I have read your special message with the greatest satisfaction. It is a document, which, as well in ^its^ spirit as in its capacity reflects the highest credit upon you, & to which, be assured, you will in after life recur with just ^pleasure &^ pride. If the patriotic sentiments & jud it contains are fully responded to ^reciprocated^ by the Legislature which I do not doubt, ^for we have now had a better Legislature^ you will have nailed the flag of Newyork to the mast on the side of the great principle which <lays> at the foundation of our Government ^that our Governmt is only Republican so long as it conforms^ That ^to & <excites>^ the regularly expressed will of the people. is <illegible>, & must be obliged. That it may be kept so nailed to the mast, as long as there is ^a^ single no rag of it left, is my sincere prayer, & will I trust be that ^also^ of any true son of NewYork. It was the contest about the establishment of a national Bank that gave <first> gave force to that party which was ^has^ so long warred agt popular rights & with which we have always contended its ^original^ form & pressure. That the ensuing struggle, of what I <pray> fervently hope may be the last of those institutions should bring onto the political stage men who have been long retired to ^from^ it & call into <entire> & violent exercise principles & feelings which have for a long time been stifled with difficulty ^with so much difficulty been Kept under^ is quite natural. But if there are any so weak as to believe, that they can at this time of day be made be made successful ^to succeed^, even by means of the odious & oppressive measures which are so unsparingly, & unfeelingly employed in their support, they <are>, be <illegible> <you> their account is ^I am entirely confident^ to be made up with some of it, destined to the most decided as well as overwhelming disappointment ^bitter & overwhelming disappointment^. When the march of liberal principles ^of Government^ have acquired such <a> <for> consistency & <illegible> ^power^ as to make its progress so extremely ^so extremely^ difficult to avert its ^their progress^ in the arbitrary <governance> ^<institution>^ of the old world it is political madness to ^hope to think of^ making it ^<illegible> <illegible> <illegible> to^ retrogate in their <antiquated> age & in this free & happy country. The attempt to do may cost the people much distress, but there ^it ca^ can be ^have^ but one result to it. That it <illegible> by means ^was <illegible> by means of^ public & private distress ^in a great degree <curiously> created^ to force the people of the U. States to acquiesce in the continuance of a monopoly to which their unbiased judgments as opposed, <in> too has been rendered too clear to be doubted by any <ingenious> mind: and it is diffic not a little difficult to say whether the ^weakness &^ the restlessness in the folly of the attempt is the most striking. That any well informed mind ^<you> man at all <illegible> <illegible>^ who understands the character of the conscious people, could ^could^ anticipate any other result from the experiment ^these <attempts>^ <illegible> that which accounts it is to me amazing.^xx

What a glorious opportunity does this <illegible> of political parties into their <illegible> ^<illegible> prospective elements^ presented to the sincere Democratic ^Democratic^ antimasons of our state to place themselves once more on the only <three> platforms. <And> on that pious <eminence> which they occupied during the War. Will they not embrace it? I sincerely hope so.