The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-03-20

No sooner, however, was Mr.. Tyler invested with
the attribute of Chief Magistrate than the project of
| recharterng Bank of the United States was forced
through both branches Of the Legs AZURE by the
jorty and the President called upon for his APP
prevail OF the measure.
la vain he pc nted TO his previously entertained and
frequently declared principles. adverse to the esab-
lishmen of such an institution, the broad ground
of its unconsttutonality In vain he appealed to the
good faith and consistency OF those by whom he was
| surrounded and who had sanctioned and defended
| his own views previously to hls elevation Inc n''
Of their leader had gone FORTH and polltical osacs
was threatened if the President renamed oodurate'
True to his principles at this trying period, he hrmy
met the crisis, and unhesatingiy exercised the pow
or with which the Constitution had invested him' ny
yetong the bill.
1t is difficult to conceive more Responsible anu
embarrassing situation than that in which fresid III
Ty Ter was placed at this eventlul period. lie was
surrounded by Cabinet, every member Oh wh'e"
was urging upon him the vital Importance oil me
measure He was waited upon by committee alter
committee Of members of Congress-conslstng Oh
the most able and influential leaders Of the successful
PARKWAY, so far was the importantly carried mat
messengers despatched to distant States TO sum-
mon his most confidential and intimate friends, with
a view TO influence him, if human agency could ac-
| cOmplsh it.
But fellow citizens, with mistaken frmness, with
an indomiiabe purpose sustain The principles from
| which he had never swerved, and which ad become
part and parcel OF his very nature apd conscience,
he resisted every approach upon this great nalonai
question :,
! At this solemn moment he stood aone with no
| counsellor but his conscience and his God lie was
| to decide question which the veal or the wo
of his country depended. majority in Congress
in the pride and triumph Of recent victory, AFRO
gantly demanded the sacrifice of his honor and his
character to their behests. Their opponents stood
by solicitous indeed IN all probability for the result,
but with folded arms, rendering no assistance no en-
couragement either by WORD or deed. The press
under the control Of the congressional majority from
Maine to Florida stood ready to pour forth his vol
Ieys of vIluperaon, and throw down his public lame,
his private honor and all the rewards Of wellspent
life In the ieril of that awful moment, we may
imagine that his guardian angel-lhe disembodiec
spirit of his sainted sire--presented himself to his
! mind, and pointing to The glorious company OF patr-
OTIS who are permitted 10 behold The scene, exclaimed
in the rds Of Harrison, Garry out the principles
of the Constitution" g You may he destroyed, but
your country will be saved" With an ntrepidiy
which would b. desecrated by comparison with any
exhibition Of mere animal courage, he marched on
the batteries that eveled at his breast hur
ed at them an open defiance Of their threats and at
single blow Frustrated the machinery which had been
long and artful'y conrived to deliver over our
free institutions to the tender mercies OF moneyed
oligarchy There is moral sublimlty in this scene,
worthy the study Of patriot
We have dwelt, feow-czens, upon this great in
cider.t OF our recent political history, and the con-
trolling influence exercised over it by President y
Ter, because we believe it exhibits trait in his cha
racter which cannot be too highly commended, and
which eminent qualities him for the high Office he
thus preserved in all the dignity with which it is in
vested, safeguard against hasty or fraudulent le-
gislation.
This indomitable moral courage is the quality, OF
all Others most required in the Chief Executive Ma
gistrae. 1t was that which commended President
Jackson strongly to the favor and confidence OF
his country They felt that, whatever an ephe.
neral majority might attempt, the great interests OF
the coun ry would be safe, while here man OF
g iron nerve" at the helm who would steer the ship
according to the chart laid down in the constitution.
thousand times better is it for the country that he
should in tie application Of negative power,
which merely suspends legislation and sends the cues
ton to the people for their decision, than that the
madness OF party, the combinations Of cupdity, or
the machlnations of ambition, should find plant in
strument in the President, destitute of the rmness
to esst their assaults upon the Constitution.
For bis conduct in this memorable crisis, he has
been denounced traitor. We cannot descend
to the expedient of bandying epithets but we ask
you, ieow-ctizens, to remember the professions and
promises in relation to a Bank upon which the ma
joriiy in the last Congress came into power, and
then decide WHO have been unfalthful to their most
solemn pledges--who have deceived and Knocked
the people-and who have disappo nted every hope
!, and expectation which they held out, TO induce the
support of generous and conf1Ing people Let
the most virulen of the partisan papers, who de-
nounce the President, be the witnesses of what the
last Congress has done, and Of what it has undone,
and has # undone
1t must be Of the highest qualification
to every friend OF liberty TO observe the conss-
tency of character with which President Tyler, at
the very moment when he was called upon TO ex-
ercise the highest power Of his office, sienced
forever all cavI at the purity and disnierestedness
OF his motives, by proposing TO bis cabinet TO ac-
company the veto message with q declaration that
he would not be q candidate for the succeeding Pre-
sidential term. ii was one of those decisive and
characteristic acts which does more 70 exhibit the
soul of the individual than years of ordinary routine
Of duty. We rejoice that such good counsel was
given, whatever may have been the motive, by his
then cabinet, TO induce him not TO make the de-
caration. he question is no longer personal one
1t involves principles of vital Importance to the ber-
ties OF tie people, in which they and they alt ne,
have right 10 speak. President Tyler is public
man, and he must not suffer the principles OF tins
government to be endangered or wounded in hIs per-
son. The people have right TO ms ST upon the OPP
porunties beng given them, to declare tic appro-
baton OF political integrity, and of fidelity TO their
interests in the most rying circumstances III which a
|, Chei Magistrate oi th, unry was ever exposed,
and OF hrmness OF purpose and a contempt Of
danger, vi which the pages f history furnish
ample more Respondent IN honor We, part OF
the people, claim The right to place him before the
whole country, Tor lis verdict between him aud his
ASSISTANTS
1t would exceed The limits we have prescribed to
ourselves IN this addr, TO recJptuate the recon-
mendalions of Pres ent Tyler IN his message to
Congr s., by h The general course oil ms Iolicy
has been develol Ell, nor indeed, Is it necessary
since 1t must be miliar to all. Suffice IT for Us %
give you solemn assurances, that from the most
careful examination Of IT, we have great pleasure in
givi 1t our most unqualified appreciation. Nor can
we for one mornent doubt that were his recommen-
datious carried out In the liberal spirit in which tn
have been made TO the late Congress, we should soou
witness an Improvement in the agricultural, manu-
featuring and commercial pursuns of the country
upon solid and substantial basis
But alas f. ow-citizens, VIC have fallen on adj
verse tunes, m winch bter spirit OF party mag-
nly would seem to have complete sway over The
minds of many from whom beuer things might have
been expected. Indeed, the very evil Of the day
would appear TO be- that the best interests OF The
country ar saci fceJ by ambitious politicians, who