Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/103

CLAY arraign, try unheard, and condemn as guilty, a living man filling an exalted office, with all the splendor, power, and influence which that office possesses, how much more cruel is it to disturb the sacred and venerated ashes of the illustrious dead, who can raise no voice and make no protest against the imputation of high crime ! What has been the treatment of the president toward that other illustrious man, yet spared to us, but who is lingering upon the very verge of eternity? Has he abstained from charging the Father of the Constitution with criminal intent in violating the Constitution? Mr. Madi- son, like Washington, assisted in the formation of the Constitution; was one of its ablest ex- pounders and advocates; and was opposed, on constitutional ground, to the first Bank of the United States. But yielding to the force of cir- cumstances, and especially to the great principle, that the peace and stability of human society require that a controverted question, which has been finally settled by all the departments of government by long acquiescence, and by the people themselves, should not be open to per- petual dispute and disturbance, he approved the bill chartering the present Bank of the United States. Even the name of James Madison, which is but another for purity, patriotism, profound learning, and enlightened experience, can not es- cape the imputations of his present successor. And, lastly, how often has he charged Con- gress itself with open violations of the Constitu-