The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-11
The Presidents inaugural.

on the Presidents inaugural a narrow spirit OF crlu-
cism, which will neither initiate nor retallate We
again that the Presidents address consists, In
general in commonplace, non commtal generaihes;
and the National lnteligencer even with the spirit OF
blind aduation which its article OF yesterday exhibits has
failed to make any additional discoveries in the docu
ment before u.s.
AS the Frederick Citizen" truly remarks, it throws
-ttle light upon the policy which Gen. Taylor intends
to pursue in his administration of the government 1t
is full of commonplace propositions, upon which men of
all parties will cordially agree. 1t foeshadows nothing,
in fact with any degree of certainty, unless be his de
termination to besow special attention upon the mill
tary and naval schools, with view to insure in them
the highest condition of efficiency Not word is
said upon any of those questions upon which parties have
heretofore been divided in this country of any definite
import the power rivers and harbos, &c excepted
The fact u.s. Gen Tayos inaugural address, President
OF the United States delivered at Washington, in the
presence OF the two houses of Congress- the judiciary
foreign ministers, and $4,000 of his assembled country
men, little than synopsis of two three
of his eechoneerng letters, published during the presl-
dental campaign; for we maintain that the address
leaves the reader better informed of what will be the
policy of the President, than they of the principles
OF the candidate after reading his eectoneerng letters
Yet the federal organ nevertheless bespatters the in
augural with fulsome praise, forgetting to point out the
features which call forth its rhapsodies We objected to
the spirit of the address, 10 its silence the greatest
question which has agated the public mind, and to the
vague manner in which it spoke of the great questions
of public policy which have divided the two parties Of
the country since the foundation OF the government Sub
sequent events prove that not mistaken in the
spirit of that production. The composition OF the cabinet
gives form and shape to the vague expressions of the
President He says it shall be his "sudy TO recommend
such constitutional measures to Congress may be ne
cessay and proper to encouragement and protec
ton to the great interests of agriculture commerce. and
manufactures" and to improve rivers and harbors"
The first part of this declaration vague enough but
when its author surrounds himself with advisers who
known to be the decided advocates of the tariff Of
s42 and to be devoted not only to the restrictive policy
but TO extensive system of public Improvements it as
sumes fearful significance.
The declaration made by General Taylor that capacity
and fitness should alone be consulted his appointments
TO office, sounds fair and reasonable enough but when
it is expanded into the declaration which he is reported
(by of his rends) to have made in his interview
with the Independents of the city and county of Phla
dephia, "at, in the distribution Of Offices he ,poud en-,
deapor to giue to each of the divisions of his supporters
their proportion and numbers, he could ascertain
them. we are furnished with reading of the capa
city and fitness he requires his officers These declara
tons,'if they have not been unsupported furnish differ
cn construction to the vague expressions of the nausu
raj address.
The ntellgencer is not warranted in saying that
it has been the policy of the democratic party to
crush everything like opposition But here we have
tho If
reporter is TO be relied on the announcement of more
extravagant doctrine than that attributed to the demo-
cratic party by a bitter and malignant enemy. General
Taylor reported saying that his supporters matter
what their views of public policy may be- shall bask in
the sunshine of his favor According to this doctrine,
what becomes of that devotion TO principles, and of that
honest desire to them carried out in the practical
operations of the government. which belong to the
patriot politician' Those qualities would constitute no
cause of complaint or of recommendation to the appli
can't 1t would be of little consequence whether he be
whig democrat, or native that he of his sup
poriers in the late civil contest Can this be the Pres
dents opinion' Is this to be the great qualification
which entities the applicant his 'share of the burden
OF public duty" when "the number OF each of the
divisions" is aseerained and the spoils distributed
But there is another principle announced in President
Taylors inaugural address, which, if were the only
feature it contained, would justify our criticism and
our opposition. He first states, in vague and general
terms that it would be his study recommend to Con
gress measures touching agriculture, commerce.
factures improvements, the public debt, and the
accountability of officers; and then proceeds to de-
clare: "Bm it is for Tie wisdom of Congress ITSELF
an ,chich all Legislative po,sers Vested by the
stitution 10 regulate these and other matters of public
policy" This assertion, taken in connexion with his
previous disclaimers OF the qualified veto, brings for
ward principle against which we, in common with the
' earlier Presidents" have commended The trainers
OF the constitution in establishing the House of Repre-
sentatves, saw that there imminent danger to thu
Liberties OF The people unless controlled Its mem
bers represented the people of particular Districts and
majority banded together by local and sectional in
teress, might plumber and Cypress the minority at plea
sure. II was on this account that a more permanent
body,he Senate-was instituted as less liable to sudden
impulses and requiring that the States OF the conederac,
a. well as the people of the districts should have voice in
all legislation But forefahers so Jealous of he
dearly bought liberties, that they not satisfied even
with these safeguards against oppression They saw
that majority of States containing majority Of the
representatives Of the people, might combine against the
constitution and its guarantees. II was therefore wisely
determined that the natural rights of the citizen sho ult
not be in anywse affected, his natural Liberties
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