The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-11-16
TYLER'S LIFE.

To the Editor Of The Madisomian:
| Sir: have just finished the perusal of the
"Lifs of JoHN TyLER, President Of the United
States up TO the close Of tho second session Of ,h.
twenty seventh Congress. New York, Harper 8
Brothers, 80 Cliff street, 1882
! II is lucid, distinct, and comprehensive mar
ration, containing many (not a]i) Of the speeches
Of this gentleman; md places his life and char
acter in points OF view mos, Interesting, and Cal
this particular conjuncture) most highly impor.
tant TO this nation.
The speeches Of Mr.. Tyler are stamped with
a fervid, forcible, and powerful cloquence they
show the impress Of mind at harmony with
itself, governed by fixed principle pervading
a whole life. 1t is not that eloquence which,
according to distinguished writer and friend
of liberty, in whose school President Tyler has
been well trained il is not an eloquence which
aims at establishment rather than instruction,
at ornament and show rather than information
and improvement:
"If we would speak Of things" (says this great
reformer of error,) eff would speak Of things as
they are, must allow that all the art of rhetoric
bes!es ardor and cearness all the artificial and gs-
rative application of words eloquence hath invented
are nothing else but to insnuate wrong ideas, move
the passions, and thereby mislead the Judgment and
indeed perfect cteais-and therefore, howev er
laudable or allowable oratory may render them in
harangues and popular addresses, they certainly
in all dscourses that pretend to inform instruct
wholly to be avoided; and where truth and know
ledge are concerned, cannot but be thought great
fault either of language, or the person that makes
| them!'
| And although these speeches of President
Tyler are interspersed throughout with fervid
and manly glow, and are many of them speci-
mems Of fine and elevated eloquence yet do
they address themselves rather to the under
standing than the passions; rather to the head
than 10 the heart.
His style Of composition as portrayed by an
eminent scholar and critics in 1926, is +" lu-
cid and eloquent" Speaking Of his message,
as Governor of Virginia, to the General Assem-
bly, of Virginia, in that year, the critic observes
"There is no modification about it, 1t speaks the
bold, fearless, and independent language Of truth =
We expected nothing less from its author who like
the State to which he belongs, is consistent with
himself, and firm in the maintenance of His Princi-
pies"
And perusal of the whole of thA biography
will but confirm the character thus happily and
correctly deIineated in 1926.
| tits true that there are some of Mr.. Tylers
speeches that are omitted; two only are recol-
lecled at this moment; these are am2ng his hap
piest efforts, and are in strict harmony with the
principles of his whole life, as developed by his
public acts and this collection.
Since the date of this criticism (made seven
teen years ago. of his mind, it may now be said
with candor that age has neither dimmed the
discernment, nor enfeebed the fancy, neither
repressed the ardor nor narrowed the range"
Many proofs of this may readily be adduced
from the work before us. prefer calling the
attention TO the two speeches above alluded 10,
in order to show their agreement with the rest ;
and of his constant adherence and devotion to
the Constitution of the United States, Is under
stood by the Republicans in 1888, 1871, 1898,
and 1900; not since.
In his speech at Gloucester Court house, de-
livored in 1898, speaking Of the Constitution of
the United States, at the conclusion he says:
:" My resolution is taken others may go after new
gods and fall down and worship them, but for my
self, will worship the God of my fathers, and live
and die in their faith
And so far, God bless him he has done so.-
And in his speech as President of the Colonial
ton Society, delivered in the Hall Of the House
of Delegates at Richmond, in 1887 or 1898,
speaking of his refusal TO stretch the powers Of
Congress TO cases not enumerated, and OF the
colonization of the negro in Africa, and of the
money requisite for lis fur,herance, he says
"To appeal 10 Congress, is to appeal to a body
having no power to grant IT, body of limited, and
restricted powers, and Filtered by the terms Of its
creaiion.n
With Mr.. Tyler the Constitution is his beau
ideal, and is deemed sacred and invioIable.
will make no extracts from the work before
me, because cannot but hope that those, who
are seriously in search of truth, in this epoch of
high party excitement, will procure it, and form
their own opinions on the topics discussed by
this interesting Memoir He who has chung to
the ancient versions Of the Constitution of the
United States, as expounded by the Fathers Of
the Republican church prior to 1900 will find a
rich treat, and will be amply Unidentified for the
perusa.,
After having finished reading this life Of
President Tyler, beautiful sentiment of Mr.
Madison was brought forcibly to recollection
shall not take time 10 hunt up the passage, be
cause it is so wildly impressed that run bu
little risk Of misquotation, from memory
1t is a misfortune" says this profound observe,
Of the human heart. 4" 1t is q misfortune incident ts
our nature, that public measures rarely viewed
with that spirit of forbearance and moderation 30 es
senally necessary 10 proper estimate Of their rea
tendency to promote or obstruct the public good
And what is still more to be deplored, this spin il j,
diminished just in proportion, unusual cxertior
. of II becomes requisite"
; Never was an observation more eminently
applicable than this, to the presen, condition Of
parties, and with reference to the acts of Mr. r
: The violence and intemperance Of party spirit i,
utterly destructive of truth: shuts up ali The