Delaware patriot & American watchman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1828, 1828-03-18

the constitution emanatng from it, are .un,,.
scarce the PUBLIC records are too vouminous # :.
cessbe, and it IS but from an imperfect tr.a,. a.
we can derive any particulars Of the awfl . .'
to American freedom marked as above from l l,ss
! to 1901. AT
This. however. we do know, because 4 !. :.
sacred to be pcrishabe with mere record w, wv
do know that the declaration itself was held ,o ~"
to odum-the equal rights of mankind was A.
nicd-llbertv was Observation-Disclosures ~.
wantonly and deliberately perpetrated undp, ~.
pretence oil justice-the freedom of opinion ,ri
the press were tyranncally violated toma,,,
security was invaded and disregarde,l-
tons from abroad were combined with marb;r,
tons at home, against the liberty and happine,, n
the people--the general welfare was sacrificed y
the purposes OF power, and that power only JeIs
gated for purposes which it was employed 70 d.
struv.
To that, in truth, every thing that was decls.,
sacred. unalcnable, and common to man in so,;'
~, was assallcd, partly sub,erted, and it appe,
like miracle, that this last hope Of man VAS no
converted into pnndemonium of arbitrary or ai,
tocra'cal. the worst kind Of arbitrary rule becu.
it consists of a number CT tyrants, instead of ons
The incarceratlons, prescriptions, and the a.
paling terror which prevailed, appeared to be eva
ry dav more and more aggravated; and the peo
pie OF America should never suffer themselves
forget that It IS to short recurrence of election
they found in the right of free suffrage source NJ
salvation had the period been more than fa,
years--had it been two years more, or had not M
recurrence Of an election divided those who con-
Cured in hostility to Republican Government,
divided in the struggle for office, and that the m,
tive OF tlisunon was by one section the insutfcie
cy OF the energy OF power, and that of the othe
that j. those who had already spread terror oyr
the country.) that greater violence would b.
fatal az the next electOn--i say, had these fortu
natelt athlcss to each other. as both had been b
socletv, only two Years more to work upon ts
fears OF tie people. it is impossible to imagine The
miserable state in which these noe happy repuh
hes. would have been thrown into
The brightest cumpais on- the glorious epocba
which opened when that melancholy four wears
had closed-is perhaps the most happy and felct
Gus in the annals of government. There was ys.
a struggle, and persecution, and hatred, and ma
lice. prevailed even after " the angels had fallen"
but what contrast do the "a wears which fol-
lowed, bear with those memorable and terrible four
years. ietlt IS true, there are some unhappy be-.
ings to whom the reign of terror is quite favor
tic epocha; but like other creatures in creation
permitted to keep mankind in precaation. The
sun oil freedom under which they have negative
OF unhappy existence, cannot cloud the brightness
Of the sun Of freedom, but the Declaration Of H..
dependence, has become more venerable-libery
and the pursuit Of happiness are enjoyed in ames
sure which can only be appreciated by a compari
son with the state Of Spain at this time, or the
United States from 1897 to 1901
Those efforts manifested by the Developments
OF Capt. Henry, and its offspring the Hartford
Convention, were but the last acts of despair, in
those who had previously been defeated and pros
trated.
The rights Of the people were put at naught, and
treated with derision-- were they respected at h.
last Presidential Eelection
The liberty of the press was attempted tob'
destroyed by every kind Of violence and rutFam
were openly rewarded by Executive favor for at
tempting to murder a printer--the grandson d
franklin.
These subjects are so full of matter of fact and
o! reflection. that it is not practicable to keep
Withln the necessary limits OF newspaper; it was
my intention to have compared the effects of the
change IN loOl, and the peace, concord and social
confidence which followed for "a Years, with the
outrage, misery, fear, aud danger of the four pre-
ceding years, and then to carry on the comparison
OF the intrigucs at the last presidential election
the contempt If the pcople-the perverslon OF
laws-the corruption OF the press and the yO
fence practised. not only members of Congress
but the assassln-like attempts by which those who
set the people at defiance, endeavor. as in 1897
'9s,-'99 and $500, to bear down all the barrier
OF law and constitution, to maintain their confs
sediy i'l-Soten power but 1 believe there are few
who nnotmake the comparison for themselves
One Of the People,
COMMUNICATED
MUTlNY. ON Sunday, the 10th inst about occcG
l. VI Oft Marcus Iiook fro,, nm