Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-11-10

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charter in all casts but only the limit re
CURED for thc legitimate execution Of til,
Specific trust With which. IN any particular
case, lie was charged lie never claimed o.
INSERTED that .becuusc he had the power b,
would never therefore shrink from the dis
4 barge Of bis public duties from any appre
hcnsion of personal responsibility" knowing
that any tyrant might take such responsible
" as often as lie might choose TO. suppos,
that he was clothed with more power thar
any mau under republic ought 10 possess
Washington well knew the dangerous and
infatuating nature Of power, when controlled
only by some vague and underlined sense o.
personal responsibility. When, in his judg
ment, be found that an exertion Of power fol
any specific object was more or greater
than any one man under republic ought to
be clothedp. that of itself was sufficient to
convince him that the power did not exist
and he abstained from the exercise of it,
He woud have frowned with indignant con.
tempt upon any dwelling. slavisll, lme-serv.
ing sort Of democrat, whether he were an
old federal;st like Buchanan, or one dyed
in the WOO" like Ingersol or Dallas, had
he dared to tell him ''that he could With i'm
puniiy Weld more power upon bis mere per
sonal responsibility, than any despot IN Eu-
rope, with all his preroga,ives." Instead Of
a compliment deserving county siniles, and
golden lavors, and splendid foreign cmbos-
sizes The dastardly suggestion would have
been considered and treated by him as per-
sonal. as well ms an official. insult --deroga
tory TO his character rs n republican and
palriol,--calling in question even his loyalty
to The constitution. fs.
After Washington. the administration was
10 the auspices of the elder Ad-
nms. Whatever NAV have been the polite
al principles Of that statesman.--und il is
probable, from the public respect and honor
that have since been paid to his memory,
hat while in Office, as 10 his political integri,
~, justice was never done him ;--however
This may have been. the administration form
ed under his direction was charged with too
eager desire 10 "tuke responsibilities and
10 push the power with which they imagin-
ed themselves clothed, 10 its utmost limits
For this. that administration was condemn.
ed by public sentiment and repudialed in
1901.
Mr. Jefferson, the great apostle Of and ad.
vocate Cor. The strict aud limited powers Of
he constitution by the very principles with
which he WAS elected, was charged with the
duty of repudinting the iyrannical doctrine
of "pcrsonal responsibilities whether exist.
ing under some vague notion Of vested pow
FRS" or dark mystical idea OF the voice OF the
'eoplr," and OF combining the administration
o strict constitutional provision. Jefferson,
ike the patriarch OF the deluge, was d-siie-
ID to give direction 10 new dispensalon ;;
md il like tina, patriarch be had faults that
equired h!ial and friendly hands TO cover,
ne had also real rcgencra,ing political ,ir-
ues. But sufiicien, is il for the occasion 10
'ay, that ], is the faults Of that statesman that
nave been more appuuded and Initiated b,,
lis modern disciples than bis virtues .sI
Under the administrations Of Madison,
Monroe and the younger Adams. the consii-
uiion was administered upon its true prinei-
lies. and the policy and maxims OF govern
nent established by Washington were resio.
ed. During these three administrations no
lation under heaven was ever more pecu-
iarly blessed by a government, free and lib.
raj 10 its forms, and generous, just and pat
lotto in its administration. The powers
,ranted by the constitution to the various de-
OF government had become we'll
lefned and settled THE righlful course
II appointment 10 office. was not disturbed
" the "abuses OF executive patronage and
'ower'; "indiridual distress" was no, wan.
only produced by copricious, revengeIul
nd unjust removals from office; and peril
md disaster in the public service was no, in.
Iuced by the appointment Of unprincipled. |
Incompetent, and faiihless parasites, syco.
'hants, and swindlers 10 fill their places a,
An ample revenue, devised with great
wisdom, aud derived from such sources as
nd not diminish. but rather increased the
'ublic prosperity was established. An i'm.
ncnse annual production, the fruit of human
abor. enterprise and skill received healthy. |
nvigoraling impulse from a well directed, |
nd well regulated foreign and domestic com.
nerce. The public faith was held sacredly !
nviolaie; and the friendly Intercourse and
ivor OF the republic was sought and cherish
d by foreign nations. That worthless race
Of usurers, brokers, shavers,
nd swIndlers--the accused progeny OF an
nwise, profiga,e and corrupt government
ad become extinct for want Of element: and |
onest labor was therefore not cheated, sha.
ed and swindled out Of the bread il had
armed.
The Indian tribes, remnants OF once no
lie and generous race. no longer hunted from
ieir nuiive and indigenous domain, like
casts ofthe chase, thanks to the palriarchal
ounsels, provision and instruction Of the
Jefferson. fast learning
Ie blessings to be derived from productive
Dor, from civilization and from a peace(ul