The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-12-30

tofy OF repeated injuries, atrOcltles, uSurpa-
tons and wrong Thus we have sech
British rulers, with cowardice and per
hdy unworthy of The Representatives Of
powerful nation, continuing to allure the
people of Canada by deceptive promises,
in times of pressing necessity, and, when
the emergency has passed, resorting 10
every unwarrantable expedient TO defer, or
avoid the fulilment of their solemn engage
ments.
"After seventy seven years of British
rule, we behold Our country miserable,
compared with the, prosperous republics,
Who Wisely threw off the yoke of Monar-
chy We feel that our population is equal
in capacity to theirs. We see emigrants
from beyond seas, of the same class, wretch
ed ifthey remain here HAPPY ifthey join the
Democratic family, and we have daily evil
dence that our i'll fortunes are attributable
to the desolating action OF a Colonial Gov
ernment pretended protection has
wfthered our energies. 1t has preserved
all that was bad in our ancient institutions,
or untitled 10 the present state of society,
| thwarted the free operation of all that was
good, and trammelled by restraints every
measure of reform or amelioration.
"Whilst every township throughout the
immense territory of our neighbours is hap
PLY governed by its own free Democracy,
which is thereby traiGe6, from its youth
upwards, to political knowledge sslfreiance
and energetic. action, we are cramped and
eontroiled by Government in which the
people have no voice, whose influence
tends to the corruption of public virtue, the
depression of enterprise, and the annihila-
ton of every generous impulse or exalted
aspiration for the advancement of the coun-
ry's greatness.
''Hosts Of officers, appointed without
consent Of the People to whom they are
too frequently obnoxious and never respon-
sible, and holding commissions during the
pleasure of an irresponsible Executive, are
! placed in authority over us, with salaries
Enormously disproportioned both TO our
means and to their services. whereby Office
is made means of family or personal ag-
grandizement instead of being suited to the
resources and wants of the people.
] "The trial by jury, which we have been
taught TO look upon as the palladium of our
liberties, is made vain illusion, or instru-
ment of despotism, inasnuch as Sheriffs,
creatures of the Executive, upon which
they depend daily for continuance in, Of
flee to which vast emoluments are attached,
can select and summon such Jurors as they
please, and thereby become themselves the
arbiters in state prosecutions instituted a
gainst the people by their oppressors.
"Imhense funds; bestowed by provi-
dent government, or by government, or
by generous individuals, on the late order
of the Jesuits, for purposes of education,
have been diverted from this commendable
f object, and made an instrument of corrup-
, ton for the reward of useless or reprehen-
sIble officials; while the children of the
Province. deprived of the funds provided
for their instruction, have grown up without
the benefit of school education, to be now
, taunted with want of learning.
, "Our public lands, defended during two
wars by the Bravery Of the inhabitants of
the county, and rendered valuable by the
toll that has opened roads, and rendered
settlements back I'd the wilderness, have
been sold or bestowed, in contempt of our
remonstrances to company of spectators
, living beyond the sea, or portioned out a.
! mong official parasites who have, from
motives of interest, combined as faction,
TO support Corrupt government, who are
1 OPPOoSh w WV PNSPASD W NNA "'~''NS oA'S
to our interests.
''Laws for the culture of lands, indpPli-
i cable to the nature of the country, and in
furious in their operation, have been forced
upon us by foreign Parliament, which in
= order to favor private and sinister interests,
/ has usurped power of internal legislation
q that appertains alone to the legislation ol
: this Province.
"Regtlations for the trade of the country
i. adopted by foreign Parliament, are enfor-
r ced without our consent We are thus
q confined to certain markets, and are depri-
!. we'd of the power of extending our COM
|. merce to all parts of the world when the
:. markets Of great Britain are unfavorable to
our produce whereby DIR commercial en-
terpise is crippled and paralised.
!. "The representation of the country has
been made solemn mockery. A corrupt
!. executive has constantly sought to render
: our House of Assembly an instrument tc
decide unalterably the slavery Of its const
!. tuerts; and failing in this wicked design
- has rendered its action nugatory by frequen