The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-10-26

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hide in tbs Reporter few days ago. exclaims--
mud yet the Reporter ID not unffendy to Col Ben
IN ~, Our sentiments with regard 10 the recent
roursS Of CO Benton in ipfeTneddling with the local
hirs Of Miasouri, have not been concealed. The
Eoi : recent lmPostaelpa sMoog u.s." Of = mouth
fpce~which VII atjechy echo his views upon every
POINT, and his letters which have been Published du-
$lnS the past -FOUR or i've weeks, hive removed all
sd6t IN our phd, Of his aetermnation 10 uphold The
|fentai Ciiqus at all hazards. Il Mi. Van Answerp
1ppp0ees that We very slave.as to remain o.
yeat when aasaed, to continue passive under bis
mestegN blows, he Wvst have formed hts estimate Df
Gun earactcr frQxs tooiishly thnkinE other uen arc
w arrsxle, crricg and me spirited himself Cob
1es hrs chosen N utser disregard Of that iunda-
MfntAi rincp OF rengcssS saat ne s the ssrraat
IA s+ss STATE ~s.s sFeslsr d,.:iTs .sasassa a.,h,
charge 10 oreei ihe sagertis pc PIC 10 uiev ms ar
roRant bthssss ~ all matters OF STATE poicy-even to
opening their parssstrngs TO pay his r,npeter for
sounding has praise and echoing his commands. He
has voluntarily entered the lists and arrayed himself
~ open hostility 10 the liberal Democrats of Missouri
He has specified who are his friends, and drawn
the line SO that there be no mistake about the Do
sition ne wishes to occupy. If opposition to cur
rency oiiis' wire-pulng and Centraism and support
OF tie District system, the Constitution freedom Of
speech and OF the PRESS the sovereignty of the people
and constitutional reform, regarded by him as
evidences OF personal hostility and sufficient usti-
hcation for his unexpected, dlctatoria and bitter as
sauts upon ourself, well as host of his former
have no doubts as to our true position. We have
lived too long freeman TO become the serf Of any
one at the present day. We shall discuss all public
measures, regardless of the dictaon Of Col. Benton
and II he considers our independence an indication
Of unriendliness," why, so be it. e t.lIBt
Did the Missourlan suppose that when blows were
freely dealt upon our devoted head, we should not
dare to beat them back, matter whose the hand
that directed them? Did the editor of that print
think that We, following noted example which he
wots Of" would leave our weapons in the hands of
our antagonist and seek safety IN ignoble fight?-
"Our military education," well as our political
was received in different school. When struck,
we always strike back.
As letter writing is " the species of warfare Of re-
cent importation among u.s." shall g define our
present position y as far as Colonel Benton is con-
cerned to his entire satisfaction, series of letters
which we shall take the liberty of addressing to him
in a few days. through the columns of the Reporter
He has stepped into the arena, not dgnifed spec
tator OF contest with which he ought not to have
meddled, but of the combatants, and taken up
the cudgels in defence of our discounted foes. He
has, Of his own accord, enlisted in the in support
OF Clique Federalism, and in open hostility to true
Democracy-equal representation and the sovereign
ty Of the people. In such strife we fear enemy
Battling for the Democratic faith and the cause of
TRUTH we shrink from no antagonist however form-
dabc his appearance menacng his attitude
" Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just and
relying the justice of the cause for which we con
tend, we are ready to meet its foes, with the
weapons Of their own choice. " Everything for the
atse-nofhng for men, is MOTTO practice as
well as profession-and adopting that sentiment as
our rule of action, shall, in pursuance Of I" the
species of warfare of recent importation among us y
as soon as leisure will permit series of
letters to Colonel Benton, in which shall give as
distinctly as possible views of the relation in
which he stands to the Democracy of Missouri
as well as that we occupy.
We regret that have been driven to the adoption
OF this course, but justice to the State, to the liberal
Democrats OF Missouri, TO our cherished principles
and TO our own character, will admit of no alterna-
tive We have sought to obviate, by all the honora
bic means power the necessity Of referring to
Col Benton, in connexIon with the local controversy
which has been going in Missouri for many months,
but which had nearly ended when he entered the
lists and kinded the strife anew He has ordered il
otherwise. lie would not permit the controversy to
end, but relying upon his own proves, he has de-
termlned 10 'ride rough shod" the opponents of
the currency bills, and the friends Of the District sys
tem equal representation and the sovereignty of the
people. The friedds of Col. Johnson have been
placed under the ban and all who have dared to,df
fer from him on any point. His open assault upon
the freedom OF the press matter of public poto
rety, and his bitter denunciafions of u.s. leave al
Tentative on our part but to criDge like whipped
spaniel, or to maintain rights as becomes free
man. For one, we cannot hesitate when such an al
Tentative is presented to US and we have greatly
mistaken the lofty spirit and manly independence
of Missouri Democrats, if thousands thousands,
do not stand up with US in proud vindcation Of "the
right of private Judgment" the freedom of the press,
and the sovereignty of the peoples Indignantly spurn-
ing all efforts to subject them and to the tyranny
OF any one man or set Of men.