Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-07-31
DID ESH.
To The Freemen Of the Slate Of Vermont
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servants. We have ass embed to consult to-
sether Oh this subject, TO determine upon the
course which we ought 10 take, and 10 express
10 you, as it is now our purpose TO do, the
reasons which shall guide US In this important
crisis.
We came together under call to the Sup
Oorfers of The supremacy Of The latos, and Of a
Constitutional government honestly administer
ed" Has the supremacy OF law been main
tanned and has the government been honest
ly & constltutonally administered 2-are ques-
lions which 1t is an appropriate occasion to
examine. We have examined them. The
course of an eight years administration of thu
general government has been brought under
review-its principles subjected to the test Of
the Constitution, and their tendencies looked
at in the lights Of experience. They have been
weighed III tho balance and found wanting, as
we think, in the great and essential character
istics of genuine republicanism. We believe
their ten !oncy TO be fatal to the purity & per-
mancncy Of our free institutions, and the more
so, by reason of she specious names and fair
DISCUSSES under winch they have been COM
mendcd to the confidence OF thu people.
Up TO the time when the present Dynasty
was invested with power, the government had
been mainly administered in the simplicity and
purity OF open, straight forward republicansm.
Our presidents had carefully RETAINED from
pressing the executive prerogatives, aud had
scrupulously respected the rights of the other
branches Of the government. The Executive,
Legislative & Judiciary departments, moved
in their appropriate spheres, while the people
yielded 10 each the confidence which was due
only 10 honesty, capacity and fidelity TO the
constitution.
Thus should we have continued, but for the
INSCRIPTIONS and mad ambition which has
been the bnne of all republics which have gone
before us. The declaration of the present
cond officer in the government, four years be-
fore the present dynasty came into power, that
the then administration must be put dozen,
though pure as The angels at the right hand Of
the throne Of GCd,' was followed by an opposi-
lion whose recklossness, disregard of truth, and
appeals 10 passion, were in perfect keeping
with that profigute declaration. The OPPOSE
ton was successful /; and on administration,
which its subyerters are now forced 10 edmit
pdS puro, was put down.
The 4th of March 1929, came, and General
jackson was President of the United States.
His first public act was 10 endorse, in his in
augural address, the leading SANDER of his pre-
decessor, by saying-'The recent dcmonstra-
ton Of public sentiment inscribes on the list of
Executive duties in characters TOO legible TO be
overlooked, the task of reform, which will re-
quire particularly, thu correction of those abu-
vernment into conflict " it'll the freedom Of cleo
tons, and the couneraciion Of those causes
which have disturbed the rghtiul course of APP
pointment, and have placed or continued pow
er in ulfaithfd or incompetent hands, With
this groundless charge OF an abuse of executive
power, there hnd been associated a charge, c.
qually groundless, OF n wasteiul extravaganza
IN the expenditures Of the public money; and
This was also especially To be embrac, within
duties"
The commencement of Gen. Jackson's i'd
ministration was The common cement of the era
Of h0tloio professions and broken promises
Looked at in its beginning, progress, and dis
asterous termination, il forms one of the most
striking examples of political deception which
the world has ever witnessed. Its profession
was reform. Ithad come into power upon the
strength of tho assumption-now known and
admitted by the whole world 20 have been
tnlse-that the public money had been squan-
dered and the executive power abused, by the
administration which preceded il. Gen. Jack
son hoaslingly pretended that the public senli.
ment called for Reform, and that he was &C.
lected as the gfea; reformer. by their fruits
70 shall know them.' He administered the
government eight years, and behold the boast
ed reform! The annual expenditures gradu.
ally advanced from twelve to thirty millions,
while the executive patronage was brought 10
bear with resistess and overwhelming in1u-
ence upon the freedom Of elections and on the
action OF every department Of the government
Thousands of public officers were removed be.
cause they would not become the rartizans OF
the executive, and their places fill by men
who were prepared 10 yield blind and un.
seiupulous devotion 10 his will. Patronage
thus found its way TO the ballot box il seized
tho aninrad the halls nF
controlled the national legislation, and wha
could not be controlled in advance, was crush
cd under the loot Of an arbitrary Executive
veto
So notorious have become these abuses o
power-thcse fragrant lalsfcations OF the CRANE
profession with which the administration begar
its career, that they are written as in letter
OF living light upon the heavens above gu
heads, and the earth beneath our feet. Their,
is not city or village or hamlet throu shout lh
land, where the surdiest supporters of the nd
minsration do not stand COMPOUNDED at tn
evidence Of JdIsifed professions and abused poiu
ar which every where surround them.
Nor is this all The Great Reformer wa
not content with bringing his patronage int
conflict with the freedom of ordinary elections
and thus subjecing to his control the action G
the States and the legislation OF Congress.
His own political life was TO terminate at tn
end Of eight years but he was determined {
live in the person of his successor. Into tn
contest of that election he therefore entered.
Upon it he brought to bear his personal an
official influence. Having, contrary 10 his mos
solemn professions, made himself the Pres
dent OF party, he now openly placed hmse
at the head of it, and boldly proclaimed hi
preference for one of the candidates for III
succession. That candidate promised TO wal
in his footsteps, and carry out his principles
policy, and was, lhereupon elected,
Thus much for the reform which was 10 ri,
us an economical administration, and core,