he aghast, with
lips parted, and eye-balls glaring, and starting
in their concentrated gaze as if about to leap
from their hollow sockets2 1t is the messen-
ger of Death proclaiming in sepulchral voice
the decease of the gallant and generous Harri-
son, and the accession Of John Tyler, By the
decree Of the Constitution, to the Presidential
chair. Why should this event have caused such
a change in Mr.. Clay2 Dispassionate reAec-
ton will solve the question. General Harrison,
in order to remove allheart-burnngs from the as
pirants after the Chief Magistracy, had pledged
himself that if elected President, he would serve
but one term. Mr.. Clay, through the means
which we have seen were in his hands, expect
ed to reach this station at the end of this term.
But Mr.. Tyler not having been elected Presi-
dent, and not having it in his power even to
serve a full term, Mr. Clay knew did not come
within the rule established for the guidance Of
General Harrison, and he felt that Mr.. Tyler
might, by successful administration of the
Government, win upon the affections Of the
People, and stand between him and his darling
desire-the Presidential char-in despite of all
the precautions he had taken, and the safe
guards he had prepared, for this the last attempt
he could ever make to attain that happy con-
summation Of all his earthly hopes, because, OF
the heavy load of years already weighing down
upon his shoulders. His agitation passes away,
and the instinct Of his nature teaches him the
necessity of action to meet the danger of his po-
sition. He becomes calm. He thinks deeply
intensely upon the new condition of things.
He beholds with amaZement, that new and
dangerous experiment is about to test the
suf6ciency Of the institutions OF his ,oun-
try, but he also sees his own awkward pre-
dcament so far as the qualification of his
own selfish wishes is concerned. He reflects
upon the course which he shall pursue
Patriotism speaks to him her command to rally
to the standard of Mr.. Tyler, and through him
to support the Constitution of his country. But
sel6shness demands TO know what good will
come to him by this course, and bids him thrust
aside such idle thoughts, and strike for his own
salvation regardless of law and justice. The
fend triumphs over him and though he sees
the right, yet the aorong pursues. Congress,
an extra session Of which has already been
called, is stocked with his men, and hireling,
Bank-bought press from Maine to Georgia, is
at his command-at the command of the great
Bank advocate. He possesses the "n,Gteriel,"
and Mr. Tyler must adopt that line of policy to
advance his interests, unmindful of the interests
of the country, or else run the political gaunt-
let. in the first place, Mr. T yler must declare
whether the people will it or not-whether he
shall ever be thought of as candidate or not
and without ever having received the suffrages
of his countrymen, as General Harrison did,
for the office he fills, through the injunctions of
that sacred instrument which no patriot would
ever deny, and whose powers no one but a
conspirator would ever oppese-that he will not
be candidate for the Presidency in 1914. And
in the second place, he must promise not to OPP
pose, in any manner whatever, Mr.. Clay's sys-
tenn of measures, as dictated from Ashland be-
fore the extra session met, in d manner which
Mr.. Clay can best explain HIMSELF understand
ing us, perhaps, better than any of our readers
can or will. twill be remembered what solicitude
was manifested by the cliques in and out Of
Washington, on the first point, at the same time
that certain organs and very learned expositors
of honesty and consistency, and other like terms
in the law of politics, assumed the ground as
something beyond all question, and could not
by possibility admit of a doubt, that Mr.. Tyler
was elected President, though he was only
President by " accident" and was certainly to
serve three years and eleven months or in other
words, full Presidential term; and con-
sequently came entirely within the rule as
established by General Harrison. But here,
in the very ontset Mr.. Tyler gave Mr.. Clay no
satisfaction; nor did he choose, by declaring
that he would not be candidate for the success
sion, to let these apt gentlemen at exposition
say Of him that "his grapes are sour" or "good
sir, wait until you're asked" and we conceive
that he knew too well that no citizen in a Re-
public has right to say that he aoiU not serve
his country, though wished so to do.
In our next we shall trace the connection till
further between this plain, straightforward
course on the Presidents part, and the after
war waged against him, which will necessarily
bring in remarks upon the second point above al
luded to as necessary to be adhered to by hin
before these modern patriots could give to hi.
thoir