Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-06-03

II an authority, upon his own responsible
~. which had bocn entrusted to himself
Ind others. The circumstances developed
n the investigation were such as to bring
10 every mind that If ever an
Executive Magistrate was authorized to
assume responsibility, that was the case.
The power to act in it had been given TO
the Governor and Council. The exigency
vas pressing. There was no possibility Of
assembling the Council; and he acted upon
his own authority. When it Is considered
how much this act contributed to the glori
Gus results Of the capture of the army Of
CORVALLIS, It may excite surprise that an
investigation Of the subject by the Legisla.
ture should have been thought necessary.
And particularly too, when it was publicly
known that the Governor had personally |
suffered more by his own act than any other
individual. But in the eyes of the patriots
ofthose days, an usurpation Of power, under
whatever circumstance it might have taken
place, by whatever apparent necessity justi-
fed, required a deliberate investigation on
the part Of tho immediate Representatives
oftbe people. The result was glorious 10
republican firmness and individual virtue
The laws were INDICATED and the patriot
Governor elevated in the opinion Of his
fellow citizens. But this did not satisfy a
mind so sensitive and magnunimous as that
of Nelson. To show that lust Of power had
no operation upon his mind, he resigned the
Government and avowed his determination
never to accept another office.
I consider myself fortunate to bave per
sonally known IN my youth, all the distin.
guished actors in those scenes; to have
listened to the elevated sentiments, and
purely republican maxims which fell from
their lips, and by which their conduct was
always governed. How refreshing it is to
look back upon q period so proligc OF emf
nent statesmen who well understood, and
invariably practised upon the pure p%rinci-
pies of Democracy And how painful it
is to contrast them with the heretical dog
mas of the present day. The Dem ,cracy
of the period OF which | am speaking. and
which was protested and acted on by the
Henrys, the Nelson's, the Blands, the Lees,
the Wy,hes, tho Nicholases, the Careys,
the Masons, the Carringtons, the Braxtons,
and the Tylers Of Virginia, was composed
of interchangeable principles; the first OF which
was the acknowledgment of the sovc-
reign,y of the people, and the object OF al
the rest, the preservation and perpetuation
of that sovereignty in their hands. OF the
latter, that which was considered the mos,
important was, that Democracy could only
be preserved by a rigid adherence 10 its own
principles. II admitted Of no aid fiom those
Of the opposite systems Of Government
Under no pretence, no prospect Of tempo
rary advantage, were the principles o.
Aristocracy and Monarchy to be received
as allies. II it had been supposed thai
purely Democratic Republican Government
was not equal TO its own preservation
the cases in which arbitrary principle:
were to be introduced would have beer
particularly provided for. And it would
have been far better that it should have
been go, than to suffer them TO be assumed
at will, by those to whom tho administra'
Ition Of affairs was entrusted;-as fsr bette
as any defined regulated system Of actor
is preferable to the exercise Of Unlimited
discretion. For when has it happened lha'
{ the power to assume has not been followed
by the assumption And when has tht
a-sumer beeu satisfied with less than tht
whole that is attainable ? If but one ~rairacl'
| Of this kind is TO be found in our own histo
ry, and no other in the lapse Of ages, thu
exception proves the otherwise UNIVERSAL
t ty Of the rule. When another such mira
| Gle shall occur, we may expect all equa
change in the other propensities of tn
human mind. The miser shall cease 4
e crave addition to his boarded treasures
and in the language Of the elder Adam;
, 'tho lover become content with the frs
= smiles Of his mistress"
: The present aspect Of affairs cannot,
= seems to me, be contemplated without dee
and painful solici,ude. If the evils com
t planned Of were confined to mere NAL ad
8 ministration, the constitutional remed
s might be applied, and the evils cured. b.
}, they lie deeper. The tendency of til
g administration is to divert the minds {
e the people lin whose action, upon tn
Q theory Of our constitution, rests the hea
ing principle for political disorders) ftol
a consideration Of the true merits
questions involving the public welfare, I
that Of the mere behring's they may hav
n upon the interests Of party. The peop
! were wont, IN the earliest days Of the RI
public, to make their appropriation or di
appropriation Of public measures depend III
~ on full pnd deliberate Investigations of the
N merits. Now how large a portion Of OF
popular assemblies are brought together,
condemn or applaud upon mere par
" principles, and, under their influence,
s. adopt measures which have been elsewhe
g. determined on by party leaders. 1t is tn
re that a supreme regard 10 party triumphs
~, made to take the place of enlarged, enligh
OF ened and liberal views of the public We
u, fare. By means. artfully conceived. a.
OF vigorously prosecuted, it is attempted
Q raise the popular feeling to a state Of su'
feverish excitement, as to induce the ado
us ton Of the ~anti-republIcan opinion, that t
a. safety and happinessof the country can
3D. best secured by committing its affairs