Litchfield enquirer., 1834-09-11
THE PAST, AND THE PRESENT.

! What is now the situation Of the jackson
party, compared with what it was when j
| came into power, few years ago? Com
pare for moment, its present principles
views. and objects, with those ay0wed at thai
time. Is it not mortifying To contrast tbs
| one with the other! We recollect the prom.
Uses which We, with others. made to the peO-
pie, in the name Of the party and Andrew
Jackson. He promised reform. Where is
it? We promised that the patronage oil
the Government should not he brought to
bear upon the freedom Of election" We
promised that the policy Of Jefferson should
be adopted IN this point. What was his pol
icy! Circulars were written to officers of
terfere IN elections! How has that promise
been fulfilled? Look through the Union,
and you ind the most active politicians are
the oficess. Who are the most prominent
individuals ia getting up public meetings p
Officers Of the government. Who preside at
meetings? Officers Of the Government. 10
fact, let us look where we will, we find the of
ficers of Government influencing, and con-
trolling, AMI directing every political move
ulent. And we see evpn the President him
self and his confidential officers degrading
their stations. by frankiOg prospectuses and
soliciting subscriptions for political papers -
So much for the promises on that head.
But we promised, also, that the patronage
of the Government should not be permitted to
sweep throughethe Congress, corrnpting the
representatives. Of the people. We thought
we saw in the administration Of Mr.. Adams
certain tendencies 10 that way. which If not
checked, would injure the political morality
ct the country. We promised to check it! -
And have we checked it? And how have we
checked il? Can any Jackson man answer
the question without blush? Nearly forty
members Of Congress have been nominated
to the Senate by him, who hypocrticalIy pre-
tended to- SEQ corruption in few nominated
by MIR. Adams. And to mark still more
strongly the promise and the practice. we
have seen the Speaker Of the House Of Rep
resentatives. with the contingent promise of
an embassy in his pocket, daily and heurly
performing the dirty work Of the party, evil
IDENTIFY as the qu'd pro quo fOlethe embassy.
And then again, we promised economy and
retrcnchment! Who has forgotten the out
cries, the rawlings, Of Rives and Benton. about
ecOnNmy and retrencbment? 1t was the
very burihen nriheir song! One would have
supposed that they had constituted thstn-
selves the special guardians Of the Treasury.
and that not cent would have gone from,
there without due examination of the why
and the wherefore. and that the extfavagan-
cies Of the Adams administration would M
longer be perpetrated. Well>hOw has tbeen
These Jealous watch. dogs of the Treasury
have been rs mute as mice. MIR. Rives has
put some forty thOusaDd dollars into his poek
ct, add he is silent Mr., Benton il looking
! out Tor his share. aud he is silent! This much
Is certain--he is silent. Whether he Is look
| ing out or not Cdr his share ofthe spoils, ",
are not SO certain; but the bluster and fus
he has made would make one believe that
was not made for nothing. And we Nigh
add all are silent. None of the party ha
ventured. for year or two past, TO talk abou
reform and retreHchment, without exciting
smile and a sneer.
Aud then, there is retrenchment and econ
omy-we promised them. too. Where is tn
Iretrenchment? Has it been in the splendo
Of the palace Let the author of the Eas
Room letter answer! There is, to be sure
no liitl.. retrenchment in the inequalities q
the palace-but who, in this age Of 'sspoils
aud plumber. going to be President for moth
ing? And then for the ECONOMY :" Hav
we not ec0nomised from ~ millions up to 2
millions? So much for the promises Of tn
party upon that point.
And then, the rights Of the States. VIII
has forgotten the bursts Of indignation whic
came from all good Jackson men when MI
Adams limited at carrying into execution, b
force, certain treaties and laws Of Congress
which Georgia had declared to be uncOnsti
tutional? State rights are in danger! LIZ
us rescue the Constitution from the hands q
fsderalists, who assert the supremacy of tn
General Government! Welt; how have tn
promises upon that head been fulfilled! LOOI
at the Proclamation and Force Bill, and tn
quasi war upon Alabama!
And then, there was the increase Of powe
| in the hands Of the Executive. Have the par
ty forgotten all that was said upon that score
Have they forgotten the promises that wer
made, that the action Of the Government
should be confined to strict construction d
its powers. and of the powers Of its variOu
branches, SO far as it could be done by tn
example of Gen. jackson? Need we ca
their attention 10 the Protest TO show no,
these professions, also, have all been belied
Do not all these things show what differ
ent position that party now occupies frot
what it did four years ago! And what hs
been the consequence Of this change of pos
ton? In despite of the powerful influence
10000 Office holders and contractors, and fs
times as many expeciants, we see state b
state falling away from the administration.
South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky. lndiau
strong holds Of Jackson, are gone aud {
are Louisiana and Connecticut. All til
states. we may say, where elections have tai
en- place recently. And what are the pro:
meets Of the other States? Who can dOut