Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-03-16

| ton was involved in war, and the Union wa
| shaken to its centre. This time of trial EN-
braced period of fve-and-twenty years, dur
ing which, the policy ofthe Union, in its rela
tons with Europe, constituted the prinoipa
| basis of our political divisions, and the mos
arduous part of the action of our Federal
Government. With the catastrophe in which
the wars OF the French Revolution terminated
and our own subsequent peace with Grea
Britain, this banetul weed of party strife was
uprooted. From that time, no difference o
principle, connected either with the theory O.
Government, or with our intercourse with for
eign nations, has existed, or been called forth
in force sufficient to sustain a continued com.
bination of parties, or to give more than
wholesome animation to public sentiment, oil
legislative debate. Our political creed is.
without dissenting voice that can be heard.
that the will of the people is the source, and
the happifess of tie people the end of all lie
gitimate Government upon earth-That the
best security for the benefcence, and the
best guaranty against the abuse of power,
consists in the freedom, the purity, and the
frequency Unpopular elections--That the gem
eral Government of the Union, and the scpa-
rate Governments of the States, are all sove-
reignties of limited powers fellow-servants
OF the same masters, uncontrolled within their
respective spheres, uncomfortable by encroach-
ments upon each other-That the frmest Sc
curly ofpeace, is the preparation. during
peace, OF the deiences of war--That a rigor-
GUS economy, and accounta biity of public ex-
penditures, should guard against the agsrava-
ton, and alleviate, when possible, the burden
OF taxation-That the military should be
kept in strict subordination to the civil power
That the freedom of the press and religious
opinion should be inyioate--That the policy
OF our Country is peace, and the ark of our SAL
walton, union, are articles of faith upon which
we are all agreed. If there have been those
who doubted whether confederated Repre-
sentative Democracy were a Government
competent to the wise and orderly manage
ment ofthe common concerns of mighty Ma
ZION, those doubts have been dispelled. If
there have been projects of partial confedera-
cles to be erected upon the ruins of the Union,
they have been scattered to the winds. Ii
there have been dangerous attachments to one
foreign Nation, and antpathies against anoth-
er, they have been extinguished. Ten years
of peace, at home and abroad, have assuased
the animosities of political contention, and
olendid into harmony the most discordant elc-
ments of public opinion. There still remains
one effort OF magpanimiy, one sacrifice Of
prejudice and passion, to be made by the in
diViduals throughout the Nation, who have
heretofore followed the standards of political
party 1t is that Of discarding every remnant
OF rancour against each other; of embracing,
as countrymen and friends; and of yielding
to talents and virtue alone that confidence,
which, IN times of contention for principle,
was bestowed onlV upon those who bore the
badge Of party communion.
The collisions of party spirit which orisi-
nate in speculative opinions, or in different
views OF administrative policy, are, in their ma
ture, transtory. Those which are founded on
geographical division, adverse interests Of
soil, climate and modes of domestic life, are
more permanent, and therefore, perhaps, more
dangerous. 1t is this which gives inestimahle
lsvalue to the character of our Government, at
once Federal and National. 1t holds out to
US perpetual admonition to preserve, alike,
and with equal anxiety, the riahts of each in
dividual State in its own Government, and the
rights of the whole Nation, in that of the
Union. Whateveris of domestic concernment
unconnected with the other members of the
Union, or with foreign lands, belongs exclu-
sively to the administration ofthe State Gov
ernments. Whatsoever directly involves the
rights and interests Of the federative fraternity
or of foreign Powers, is, of the resort of this
General Government. The duties of both
are obvious in the general principle, though
sometimes perplexed with difficulties in the
detail. To respect the rights of the State
Governments is the inviolable duty of that Of
the Union: the Government of every State
will feel IFS own obligation to respect and pre-
serve the rights of the whole. The preiudices
every where too commonly entertained against
distant strangers, are worn away, and the
jealousies of Jarring interests are allayed by
the composition and functions of the Great
National Councils, annually assembled from
all quarters of the Union, at this place. Here
the distinguished men from every section Of
our country, while meeting to deliberate upon
the great interests Of those by whom they ara
deputed, learn to estimate the talents and dc
justice TO the virtues of each other. The har-
mony of the Nation is promoted, and the whole
Union is knit together by the sentiments o.
mutual respect, the habits of social intercourse
and the ties of personal friendship, formed be.
tween the Representatives of its several parts,
III iHc vi LtSH ScTflCB at THIS We
tropois.
Passing from this general review Of the pur.
poses and injunctions of the Federal Constitu
ton, and their results, as indicating the first
traces Of the path of duty, in the discharge o
my public trust, turn 70 the administration o.
my immediate predecessor, as the second
II has passed away in a period Of profound
peace how much to the satisfaction Of oul
country, and the honor Of our country's name
! is known to youal. The great features Of it.
! policy, in general concurrence with the will o
the Legislature, have been--To cherish peace
while preparing for defensive war-To yielt
exact justice to other nations, and maintain
the rights of our own--To cherish the princi
pies of freedom and of equal rights, whcreve
| they were proclaimed--1o discharge, with al
possible promptitude, the national debt--Tc
reduce, within the narrowest limits Of efficien
cy, the military forcc-To improve the organ
ization and discipline of the army--To pro
vide and sustain a school of military science
| To ovtanH ocual n1f thu ~r~o