The daily union., 1846-05-01


he may be, he writes with ability, and his articles
are treated by the Times with respect seldom ae-
corded by that powerful journal to any who venture
10 disagree with It's opinions, or claim exemption
from its prejudees. Ia our summary OF news by /
the Unicorn, we noticed an article IN the Times
eharaeterizing the speech of John Quincy Adams as
the uaylngs of a 'moon-struck madman,' and pro- |
ceeding, in terms of great severity, TO comment up
on the character Of the American government. This
article elected reply from the writer referred TO,
OF which the editor OF the Times, in publishing II,
said:
The plain principle of audi aLtsrsm patsm has
induced Us to publish letter on the political nstitu-
ions OF the United States, which will be found IN
another place, over the signature of "A States Man.
But without this the letter itself has intrinsic mer
its, both Of thought and style, which make il well
deserving Of place in our columns. The writer
has studied with effect the history of his country,
and with little art concentrates into focus the
scattered rays Of light that shed lustre upon the
general government Of the Union. Nevertheless i'll
the defence to our charge (Which We now repeat)-
that the United States government is TOO feeble To
restrain bad impulses'-be no stronger than II ap-
pears in his hands, we shall hardly be persuaded TO
Withdraw the accusation. IL may be true, and 1t is
strictly true that republics have often exhibited the
most deliberate wisdom of design and the utmost
npidity ofexeeuton. We do not deny to the cabi-
net al Washington in times gone by considerable !
measure OF success, nor 10 the roll OfAmercan Pres
idents the occasional merits Of craftsmanship. The
power and the active energy ofa democracy are It's
conspicuous and undoubted elements But the
question is does there exist in such constitution
that cheek-that pis inerte-vhich are necessary to
restrain the popular impulse at least to guide il
in the night direction We believe that this needful
force does not exist in the United States; and II Is
this belief far more than any conviction Of a really
warlike feeling in the government itself, that pre-
gents US from regarding an American war as imPos-
| sble.'
"The article itself is well worthy ofperusal in this
| country, and we accordingly copy Il entire fol-
lows:
&" TO the Editor 0fAt Times:
'SIR-Among other reasons for thinking our gov
| eminent too feeble 10 restrain bad impulses, and
our population too exctable to be conscious Of con-
| sequences 'moonstruck madman's' speech, and
the manner in which il was listened to in the United
States House Of ofRepresentatyes, seem with you to
rank among the foremost Without stopping to in
quIe whether il is his much learning that has
made him mad, if Mr. Quincy Adams be really
mad for learning, If his wits be disordered he
possesses to degree seldom equalled in Europe or
America and without uttering a suspicion that the
superstructure reared on such a crazy foundation
may be unsound, allow me to ask in what, and on
what occasion, the general government at Washing
ton has exhibited feebleness, and wherein has our
population betrayed an excitabty which is regard
| less OF consequences'
/" Since we came into being, which was but as yes
terday in the history ofnatonS, IL be said with
out boast, that there is not quarter Of the globe
that will not bear witness to the strength and energy
of our executive in its foreign relations. Were we
not the first to refuse tribute to the Algerine while
Europe was laying its black mail at his feetl Did
| we follow, or lead, in declaring and making the
slave trade subject to the penalties Of piracy-whch
| was at least one step towards purgation from the
| black plague inherited from our ancestorsl Was our
tha nF Narl fnr ind
ton suffered TO grow weak through age Had
France any repose I'LL the 25, 900, 900 were paid
And, IN these latter days, was not Texas annexed in
spite Of foreign interference
"'But perhaps the feeble nature Of our government
develops itself only at home. Well then, at home.
Did Il not quell most pOrtentous insurrecton in
Pennsylvania and that, too, while its powers were
in their infancy, without shedding a single drop
of blood' Did not, in its full strength, sthe South
Cardinals notification scheme with a menacei Did
it not easily crush monster bank conspiracy And
finally, has 1t not recently, in scon Of domestic op-
position, added new territory to its own'
Should weakness in the art of defence ever be
charged against il, the voices from English graves
throughout the country, honored wherever found |
would induce many not TO gainsay the SANDER And
fits power of offence be doubted or forgotten, not
the wide ocean alone but your very channels whose
waves almost kiss the lnels Of your DOORS could if
their records not written in water bear witness
to its reality. The smoke, too from many a richly
laden convoy was waited, too often with not sweet
smelling savor to the nostr Of their armed but TOO
distant guardians to convict the aggressors of inof
fensiveness.
"'As to the excitabiy of population, no part of
which corresponds to the English mob or the |
French ednaiiL., and to none Of whose members the
common rudlments Of education are strange it is |
vain to speculate on its evil results; for intelligence
goes hand In hand with it, and the cool, caleula-
ting spirit of my countrymen is a sufficient guaran-
tee that it will never lead them into danger.
"'Tned by the Procrustean standard Of Europe, | |
doubt not that we should sfen be pronounced out
of measure and that upon the floor Of Congress
certain scenes might be curtaed to advantage; but
that 'one branch Of the most important legislative
assembly Of the new world should listen with inter.
est and excitement to our 'lunatic' exPresidents
most original exhibition, ought no more TO raise
your wonder, than that the House Of Commons
should be amused by ludicrous description of
noble lords coal-hoe escapade, or that it should
now and then uproariousy cheer Young Eng
lands champion, to badger a man who is to him
like Jupiter to rejected satellite.
"'As, in common with my countrymen here, no
longer regard the Oregon question a war question:
with your permission will add line or two respect
ing what is described by you be the threatening
state of our relations with Mexico Your intelligent
correspondent in that unhappy country might have
told you that as against more powerful antagonist
1t is more helpless than wailing child whether for
oHence or defence, because II IS like house divided
against ITSELF that it more prevent the food
Of grafton from the States into California, and
its consequences, be they what they may, than
could the red man close his forests against the mum
daton of the whites; and that though it may de-
clare war till it is hoarse with calling it can
never make it, unless perchance, which do not
suspect, some European nations to its aid; and
then, without time even to the forecast shadow
of coming events, one universal howl Of war, on
both sides of the Atlantic will for many year
be heard smohering in its death-echo the voice of
peace.
"'Our democratic pretences,' sincerely believe,
are entirely misunderstood in Europe, especially as
they regard territory. We want none of your pos
sessions, and Canada should be much less thank
ful for than yourselves would be to get honorably
rid Of colony, which is ravenous as horse leech
and ungrateful as its own soil.
"'No! Pretences, unjust pretences, if they have an
existence, time will show that they are not on our
side. But in the eyes Of some, because we are pro-
fessed republicans and having power choose to use