The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-06-14
THE DAILY UNION.
COM MUNICATIONS Ms.
THE OTHER SIDE.
To James x. Polk, President q, The United States.

For the Union
To James X. Polk, President Of the United States.
When a free and enlightened people confer pow
err it is for their own benefit and not for that of the
beneficiary, his friends or DEFENDANTS. You have
been elevated the presidential char by the spon-
taneous and unbought suf'rages of the great body
of the democratic party, uninfuenced by intriguing
politicians or cabang cliques. Your pride will not
be wounded when add, you are indebted some
what to good fortune for your present high and
commanding station--a station which the most VIZ
tuousy ambitious of mankind might glory to occu-
py. Others Of your party had rendered equal ser,
vices, possessed equal talents, and as much political
and moral integrity as youi but il was the pleasure
of the representatives of the democratic party in
convention TO select you the organ of their prncl-
Piles and measures. Their nomination was hailed
with reclamation throughout the land; and, maugre
all the efforts, and contrary to the confident predc-
tons of our political opponents, you were trium-
phantly elected to the presidency. Your democrat
ic principles and private virtues recommended you
to the democratic party, and they confidently look
to you to carry out these principles and demonstrate
these virtues in the practical administration OF the
government. To fulfil this expectation, requires a
frmness of purpose, patriotic DEVOTION stern
sefdenal, which it is to be feared few men possess
in this degenerate age. Shut your ears and your
heart, beseech you, well for your own fame,
for the good of our common country, against the
whispered batteries and designing ntrigues of the
sciiSI CTcW Vi byCOpHdntS, WHO dTc ever CrUWulIlS
around the fountain of power and patronage, and
who will endeavor to persuade you that, by advanc-
ing their interest," and that Of their friends, you
secure your own.
Resist the efforts Of interested partisanship, and
scorn the insolence of party dictation We have
no fears that the many-headed monster, United
States Bank, will be warmed into renewed life in
your bosom, that it may again fix its fatal fangs in
the body polite. We have every reason to
hope that the high protective tariff which is
now leyying its heavy and unjust contributions
upon the industry of the country, will, so far as
your influence extends, be essentially modified.
Texas will come into the Union adding her lone
bright star to splendid galaxy, and the general
government be confined within the legitimate pow
ers granted by the constitutions under strict con-
struction of its provisions
But there other subjects of vital importance to
the honor and welfare Of the country, which will re-
quire all your vigilance and care to guard against
abuses. The patronage of your high and response
bic office may be so used as to cherish or corrupt
public virtue. Lust for ofEce-a desire to feed out
of the public cribs the predominant passion of the
day. and to restrain this cupdity within the proper
bounds, is the sacred duty Of him whose province it
is to dole out the loaves and fishes.
The great body of the democratic party, especial
ly in this my native noble State, have ever been OPP
posed to prescription for an honest, open, indie
pendent expression of political opinions: such a
course is at war with the principles of free gov
eminent. 1t is cowardly substitute for the rack,
the torture, qualification OATH and other direct MEANS
which have been resored to in tyrannical govern
ments to coerce the opinions of men, and in some Of
its features, almost odious and quite arbitrary
1t is calculated to establish system of espionage;
to encourage informers, and leads to "a vile and
shameful subserviency both in ofice-holders and
office-seekers. Fer my own part, had rather that
my only son should be slave to a Yirginia gentle
man, than office holder under such conditions.
L., Al O IL
party pledged itself to 'proscrbe prescriptions" and
the ruthless disregard of this solemn oft-repeated
pledge, as soon as that party attained power, was
of the of its sudden desolation and down.
fall. Shall a democratic administration pursue the
same heartess policy, and not expec; to reap the
same bitter fruits9 Shall honest and faithful public
servants, who have disqualified themselves for other
pursuits by an earnest application to the duties of
their respective Offices be deprived of the of
living TO make room for the incompetent and mex
perienced, merely because the former had the moral
courage to express, at the pos their preference for
one American citizen over another The genius of
our institutions, justice, regard to political integr
ty-a answer, No Let not the acts of your ad-
minisraton reverse the sentence. Let no candid
man have cause to say that James X. Polk con-
Quoted public affairs not with eye to the public
good but means Of rewarding political parli-
sans, and gratifying the animosites or predictions
of political hacks and demagogues s'Let all the
ends you aim at be your country's,n and you will
be respected and admired whilst living; and, when
this mortal scene closes upon you, posterty will
preserve your memory as benefactor of man
kind-as one who, called by the providence of God
to preside over great nation, exercised the awful
trust to cherish and preserve that purity of principle
which is thevery fe-blood of republics, "by which
they must live or bear no life"
The humble citizen who now addresses you in
the plain and unvarnshed language of truth, may,
by some who think shat thrift may follow fawn-
ing" be considered presumptuous. His own con-
science assures him that he is at least honest and
disnterested. He advocated your election, because
he believed that the principles which he has cherish
ed from boyhood would be fostered and preserved
by your success. Should he be disappointed, it will
grieve, but not estrange him from these principles.
ANXIOUS.
South Side, Virginia.