The Litchfield County post., 1826-10-24

tue command OF an artnyS ana yet w a0S-
titute of every qualification for president,
governor, judge, or legislator. Gratitude
for former services should never induce us
to raise men to Office in which they can
neither serve the public, or advance their
own reputation.
Many instances of the misapplicatiOn OF
gratitude might be cited in our own times.
What but this, gave Andrew Jackson at the
late Presidential election, SO many votes
for that high Office? For his bravery and
success in the battle at New Orleans in the
late war, he richly merited and actually re-
ceived, the thanks of the nation. If he had
not there acquired the dazzling fame of
warrior, it is not probable he would ever
been named as a candidate for the Presi-
dency, when hundreds of our citizens pos
sess superior qualifications for that impor-
tant trust. A republic can seldom be justi-
fed in placing military chieftain at the
head Of its government. Gen. Washing
ton was an exception, but does not dis
prove the principle-he was rare and ex-
traordinary man-and we have little rea-
son to expect his like again. But jack
sons principles and disposition, his talents
and information, are entirely different from
those of Washington. Gen. Jackson, in a
letter to President Monroe, of Jan. 9th,
1917, deliberately says" am free to ac-
knowledge, had commanded the military
department where the Hartford Conven-
ton sat, fit had been the last act of ny
life, / should have punished the three prin-
cipal leaders of the party. 4 am certain
an independent court martial would have
condemned them under the second section
| of the act establishing rules and regulations
for the government of the army of the Uni
ted States. These kind of. men, although
called federalists, are really monarchists and
! traitors to the constituted government" -
Though did then altogether disapprove
| of the Hartford Convention, and still be-
lieve their prime object was to embarrass
the government of our country yet the
laws gave no military officer any right or
authority to punish its members. The
General unfortunately refers to the second
his authority. The section is in the fol-
lowing words" That in time of war, all
persons not citizens of, or owing allegiance
to, the United States of America, who shall
be found lurking as spies in or about the
Notifications or encampments of the armies
of the United States, or any of them, shall
suffer death, according to the law and u
sage of nations, by sentence of gene
raj court martial" This law is explicitly
confined to foreigners and those who do
not owe allegiance to the United States,
who might be found as spies in or near the
Notifications or encampments ofour armies;
but the members Of that convention were
not persons of that denomination, they
were not spies-they we're citizens of this
country, owed allegiance to its govern
ment, and did NOT meet in or near the for
ti6cationS or encampments of our armies.
The general, therefore, misunderstood the
import of that law as well as the principles
of our government, and his hasty arbitrary
disposition shows the great improperly of
considering gratitude for past services as
the rule for selecting candidates for high Of
fee. For his military talents and import
ant military services, no man is more dis
posed to pay him homage than l am, hnt
cannot aid in his elevation to the presi-
dency. ..- .-.
STEAM BOAT DISASTER ON LAKE
CHAMPLAIN.
NeU- York, Oct. 9-Noou.
Extract Of letter from the Postmaster
at Whitehall, to General Bailey.
Whitehall, Oct. TIN.
: 81 have to inform you that the steam
boats Phenix and Congress ran foul of each
other night before last, nearly opposite
Fort Kent. The Congress had one Of her
quarters tore ofF-two passengers killed,
and a number severely injured. The mail
from Canada was lost, supposed overheard"
Some Of the Passengers who were on
board the Phenix, (which was bound DOWN.
have reached this city-they state that the
persons killed we're two females, names not
recollected. The passengers in the Phe-
nix lost all their baggage, which was on
deck-some of them were on the way from
Canada to England, but in consequence Of
this misfortune were obliged to return.
Since the above was in type, we have Re-
ceived from friend the following particu-
lars of the accident:-
Accident.-On Thursday evening last,
about 9 o'clock, as the steam boat Con-
gfess, Capt. Lathrop, was leaving Port
Kent on Lake Champlain, on her passage
to White Hall, distant about three quarters
of a mile from the dock, in deep water,