Litchfield enquirer., 1835-02-19
"pRoscRlpTIoN FOR OPINION sAKE.r

aspiran should be applied the test of Mr. Jefferson, Sis he honest is he capable is he faithful to the constitution ?'' The entire departure of the existing administration from this truly republican principle the introduction of ruthless prescription xampled in this any other country; and the immolalion of npmberless victims upon the altar of party for the ex- ercse of the inaIemable rights of freemen, and the consequent introduction of spirit of venaIy intrigue and selfish obseq"ionsess 10 he powers that be- have filled the breasts of many patriots with conser0atiou lest public virtue should be sapped, and our free n- sIirOIiOns oVerhrO&n. Snch being the known sem,i- men's of the wings of this S1ate the leaders of the Jackson party have been very anxious U involve them i" the guilt of which they are themselves conscous
 Hence unceasing efforts are made to fix upon the whgs the charge of inconsistency, and to induce the public to believe that they practice the prescription which they reproached n others. IL is said ihaI the odious principle obtained complete ascendancy in the las, legislatures that the prevailing party removed from office not less than three hundred individuals merely for opinion sakei and finally, got greedy Of slaughter that they even menced assault in their own ranks, and cut down not few s,aunch whgs on account of their connection with the old de- mocrntic party. charge so extravagaD' as this, and so utterly at variance with the facts, has been justly considered as unworthy of refutation.
 But let examine the imputation for moment, 10 whether it has the shadow of foundation. It is well known that the administration ofJohn o. Adams adopted most liberal policy in this respect-he con- sidered himself the Chief Magistrate of the nation and that it was his incumbent duty dispense the pat ronage ofthe government upon just and liberal princ ples No man was removed from ofice by reason of Iii ;s ;. ,ude of office holders greatly abused this indulgence by becoming active and violent opponents of the ad minisiration, to be safe whatever might be the result of the pending contest-safe be they fear ed Iha, Gen. Jackson might ao what they knew Mir. Adams ,rouid not-dismiss ncumbenis from office by reason of their opposition 10 his election President. Under these circumstances Gen. Jackson came into office and what did he and his friends do A system of rewards and punshmcn,s was immediately organz- ed-of ofrecards by appointing none except those who had been or would consent to become the active par tzans lo the president; and of punshments, by pro- scribng and hunting down every man who was ever suspected Of casting his vote against the existing nd. minisira,ion. Thousands of meritorious officers who had devoted the bes, years of their lives to ihe public service, and who had thus become inexperienced for any other employment, were turned into the streets without the means of subsistence for themselves or families. In short, the whole immense patronage of the general government at applied to the e- ovation of one class of men, and 10 the depression of another Vipdiclveness became the prominent ni'ri- ute of the administration and of declared ogains, half of the na,ion and mUlI,udes of the most intelligent, upright, and palri otic of our citizens were treated as they were .l..
 nrge mn r,y ofhe good people of ,his state were in. volved. Connecticut had strongly opposed the eeva- ,ion or Gop. Jackson to the Presidency-therelore were to be punished. ThA, the chaslisement might he ju'licousy applied, central jun.o was go, up at Hartford, composed of few notorious office seekers, whose high behes,s were to be conclusive at Wash ing,on. This cabaI had an agency in removing sun. dry post masters in I.ch6ed county; and among oih- CT exploits they attempted to procure the dismissal Of the late post maser in this village (who was demo- erat, the of democrat and possessed the entire confidence Of this community) and 10 procure the ID. pointmeni of federal tolera,onist, who had been more hitter in his denunciaon Of Gen. Jackson than any other in the county, but who had agreed to hnzza on the other side for adequate considerations Next time Mr. Anssl Sterling speaks of intolerance, perhaps he may be induced to give history of this case.
 Under circumstances of outrageous prOvOcation, what did the whigs The tories were in possession ofthe general government and had embarked largely in the business ot prescribing the whgs The latter were in possession of ihe state governmeni and did they initiate the bad example of the former? Not a, all. The whgs had large majority in the legislature of 1881 and l832 yet they did retaate upon their opponents. Perhaps they would have been justified in doing ii-in carrying the war into the enemy's camp. There might be some difficulty in showing ,ha, i, is repreheDsbe to prescribe e authors pro- scriptisn: F might be considered jus.ifable self. defence. 1, would he only another application Of the ler taiionis, which, however Inconsisien, with the maxims of christianity, s as admissible in politics as il Is in war. At any rate, the party 10 whom it is applied would have no right 10 complain. But the Whigs were too magna0imous to adopt this course. So far from removing their prosecuting op- ponepts5 they in appointed to offices made vacant by death otherwise, to the exclusion of their own political friends, which is high proof Of their moderation, whatever uy be thought, uOder the circumstances, ot their wisdom.
 Things remained in this condition, wirh ajust and equitable distribution of offices among the two parties, and the state government well administered in all it's various departments til the tories (by accident, Ob tained majority in she Legislature Of 1883, when they immediately commenced an indiscriminaie ai-