Jackson, Andrew (1767-1845) to Joseph Conn Guild

Washington
April 24.th 1835 ~
My dear Sir,
Your letter of the 11th, instant came to hand in due course of mail, but indisposition, from which I am recovering, with the press of public business has prevented me from acknowledging it sooner. I have read with attention your letter and duly prize and approve the principles you [text loss] to enforce those principles you most justly remark " that it is not so important to the great republican party, who of that party, we elevate to the presidency, as to deprive the opposition in making him for us" - It is certain that whatever party makes the President, must give direction to his administration no chief magistrate in this country can become a dictator - no one can carry on this government without support - and the head of it must rely for support on the people forming the party by whose suffrages [text loss] [inserted: is] elected - [text loss] [inserted: or] he must betray the expectations of those who invest him with power, to obtain support from his adversaries - your doctrine, then, that the opposition should not be allowed by the republicans to make a President for them, is based in honor, as well as patriotism - with the truth & principle of a patriot then, for your guide, and the public good your end, I wish you success with all my heart.
You tell me, that every opponent of my administration is strongly in favor of judge White [2] This is what I expected - the opponents of popular rights have been invited by the meetings nominating him to write in his support to "destroy the landmarks of party" - This suits precisely the views of the ever vigilant enemies of the cause of Republicanism - their great object now is to devide [struck: and congress] the republican party and bring the election of President and vice President into Congress - there, wielding the power of the Bank the opposition are sure to succeed - whoever is elected by them, must come in upon terms and be, to the President of the people, but of the politicians.
It is as true in politics as morals, that those who are not for us are against us - it is impossible to serve two masters - all, then, who lend themselves to promote the designs of the opposition - especially those who aid in deviding the republican ranks, must be considered as apostates from principle - in abetting the enemy to break down those republican land marks set up by Jefferson sustained by Madison, and contended for by [text loss]. I might say almost thro blood - certainly under reneated assaults upon my person - continued threats against my life - and what is worse the constant traduction of my character [inserted: consumated by an usurped attempt of senatorial impeach]; those who claim to be advocates of popular rights take the most effectual, indeed the only practicable means of destroying them. I have long believed, that it was only by preserving the identity of the republican party, as - [3] the House of Representatives - and who disposed of it against the public will - the men who at this moment defy the positive instructions of their immediate constituents in various states of the union - These are the men who have called out judge Whites Sectional popularity in aid of their object - which is the overthrow of all the labours of my administration and the final subversion of Republican principles - that my old friend judge White, should have permitted his professed friends, but secrete enemies to place him in this false position, is a great mortification to me, and is one of the greatest misfortunes of his life - What strange delusion they have practised upon him so inconsistent with good common sense, is to me, a subject of wonder - all his old and true friends did believe that he could not be more grossly insulted, than by the proposition, to be placed under the imputation of abandoning principle for office - or rather that remote hope of office, held out in becoming the candidate of the pubold opposition - they will first rise, and then abandon him, unless he [text loss] the system of politics he has supported thru life - and he will find himself in the situation of many others, who have abandoned those principles which had acquired the confidence of the people - the people will abandon him - they are too virtuous and intelligent to be hoodwinked by politicians.
That judge White has entered into the views of the opposition I ascribe mainly to the cunning and management of Mr. Bell [4] embodied and characterised by the principles of Mr. Jefferson, that the original rights of the states, & the people, could be maintained as contemplated by the constitution.
