The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-02

quences of such course are national degrade
ton and forgetfuness of the high obligations by
which freemen should be actuated, il becomes
the duty of ev ry American citizen to correct
abuses which, if suffered to continue, must ter
inmate in the prostraton of oar republican IN
sututions, and render our beloved country an
object of derision and contempt. Under a con-
dtion of things, so well calculated toarouse the
apprehensions of every genuine patriot, and
after a political struggle OF almost unprecedented
violence, the supporters of our late venerated
Chief Magistrate succeeded in acquiring power
and were looking forward with joyful conn
dence to the restoration of constitutional liberty
in all its purity, when il pleased the Almighty
to deprive the nation of the services OF ruler
whose devotion to country and dislnterested
patriotism had obliterated party distinctions
and procured the union of the good for the good
of the Union AT the period TO which we re-
fer the elements of political strife were ra-
pidly subsiding into a state of quietude, and It
was confidently expected that whatever might
be the wishes and efforts OF interested agitators
to the contrary the reasonable portions OF the
two great contending parties would unite IN
sustaining an Administration heralded by so au-
thoritatve an expression of the popular will
With the ardent hope, and, we may add, the
undoubtng belief, that course OF policy, al
ready begun under the auspices OF his venerated
predecessor, might be successfully carried out
by himself, and those whom he should call to
his councils, Mr.. Tyler assumed the duties OF
the Presidential chair, and feeling conscious OF
his own honesty ofpurpose, entertained no Tears
that minor differences Of opinion would be sui
fered to place in his way any difficulties that
might not readily be surmounted by spirit OF
mutual forbearance and concession. He knew
that there were points of policy on which his
views did not accord with those Of some OF the
most prominent members of the Administration,
or popular party, but he felt, at the same time,
that, these differences had their origin on his
part in conscientious convictions, and had
been fully ascertained previously TO his
being elected to the Vice Presidency, he
had Alright to anticipate, on behalf OF those
with whom he was now drawn into close com
munion, an exercise of forbearance and hbe-
rality in accordance with the delicacy Of his po.
stion. How far these expectations have been
gratiied, we may learn from the events OF the
late special session. when in the exercise OF the
high prerogative Of his station, and the ndepen-
dence Of an American citizen, he had the firm
ness to prefer what he, at least, honestly and
conscientiousy believed to be the good Of his
country TO mere partisan popularity, and thus
drew down upon himself torrent of ill-advised
alb Use and vindictive opposition, wthouta paral-
lei in the annals of our country. When in
giving his prompt and hearty assent to every
measure adopted by Congress, and not, as he
thought, unconstitutional, he ventured to with
hold his approval from one involving constitution
al scruples as to the mode Of attaining the end
propo sed, which to his mind were insurmount-
able. what must have been his surprise at
finding himself assaied by the very men on
whose liberaty and confidence he had placed
the most implicit reliance, and presented to the
country, not as one who had committed an ho-
nest error, but as a traitor to the cause of which
he hal been one Of the most firm and able advo-
Gates
1t is to the course of Congress, in thus as
signing unworthy motives and dishonesty OF
purpose to the head of a coordinate branch of
the Government and to the subsequent unre-
lcnting and embittered opposition to the Pres-
dent on the part Of that body, that we take ex-
ception and we now call upon those who have
so unfeeingly and wantonly forgotten we will
not say the decorum of their station, but the re-
| spect which they owe to the freemen by whom
they have been elected TO answer to their country
for the manner in which they have discharged
their own functions. An issue has been formed
| by the authors Of the wrong OF which we COM
plain. on which the freemen of the United States
are to pass sentence, and we shall see hereafter
| whether the People will say that weeks and
months spent in thwarting and paralysing the
action of the Executive Department of the Go
vernment, and in wranging about petty points
of order, have been devoted to the service of
the nation. Nor is this ALL This same abused
and betrayed People, writing as they now are
under the agonies of ills unredressed, will be
called on to decide whether their demands on
the time and talents of their servants have been
satisfied by such scenes as the halls of Congress
daily witness, when the productive industry OF
the nation is rendered powerless by the want Of
an equable circulating medium, simply because
that medium is not to be furnished by can OLD
fashioned bank" the most Jealous advocates o.
which are now ready TO admit that it could mo-
have been carried into successful operation.
There is yet another question, the settlement
of which we propose to refer to the high tribu
nal of popular justice demanding at the hand:
of that power before which every public servan