Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-28
An Hist orical Parallel.

To tke Editor of The SldrF
All acquainted with our political history will
remember the celebrated combination (undes
the leadership or Henry Clay, of Ky.,) of Clay,
Webster and Calhoun and their friends, against
Andrew jackson, President of the United
States. Mr.. Clay opened the war in the Sem
ste Of the United 81 Its3 at its se-sion of 1885,
'34, in a prepared philippe OF gre 1t power and
severity. 1t was intended as the grand indict-
ment against Jackson. 1t arFsiA ed him as
gully o. every political crime, and the time
chO- en- vas oAe OF great public dis -e33-a pc
ii0d Ike the present, with similar '-saes AMI
causes OF discomfort. The mechanics and Ia
bOTeis. N thousands aud tens Of t1orSands,
throughout the country were idle, aud they aud
their Families in consequence were suffering the
g1e1teSt desiitutiOn. Banks collapsed daily:
m21n FAC Tri0g aud mercantile hou, % failed;
aYicplir' was prosi sated for the want Of a
market for its piCdpctS, and general bank
luPicv threatened 10 involve the whole country
in one common financial ruin.
Tle "C0nbination' pre- s throughout the
D2tion exp .tiated An the severest terms upon
every c0uut in the indictment. The grand e0uBs
WGs JoclsCh's CGsd. ism. He was "tS rant
au''usJ'peT." He wSs styled conte mptUously
"Ktng ARTTclU T." and denounced ss the be-
'rayer OF liberties and rights OF the people
the deS.,oyer OF the Constitution and laws ofthe
rStIon. he was q vulgar King, tOs-a monarch
the mob o. the "Jacobin" democracy; sort
o. radical Cesar, who, by his innovations and
contempt OF all laws aud IoTms. and his reckIes1
expenditures, had corrupted the masses, and
de NOR NIized the government. There was bat
one will-One law-King AndrewS-the Caesar's.
eli this coDtipaed, increasing in intensity,
until it eliminated in the attempted asssssina-
ton OF ArdreW Jsckeon on the pOrtico OF the
Capitol by demented English rufisn.
But the radical jackson knew no fear. He
did not for a moment hesitate or falter. His
my able suppOI seis-the Van BureDs, Ben
to Is, Woodbulys, BlaiTs and Ken1ars-sIso a
teDJ. T. Butier, of n. Y.-bOidly met his foes.
They show. d that the Indictment was a stale
ore-thal 1t had nothing OF originality about
it-th4t Its 2yeral couuts were levamped from
the Tory charges against George Washing
to !, the father OF MS country, who was alEo de
DoUnced I "tJ 5aut'-an "usurpet"-who,
to, would be King-would destroy the liberties
Of the people aud tTImple the Constitution
nader his feet in order that he might reign as
Cesar.
jackson, therefore, threw back bold def
ance, ana the war on both sides was waged
with great bitterness. The Senate rejected his
nominees; Jack.on Teappointed them. The
Senate, by an unar nous vote, ceDsured Post
Ii .ster General Barry for Illegally borrowing
money of the banks for the use or his depart
ent. Gt'Iy resigned, and Jack On made him
NJ MISTER TO Spain. Duane, Secrete ~ of the
Treasury, hesitlted to remove the deposits in
tue United States Bank. The Senate sustained
bIm, and Jackson elected hin from office.
Ianey, his successor, removed the deposits. The
Senate refused TO confirm him Secretary.
jackson made him Chief Justice OF the United
States Supreme C0UCt. The "combinaton' in
Congress Illuminated its thunder in inves..ga-
ttons and resolutions. These its press disLribuI !