I have laboured to reconstruct this great party, and bring the popular power to bear with full influence upon the government, by securing its permanent [inserted: ascendency] and when victory was grasped - When the people have already tried successfully the experiment of a national convention of delegates direct from & chosen by themselves to maintain the democratic strength unbroken and thus perpetuate their power, it is truly mortifying, to see men who have hitherto sustained me in the course I have pursued and acknowledging its rectitude, all at once turn round and endeavour [inserted: to destroy] by diverting a portion of the Republican strength, to the service of those who have always made war upon the cause of the people, I say, to destroy, [text loss] that I have accomplished dividing an anxious [text loss: ad]ministration of two terms -
The daring and unprincipled leaders north, and south, who have conspired against the Union and sought even the allience of the foreign enemies of our institutions in their eagerness to subvert them - the men who have attempted to build up a colossus monied power to corrupt, & overshadow [inserted: the government] springing from the will of the people - the men whose skilful intrigues, once already made the Chief Magistraty a subject to be choffered for, in -tho -[5] To reach the speakers chair Mr. Bell threw himself upon the opposition - Their undevided strength, increased by some twenty of the friends of the administration whom, he induced to believe that he would remain true to the party, gave him the election - finding that he could not fulfill his obligations to the friends & foes of the administration, [text loss: a]nd that he must forfeit his place, because [text loss: he] had lost the confidence of the whole republican majority, in consequence of his obsession with the opposition he resolved to make the effort to recruit the numbers of that party in the House of Representatives on which he found he must ultimately depend by producing a schism among the republicans - with this view judge White must have been seduced [inserted: by Mr Bell] to lend his [struck: and] name and pretensions to cooperate with the enemies of the administration in the elections that were to take place in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama Tennessee a[text loss: nd] Mississippi - In those states Mr. Bell supposed, that a sectional [text loss] for judge White would bring into the ranks of the opposition some 20 or 30 new members which would secure his reelection to the chair, as the candidate of the opposition - This must have been Mr Bells immediate object - It is not improbable however, that he looks to [illegible] objects in building up a Southern party in conjunction with Mr Calhoun, founded exclusively [6] on sectional feelings & prejudices, and not principle.
I perceive among other artifices employed by those late adherents of the administration who have turned against it, that it is now pretended that my policy is sustained, by the corrupt office holders! - the truth is, the people have allways sustained me both against the majority of the office holders, and the politicians, and the pu[text loss] presses of the country - I have long since perceived that no administration will ev[text loss: er] command the affection of the office holders which seeks to extirpate abuses, and which acknowledges the right of the people to reach through the election of the chief magistrate, every subordinate officer, and thus to remove all who shall have given dissatisfaction to the public - the mass of the office holders will always cling to that party which would establish a life estat[text loss: e] in office, give high salaries, and enact sm[text loss: all] service, This part is the assis[text loss: tance] and hence it is, that the Democratic [text loss] [struck: him] (although in the ascendency for the greatest part of the time since the establishment of the government) has always been in the minor[text loss: ity] in the official corps, for the most part whenever [text loss: a] man obtains station, he adopts those principles ca[text loss]ted to make it lucrative, and permanent - he g[text loss] jealous of the power of the people, which makes, [text loss] or seems to render his situation precarious - and imperceptibly and gradually all his feelings & political biases are surrendered to the leading men who would make government, in its great & minor offices [7] I did not feel deeply mortified at the offensive uses which it is designed by my bitterests enemies to make of many whom, I have been in the habit of regarding as amonghst my warmest friends but because I thought that course more consistant with my official station. If there has been a departure from it I am happy to know that it has not been a matter of my seeking. Had it pleased the supporters of judge White at Nashville to leave my name out of view, you may be assured that it would not have been obtruded upon the public in connection with this subject - But I trust that all candid men will agree with me in opinion that it was requiring an unreasonable sacrafice to my position that I should submit in in silence to being held up to the notion by a print in my [text loss]deate neighborhood, and professing to speak as my friend, as countenancing, if not encouraging a line of conduct which, situated as I am and holding the opinion I do, would involve me in the double crime of apostacy and ingratitude - Having placed myself in a right position in this regard, I am still desirous of - taking [8] independent altogether of the people - I consider it therefore, an honorable testimonial for my administration, that I have been horrified by the clamor of - office holders from the beginning up to this time.
But with these enemies in my Camp, and all the desertion which the seductions of the opposition can purchase, I have no fear of the result - Mr. Jefferson in his most popular day would have lost the confidence of the people, if he had placed himself under the odious imputation of abandoning principle and the republican fold for the sake of office - I would abandon my only and adopted son if he would permit himself to be placed in this attitude, and from the sentiments of my own bosom, I feel assured, that no personal or local consideration will ever vanquish the patriotic attachment felt by the great mass of the people, for the cause of the republican party, which is indeed the cause of the country - the late results in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Virginia must satisfy those who have sought so recently to sacrafice the cause, how embecil are all the arts of political managers in comp[text loss: any] with the good sense and spirit which belongs to the american people -
I am sir with great respect your
most obdt servant -
Andrew Jackson
Jo, Conn Guild Esqr -
P.S. It has been my wish to keep out of the discussions, in reguard to my sucessor not that