Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-12-18

IlOlteu IN the principles aVoWed anu Procecu-
ings tolerated in some Of the Departments OF
that Government, and in the extravaganza and
partial expenditures Of all of them combined.
"lf it be true, as the wise have taught 'that
no free government, or the blessing Of liber- |
ty, can be preserved to any People, but by a
firm adherence to justice, moderation, tenn
perance, frugality and virtue, and by frequent
recurrence TO fundamental principles there
destiny as free and united People is almost
fulfilled. Nor can we look for any rcdemp-
ton from this DOOM, except To the hope, that
the citizens of the different States respect
this article Of their political creed much more
than do some Of their Federal servants
Whensoever the people shall give counte-
nance to the new doctrines that in such. 60
vernment as this of the United States,-thc
greatest gosd of the greater number is to be
its sole end and aim; and necessary conse-
quence Of this, that in civil contest not con-
Quoted in any spirit of hostility, the spoils of
the vanqushed minority belong to the victor
majority, the Federal Government, designed
by its revered authors to provide for the com
mon defence and general welfare Of ALL ac-
cording to the provisions and limitations ofthe
Constitution, becomes at once a simple ma
jority machine, and the positive reservation
OF the rights of the States will be but unmean-
ing words. At first the actual minority will
be sacrificed to the actual majority; bat soon
the many, in their turn, will be made to con-
tribute to all the sinful lusts of the favored
few. An uDprincipled Pretorian coliort will
then be enlisted composed prime ipally Of Of
fcers and expectants Of Office, ready to deal
out powers as of old, to the higcst bdder;-
provided sufficient largesses be distributed
among the privates, and immunity for past
crimes and continued participation in the ex-
pected pluDder be promised to the leaders Of
this Palace Guard.
"Millions of the public Treasure, deposited
where none but the favored few can tell;-'
guarded (if guarded at ally by unknown con-
trivances devised by the same heads, and dis
trbuted, not in compliance with any prescrb-
ed rule of law, but according to the whims or
designs Of those who claim the actual con-
troll fit, have contributed to derange the cir
cuatlon and to corrupt the currency of the
country. The natural effect of such state
Of things must be to impair the credit Of indi-
vduals and their confidence in each other
From this must result the decline Of industry
and the prostration ofuseful enterprise. Such
a condition cannot continue long, in quiet
II is, therefore, the duty of the Government
which has caused it, and which alone posses
ses the means Of remedying the evil, to un-
dertake its cure, speedily. This task, although
probably more difficult now than formerly,
yet presents no insuperablc obstacle. Com
mon intelligence, sincerely striving to ac-
complish an object alike required by the well
fare OF individuals and the public good, is full
ly adequate to its achie yement Then, let MS
still hope that the imminent peril in which the
country is placed by the ill-advsed acts and
omissions of the Government Of the United
States, will be Of but short continuance, now
that their effects have been seen. Never
theless, if this is suffered still to exist, let the
People and the States continue to bear it
with fortitude, remembering always that the
time will soon arrive, when they will have an
opportunity to redress themselves, in the re-
gular, orderly and accustomed mode.
"Connected closely with this subject Of a
deranged currency, Is matter that is well
worthy Of your most serious consideration
and prompt action. There is much reason to
believe, that the vacuum caused in the crcu-
lation of the country, has invited the wished
entsrprize of many profligate men to supply
it, by the fabrication and emission Of large
amount ofspurous notes and base coin, to
which the ignorance of some, and the neces-
oiues vi odleIs nave given ClICulatlOn. "A
gang Of countcrfeiters, closely connected
with each other, exists in the United States,
extending their lines Of communication from
Canada to our Southern border. This cor
don Of folons stretches, it is believed, through
several Of the counties of this Common
wealth; but so artfu are their contrvances to
escape detection within this State, and so
extensive are their means Of disseminating
their spurious production, that the ordinary
modes prescribed by the laws are not suffi-
cient to enable their arrest, or to bring them
TO the punishment their crimes Justly merit
Petty offenders, the thoughtless agents or ig-
norant dupes of much more wicked princi-
pals, are sometimes detected; but our laws as
they now exist, cannot reach effectually the
higher criminals. To remedy this great de-
feet in our Penal Code, recommend to you
careful revision of all the statutes upon the
subject of fcounterfeiting; and especially, the
enactment of statute, the necessity of which
being first felt in Great Britain, has received
the sanction Of its Parliament, and has since
met the appreciation of the Legislatures of
several Of our sister States. mean the stat
ute l, George 4, chap. %.