broadcast over the nation, and cOmmittee5 from
ell sections, bearing petitions setting forth
fTgt fnl cOndiIiOD Of tue county-b lnkruptcy,
fdleneS3, want, and dest: tuition from msnutaC-
turers, merchants, farmers, mechanics and la
bOIeTs-TTShed into WASHINGTON, Or sented
their petit on to Congress, and interviewed the
President. These the combination welcomed
With il!-oOncealed triumph. But to all Jaci -on
repl that the distress and suffering of the
people we're caused by DO administrative act
that they were caused by over speculation, by
bank rings and rings of every chF acter amory
manutactr"ers, mel chants and farmers-by tbe
folltts or tie people themselves in their Ieckl-
gambling for sudden riches, thus running the
Industries and cade of the countt Y; that no DOS
sible legislation could give Immediate or gene
raj Ieliet; that 1t could be only produced in time
by the reorganization of capital and labor upon
a new basis; hat all his measures were designed
to corsrD mate that end; that the means were
necessarily slow, but sure; that the United
States Bank ard the reckless speculation -rhicb
it er cOuraRed and Iostered were the HYDRA OF
all their evils; that colsC quentiy "the blnk"
"baDk Tings," and rag -bsrons" must 60 to the
/ wal-mUst be crushed-in order that the masses
might live and thIiye--that the industries OF the
naTtOD, the real source of its wealth, mi ght be
succor-d and saved.
In all that jackson believed that he was
fighting the battle of tie people-of the Corsti-
tuition; and "by the Etetnal' he would "take
the responsible y" trusting for his vindication
to what the ''mPu of Undertook" called the
"soher second thought" of the nation! What
was the result? The thunder of tre Senate
continued, the clsmer in the country increased
aud eXterded, and the most alarming detection
spread in the ranks of the administration. Hun
dreds OF old JackIon men, like the liberal re-
pubiicans of the present day, Joined the "com-
bina'. }" and upon every hustings throughout
the country added their refrain to the general
clanor. The "combinatiCn' proclaimed
jubilee! Visions of mower and place excited
them INTO the mosteX avagaIt ecstscies! The
overthrow OF the Jacobin Casar, King Andrew
l., as confidently predicted! Even the chiyal-
rOS ClS y, assured of victory, prayed "a bonn
tlful PIoyidence" that he might live long enough
to see 'the Goths expelled from Rome!" But
the Goths wouldn't expel worth a. cent!
They stuck; and although the whigs went into
the Presidential campaign OF 1886 rejoicing in
certain victory, yet King Andrew routed them
"hOrse, foot. and dragons" The "sober
second thought" had done it, work. Saws an
able authority: "The result was contrary u all
reasonable calculations, and proved the potency
OF party discipline even in the election of the
Chief Magistrate Of the American people!D
Tee "man OF Kirderhook," )" Martin IAN Buren,,
chosen President by a handsome majority of
the electoi al college, succeeded his "illustrious
pTedeces- or"
Let the present combination, therefore, learn
lesson OF the past and moderate their rejoicing.
Their jubilee is premature! No sensible man
ancng them will undeIrate the genius or force
of him who now fills the Presidential Chair. A
soldier and statesman like jackson, with Jack
sons iron will-wlth ali his steldiness of pur-
pore, and feith in hirseIf-alI his indomitable
adherence - his belief in the right-with re-
doubled powers at his command. If, therefore
a Fcombfnatiop" like that OF CLAY, TenstAr and
Calhoun, under the leadership Of Clay, failed
against Jackson, and tell to pieces for ant of
common e'emenIS OF Enion, is it probable, or
even possible, that combination like fhe pres
ent, Of most incona aruous odds and ends OF op-
position, will succeed sgairst Grant? Who be.
lievesit?
Such combination may, and no doubt will,
noio together in the organization of the HOnse
and the distribution OF its spotls. But what
then? Will they or can they unite upon dis
tnctiye sets OF measures, any permanent line
Of policy or bond of union? But suppose such
union possible. what measure can they adopt
which viii bring early relief to the people;
Whiehwtll secure employment to the masses,
give new life to the industries of the nation, CT
restore activity to its now languishing trade?
viii they dare to increase the expen iitures OF
the Governments undo Grants work eff re-
strtction, and thus nece-sarilT increase the
taxes or burdens OF the p, ople? Will they dare
strike at the monopolies and rings throughout
the country, in which so many or their leading
business mer-their Beln.onts and Vsuderbilts
ARE 70 deeply interested? Not much. What,
then, must be the character of their proceed
ip;s? Chiefly laundering resolutions, fan of
empty sound ard fury-puerile twadile about a
violated Constitution, "Cassrism," )" "rtgger-
ism" and vapid Bourbon nonsense about States
rights-the hoIowness and hypocrisy of which
the -.ober second thought" will readily pene-
trate, and the people, In sheer disgust and in
digDation, " i'll halt, shatter and disperse their