The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-07-10
THE INTELLIG ENcE OF THE PEOPLE.

THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE PEOPLE
1t seems TO us that the Globe and Richmond
Enquirer do great injustice to the People of this
country when they represent or countenance thu
idea that the great revolution of 1910 was eff
fecled by "coon skins, hard cider, aud sing
ing" Whatever may be the taste Of such ex-
hibItions Of popular feeling, still they are effects
and not causes. They are but the modes in
which popular effervescence boils over. 1t
might as we'll be said that the bubbles on III
surface Of hot spring caused it to boil. OF all
People on the face of the globe, the Americans,
from their social habits and from their position,
spread over an extensive territory, and the great
body Of them tllers of the earth, are least likely
to he affected by mummery and show. They
are still less likely to be induced by such means
to change their opinions of public men, and 10
withdraw their confidence from those they had
delighted to honor. Does any one believe thai
"hard cider, singing, and coon SKINS" could
have shaken General Jackson's popularity? be
very fact that such exhibitions became general
and were INDUCED in by immense masses, proves
that the ground was prepared for them; thai
there was something, in the condition of the
country or in the measures Of the Adminislra-
ton with which the People were dissatisfied,
and they were accordingly exhilarated by the
hope of change, and INDUCED in such demon
STATIONS as can only proceed from, or be conso-
nant with, high state Of excitement. 1t is the
custom of Aristocrats, OF those who deny the
pacity Of the People for self-government, to re-
-. e Ill
be operated ON through their passions and preju-
dices, and led TO results destructive to the inte
rests and prosperity Of the country. Such,
however, is not the doctrine of Democrats, and
we submit that those who would account for
the extraordinary changes of public opinion,
which occurred i'll 1910 by "hard cider, sing
ing. and coon SKINS" do but follow in The wake
of the Arislocrats and Tories of Europe and
America, and pay sorry compliment to the in
telligence, integrity, and patriotism of their fell
low-cilizens.
II, then there must have been some cause for
the change, other than that assigned by the
Globe and other papers, is it not the part of wis
dom to inquire what that cause was, and how
far j. may operate at another election to produce
the same result2
Without entering into a discussion of the me-
riis or dement's of the Sub-Treasury, does not
every observing and rejecting man know that it
was condemned by the People, and that particu
larry what were called the specie clauses were
regarded as the commer cement of a system to
abolish all paper credits, and introduce hard mo-
ney as The exclusive medium for all public and
private transactions
The question, tben, presents itself, what are
the probabilities of success for those men who,
having already been broken down by the weight
OF this measure, shall again present themselves
to the Peop.e for their votes, with the same
dead weight upon their shoulders? Is it the
part of prudence 10 hazard the great and ad-
mitted principles of the Republican party, by
trusting their fate to the success of modern
project. wholly unknown to The Fathers of the
Democratic school? a project, as it is well
known, originated by Federalis, zealously OPP
posed by the whole Democratic party, and to
which they never gave cordial assent.
Are they true Democrats do they properly
appreciate the inest'mable value of the fuuda-
mental principles of the Republican party
principles which Jefferson, Madison and Temp
kins maintained, and which saved the country
heretofore-when they insist upon presenting
to the People an issue that has already been
tried and on which their verdict has been re-
corded
We throw out these hints for the considera-
ton Of rejecting men. AT future day we
may pursue the subject.
WHAT IS DEMQCRAT2