Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-07-24
VOL. xxx, NO. 49,. WHOLE NO. 1905

cal system, and opens The way Tor lnnumerablo
evils. BY frequent, or even by occasional,
omissions Of the exercise Of his privileges, the
citizen ia made 10 Withdraw his fand from the
affairs Of state. He docs not, to use COM
mon expression, keep up with the times. He
does not scrutinze the conduct OF his servants,
nor is he familiar with the measures or the
principles Of legislation. In a word, he IS
uuprepared to do the duty Of guardian Of his
his oton and he public neal. The privileges
and the po,DGr OF an American citizen may
still remain to him, but when some mislnd9eo
policy CT government, which has bliehted ts
personal prosperity, or some act of Cypress on
or violence has forced him 10 awake FROM ns
stupidlty--he may rush to the ballot boxes,
with thousands Of his brother freomen, like
himself, unprepared, and, by mistaken or 4
mistirected exercise oil his power, only serve
! to plunge the nation or the state into still
! deeper difficulties. This state Of things nat
ufaly-wo may say, Neutrality-suspicious. the
way for factions. 1t is recorded by the histo.
! rian that one OF the first and foremost Roman
patriots was bouishcd from the city, because
he was so unfortunate as to be christoned
with a name which the tyrants bore and an
other was Obliged 10 pull down his house,
whose statcnoss and mag iccncc among the
rest seemed incompatible with the duties and
the rank Of a private citizen In our own time
we have occasionally socn or heard Of men
Of the same narrow and liberal viewI--views
by the way as far removed from the proper
spirit Of jealousy, as Ia the rneantst parsim0'
ny from honorable econoay-who openly adj
yocatc, either the ostrlcism Of the wealthy, or
pretend to demonstrate that their robbery,
illegally done 10 be sur') would best advance
The interests Of the people. Others, in the
true nO6Ocratic spirit, but under the same
= popular Plea have assailod the tight Of d7-
I'D i,,orf,- "a ; no
sacred nan.o uf justice, taken vengeance ino
their own hands, erected the gallows or piled
up the iaggots, and executed their victim with
out indoc or Jury without even The forms Of
defence or trial! These and other vaearies
Of mOdmen--alike violations ofporsoBa rights
and constitutional uivilo scs-c can only be-
come extremely dangerous through the means
Of factions; factions which will arise and tri.
umph, whenever the great body Of the people
are either Ignorant of their duty and danger
or forecifu of themselves
"a single zcalot," said Jcfiersoc, "may
commence prosecutor, and better men be his
victims" A single maE--,hrough honest ar
I mistaken views, perhaps, but more frequently
10 crafty his own ambliou--may commence
roiormct. He nay paint and guild n fancful
hobby, and attract first the gaze, then the adj
miraiion, end final y, secure the applause ana
aid ofa few around him. The aspiring dem
agoguc, and the ignorant and unsuspecting
citizen, may alike 8y 10 his standard; lntl at
last he d gnifes the faction with captivating
name-assumes the rort and air OF an oracle
Of the pcople--fnaly seats himself upon the
highest pinnacle Of power, and forces better
men to do him reverence A Mahomet over
came The arms and subdued the faith Of half
the world; a Bonapane, in more modern
times, overturned kingdoms, oyerrun Europe
and .Ur der the guise Of the sacred name Of
republicansm, became an Emperor.
Human nature is the same every where
and under every form of government. Am
biton will every where seize and feed upon
the spirit of faction. Let the mass Of the peo-
pie forget themselves, or undcrvalue their birth
right,-the foundation Of right government
will be undermined-the f. will exercise tho
power Of the maryland the greatest good Of
the whole will be forgotten in the bittersriGs
of factions contending FOR the mastery.
Felow.c izons: the length TO which these
remorks have been drawn out, reminds me that
| am trospassng upon your patience and your
time. | should, how ever. be unmindful of my
privilege, were rot TO urge that the subjects of
| this days contemplation, not only Lave beaT-
inc upon the highest interests, but demand the
action oius all. Wehave sought out The basis
on which is placed our temporal a-the good
we have, and the good for which in this life
! We llOUGi we Ilu'C contemplated IL lew, YET
prolific sources, from which imminent danger
is to be apprehcnded. Ii is the part OF prudence
to forsoe the danger-and Of patriotism 10 pre-.
vent it. To you, who are in the vigor of
manhood, ] appeal-no in the spirit of party,
nor by motives merely selfish. To whatever
party we may be attached, or TO whatever
| policy we may give our support-let MS re-
member that these are but means, which, it
| ii htIy directed, will tend 10 the great end,
he common good-or, if abused, will most
surely lead TO fatal issue. Our duty is, 10
10 look the end and to gnido our conduct by
an high and honorable regard TO the public
welfare. To us-and TO none more than 10
TO all who bear the name of american ciH-
zenS-s committed a sacred trust: il is moth
ing more, and rothing less, than 10 guard the
Republic FROM danger. With jedloUcy, we are
10 watch against the inroads of power On Tho
one hand, and the assaults Of demaeogues
on the other--as both and alike 6, bversive Of
public liberty. Above all, we are to watch
OURSELVES, that oyercOniident e. the love of ease,
or the thirst for wealth, do not lead US TO for
getour high privileges and our rights. Aswe
value, then, the institutions which our fathers
have left us, let us make the dangers, 10 which
these institutions are exposed, the subject OF
frequent contemplation, and determine that, as
fart as in us lies, By a continual and independent
exercise OF oar powernn influence as freemen,
guided by tina! intelligence Of public men and
public affairs which our means will give US
lce ,oM be G6thJd 10 ne Repu5iic.
Nor is i, alone 10 the m n of America that
the cause of freedom must look FOR support:
10 the ladies' OF revolutionary times we owe
no small debt of gratitude; and 10 the ladies of
America now, is attached no light responsible
iiy. Their inGuence-and TO most men il is
resistible-musi be on the side Of Liberty
Every step they take in the cause Of virtue and
intelligence, and Cor the improvement Of So