The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1844-01-20

the Jealous restrictions OF its charter, us
we'll az by vigilaa. public supervision
and control, ! do not believe that of such
an alternative, would find any cause of
quarrel against those who, free from con-
slilu,ional difficulties on the subject should
90 for the latter, in preference III the for
mer. Aud as TO The distribution Of the
proceeds Of the public lands, that stands
necessarily and evidently adjourned, as a
practical question, ill the sober judg-
mens OF the people, under the pressure,re-
venues of the nation, compared with its
expenditures and engagements, shall be in
a very different situation from that in
which they now are, or are likely to be
for years to come. My own individual
opinions an these subjects, have been SO
ofen and fully stated, tina, need not re-
peat them here. What mean to say at
present., is, that these are issues either hy-
pclhe,ical and speculative, or neutraIized
by equal aud opposing considerations, on
the other side and should not divert The
mind, for one moment, from those higher
and more urgen. and vital questions, which
are the true tests of u sound and correct
decision in the pending Presidential cleo
ton. Those tests have already adverted
to. They are such as are inseparabiv
| connected with the purity, character and
preservation oil the Government itself. and,
in my humble judgment, are overwhel>
mingly conclusive against the professions
of Mr.. Van Buren,.
As little shall we permi, ourselves,
trust, TO be Enlightened from our rroprie,y
by the old and hollow expedient of a
scnseiess and arbitrary use Of party names.
Those who are so prone to ring The chan
gcs on the nomenclature of Federalist and
Republican,, would do we'll to remember
lhat they have men, reading and enquirng
men. to deal with, and hot children Try
Mr.. Var Buren, and Mr.. Clay by any test
derived from the authentic history of po-
lIlcal parties in this country, or by the
standard Of those great principles which
exist in the essential elements OF our pop
uar institutions, and Mr.. Clay stands be-
fore the world the far better Republican of
the two.
In that great array and struggle Of the
two parties of the county, (amouhg the
most memorable in our history,) which
arose GU! Of the controversy and
war with England in 1912, where was Mr..
Clay, and where was Mr. Van buren,
Mr.. Clay gallan'ly leading the Republican
hosts in the House Of Representatives, and
Sill timing the administration o: Mr.. Madi-
son. with all The energies OF his patriotism
and eloGucnce-Mr. Van Buren, uniting
with the Fedcralsts, to depose tina, illus
trious man from power, and to supplan,
his administration ? Try them again BY
that standard which Mr Van Buren, him
sell, in most elaborate speech delivered
in the Senate of The United States in 1923,
declared to be the true and legitimate dis
ilnclion between the Federal and Repub.
| lican parties-she one seeking to ertend,
the other to restrain Executive power.
The public have not forgotten the various
schemes so sedulously devised or coun.
tenanced by Mr.. Van Buren, during the
whole period of his administration, and
fully exposed a, the time,,o augment Exec
uive patronage, discretion u power; nothing
surely, has more emnently distinguished
the career of Mr.. Clay than his consan,
and persevering efforts to restrain, and to
provide new dkes and securities agains,
the enlargement or abusive exercise of the
powers Of lha, department. of the Govern
ment. Judging them, by Mr.. Van Buren's
own definition Of political parties, as cor
rec,ly laid down by him in 1929, but to-
tally lost sight of in his subsequent prac.
lice, let the sober and impartial Judgment
Of the country decide which is the Fed
erals, and which the Republican.
| II is impossible for any rejecting man
to contemplate the actual and prospective
condition of the country, withou, seeing
in 1t already the germ of new difficulties
and new troubles, which may, in their
approaching development, agl.ate our
glorious Union to its centre The Oregon
and Texas questions in our foreign relation,
at home, deficient, revenue, with all lis
ordinary sources pressed up 10 their far,h-
est productive limit. and some of them,
there is reason to apprehend, beyond the
Tariff controversy, re. opened with all the
conflicting interests and passions which
| neyerfail to be awakened by il and add.
ed 10 these. the rekindled fires of The
Abolition exctement--each and all Of
them are questions which carry in their
bosom the fearful elements of civil dscort
and intestine strife. The worst and most
dangerous aspec, they presen. is that all
Of them bring into immediate and oppos-
ing array, if not into angry and hostile
collision the sectional interests and'feelings
of the different geographical divisions of
confederacy. Whose, at such moment,
is the naster;spirIt that may have power
to sill the rising tempest, before it sweeps
| liz Ii L