Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-12-18


portant commerce has grown up between The
citizens OF those provinces and the inhabitants !
Of the valley If Lake Champlain and the
northern frontier. The provincial govern.
mcnt IN all lts departments has trtacd our
people with uniform Justice, liboraliiy and
even courtesy, and few instances in modern
history have occurred of 80 free and friendly
an intercourse between contiguous nations. -
Every principle of justice and national conf
t. therefore binds us 10 refrain from all Unne-
ccssaty acts which may tend to the injury Of
government and people - whom we have 80
long sustained the most friendly relations.
We do not propose 10 enter upon ,he dis
cussion OF the questions now pending be-
tween the British government and a portion"
tho people OF Canada, but it may not be iin'
pertinent 10 observe that the grievances COM
planned Of by the indictments amount To M
invasion Of the sacred rights Of life, and per-
sounl liberty, no impeachment Of the freedom
Of opinion and discussions no spelling oil The
fruits OF humble labor or the profits Of honest
industry, no denial of justice in the legal iri-
bunals Of the land. or want Of protection
against foreign agisressions or domestic vo-
lence and in short, 10 no such grinding OPP
prcssiOns as must enlist the eympatlles Of
every friend OF humanity but they resolve
themselves INTO bare question concerning
certain alleged political rights, the oXerci+e
whereof ia said 10 he denied to tie Canadian
people, and tho demands Of the insurgents in
vove such changes in the frame nf govern
ment, as would not fail to end in the separa-
ton of the province from the British empire.
II The attempt to subvert by force Of arms,
a government which is admit cd 10 answer all
the main the great ends of all civil govern
monf, in the protection Of life, liberty and
property, be under any circumstances iusiif-
able, it surely is not TO no entered upon for
light causes OF without extreme caution. The
fitness of he proposed changes to the char
attor and cordion of the people, and their
capacity rightly to discharge the new duties
to be imposed upon them, ought to be ma.
turely considered tho prospect Of success
shoule bs little less than certain, the advan-
'ages 10 be gained 20 manifest and wcighry
as clearly 10 ovnrhdiaros tae immense and
inevitable moral and pflgs:al evils which
must flow from an appeal TO arms and
abov. all tho justice Of the cause and the
right t. demand the desired changes. must
be established beyond dispute. Il these
rules be true for the conduit Of the parties
conccr1ei, with how much greater force do
they apply TO those who are required by no
principles of duty anl impeled by none of
sei-interest 10 interfere in tho contest.
We are not 10 dignity every case Of ress-
lance 10 established government with the
name OF a struggle Tor liberty, and VIC
should rem smber that though it may be often
generous, it is not always Just to adopt the
quarrel Of The weaker parry.
Admitting for the sake Of argument, TINT
the question between the government and
the insurgents is one in which we have a
right to intermeddle, it is nevertheless quite
certain, that few among us are sufficiently
possessed of the questions at issue. and the
points bearing upon them, to enable them
to determine upon which side the absolute
right lies. We run therefore great risk of
error, and as neither party can claim our
aid on the score of duty, it would seem
quite manifest that any interference on our
part, is, under present circumstances, Who'll
ly unlustfiable.
We do not however, hesitate to say. that
until we are possessed Of clear evidence to
the contrary, all moral presrimptions are,
and ought to be, in favor Of the legally
constituted authorities. Every rirh' prin-
ciped man is necessarily a friend of order
and Of peace. To the maintenance of
these his influence will every where he lent,
and he can countenance no act, tending to
the disturbance and to the overthrow Of
long established authority without the cl ear
est conviction Of the justice and wisdom Of
the measure.
The blessings OF order and law are GER
tain--the benefits of revolution arc ALWAYS
before hand doubtful.
We have perhaps discussed this topic at
greater length than was needfnl or expc-
dent and we are aware that the consider
atoms we have presented may be elsewhere
more fifty urged.
The question Of interference is one, on
which the action of the government should
precede that Of individuals. With both it
Ought to be a matter Of duty, and while
none pretend that the insurgents have a
right to demand our aid, we ought to he ex-
tremely cautious that an ill-judged svmpa-
thy does not betray us into acts neither lust
nor polite, AMI which must result in great
evil TO our own best interests, if not to
those whom we may design to serve.
We have thus fir treated this matter as
a question of right, and we believe that
upon this high moral ground alone it ought
to turn. But we cannot forbear to suggest,
that any interference in the affairs of Can
ada by American citizens, must inevitably
produce serious mischief. 1t is not to be
expected, that the British government will
quietly suffer their North American provin-
ces to be wresteI from them, or that thew
will tameIy allow us TO lend countenanc,
and support to those whom they regard as
rebels. If supplies of arms, munitions, or
men are furnished to the insurgents by our
people, it is idle to hope that a border war
fare can be avoided, or that, that can fail
TO end in formal declaration ofhostilities.
to say nothing Of the lesser evils OF restric-
tons OF trade, and ofthe freedom of general
intercourse with Canada which will inevita
bly, follow any manifestations THE pbulic
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