The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-11-20

which We take from the Iefe -liaue Indiana
Express, Ia Wing paper,) administers severe
rebuke TO the unpalnonc course adopted by the
leading Wing journals OF the Easl;l
"oDe Of the leading characteristics Of ancient
Federalism, was disirust Of the virtue and intell
geDce OF the masses OF the people, aud Of their capa
city ior selfgovemnent. That "a the people were
their Own greatest enemies" was dogma that lay a
the foundation Of primitive Federalism; and which
ID The brei period OF It's rampant ascendency, leo Il
The enactment of those odious laws and To The sdop
tlon OF those astringent measures, which rendered
The elder Adamss administration so unpopular and
obnoxious 10 the American people. DISTRESSING, al
that weliinlentioDod but mistaken patriot did, The
capacity Of The masses for self II is moi
at all surprising that he should have attempted by le
gal enactmens and executive regulations to counter
act the supposed tendency Of the uneducaed classes
to misunderstood their own and their country's true
interests. Hence the passage Of the allen and sedi
ton laws for the purpose OF siencng the clamors OF
his enemies, and of putting down a class OF citizens
VINO showed themselves particularly untrendy TO his
administration, and which opposition 10y confound
ing the terms government" with administra-
tlon, he treated as proof positive an unlrendly
feeling TO the country itself and institutions. A.
history Is philosophy teaching by example," it be
hooves every politician who expects to survive the
ePhemeral excilements OF the present hour to study
well its lessons before falling into which, il
despite OF his great and noble efforts in the OF
American Independence led to the overthrow of the
administration Of John Adams.
Without an abiding confidence in the capacity OF
the people for self government and in the ultimate
correctness OF their DECISIONS politician bear
with philosophy and resignation the chagrn and dis
appointment inseparabe, even in the best balanced
minds, from adverse fortune in party conflicts. II
we cannot reconcile the popular judgments to the
erring test OF our own reason, we should at least be
willing believe that that Good Being who educes
Unn nd from - maj haVa tfaA 10, hA
crushed to earth" for the present. that may arise in
greater efugence and strength al no distant period.
II is natural that every who enters into party
tests earnestly and zealously, should think himself
right and his opponents wrong, but there is a vast
difference n the manner in which different persons
conduct themselves in the elaton of victory or amid
the disappontments Of defeat The true and genuine
republican may be known in the hour of defeat by the
good grace with which he submits the popular will.
Instead Of wishing his country governed by the pow
OF one of few select hereditary rulers derives
consolation from the fact that his lot is cast in land
of liberty and Of law where, if the will of the many
is exercised as TO lead TO administrative errors,
every motive of ifnterest and self-preserva
must prompt them to correct their mistakes at the
first opportunity that may after the consequen
ces Of their measures are felt or discovered The
majority and minority are embarked in the same ship
and an unskllful or incompetent pilot cannot be
placed at the helm without endangering the safety OF
both. 1t is not therefore probable that if the
cessful candidate for Presidential honors shall
prove himself inadequate to the high duties devolvng
upon him. he will be sustained in carrying out mea-
sures OF policy calculated to iDjure alike the inter
ests of political friends and foes These and other
kindred reflections failing sources Of con.
ISOLATION to the liberal and tolerant minded republican
The politician, on the other hand whose arbitrary
and impatient nature IS incapable Of bearing up I'M
der adversely, Is no thwarted in carrying ou
his views, than be shows he is republican only il
and -.
Having no confidence in the people, he displays his
federal affnities, by denouncng them in the gross
and IN detail, by classes and by States for what he
is pleased to term their beasy Ignorance and brutal
ity, IN not viewing and in precisely the
same light as his nfallible-seJg So persuaded is be
OF his own and his parys orthodoxy every contro-
verted point, that he oracuary pronounces a coinc
dence OF views as an unerring test of popular intel
ligence and denouDces all recusants unqualified
| to exercise the elective franchise Too impatient OF
contradiction to await the lardy but certain triumph
OF truth over error, such politicians have in all ages
when IN power, resorted to the most summary meth
DDS OF producing conformity by legislative coercion
| and are now In this age of the world prepared tc
disfranchise as knaves FOOLS class after class
that none but the fallibe and orthodox may hereaf
| ter participate IN the direction Of public affairs
Now, oil this loss OF temper is in bad taste, and dis
plays an ignorance of the history of liberal and fret
governments by no means creditabe TO the intelli
gence OF such croakers. There never existed free
country without parties, and yet who will contend
that the be st parties not mistaken in some things
| which one man may consider a venial, and ano her
equally honest mortal offence against good govern
mentf In that case honest man may, through
mistaken views, attach himself to party with man,
faults, TO escape one with only few. The most tr
fling error may from the peculiar bias of particular
minds, be magnihed into a fault Of vast importance
and well-meaning individuals may hy from errors
which they knew, TO embrace Others, far worse
which they know not Of The epalogue of Swift, re.
gardng the two nations who went to about dis.
pute to the relative orthodoxy of breaking an egg
at the little or big end, applies, with good deal OF
force, 10 the exaggerated estimate placed 10y heated
partisans upon the importance Of their conflicting
theories OF Government IN the promotion of human
happiness and prosperity.