The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-05-22
[ConcLll.ied from lSL more. |

lnlS HlShSuTc. ne loss OF llc puVHC IHoHoys
will be nothing compared to the moral and po-
cnl evils that must flow from it, "Lead us
not into temptation" was the sublime prayer OF
our Lord. Our ruerss disregardng this divine
lesson seem determined TO surround their public
officers with n consuming fire of temptation,
from which there is to be no hope OF escape.
Their consciences are TO be scared, and they are
10 go abroad corrupted and corruptlng until the
whole body polite becomes one offensive mass
OF putridity,- to heaven and tainting the
the very atmosphere of freedom. This may be
strong language But see the evil strongly.
| feel it strongly
! have heard of the danger Of uniting the purse
and the sword All the unions of this kind here
tofore deprecated existing in this country, are
us ropes Of sand or bonds or gossamer compar-
ed TO what will be the case if you pass this bill
You will not only unite one purse and one sword,
no sir-you will unite one hundred thousand
purses and one hundred thousand swords-all
ready 10 yield up their treasures and leap from
their scabhards at the nod or stamping of the
toor Of one man
A Sub Treasury BILL" it is gently termed
in this house. Before the country, for the pur-
pose of deudng the people and exciting popular
feelings in its favor, you name it "blll to divorce
The government from the Banks ;" But what's
it Trampling the mere name under our feet,
and looking at it as it is, stripped and naked in
in all its odious deformity,-l ask what is it !?
Why, sir, it is bill for arresting the flow of our
prosper ty-for subverting the fundamental
principles of our Republic--a bill for laying the
corner stone Of despotism. How do those in
power recommend it to us? What argumets do
they urge in favor of its adoption 20" they
say sit is no ne,D scheme. 1t exists in France !;
it flourshes in Prussia and Austria.-it has
grown into full and vigorous perfection in Russia.
1t prevails in Turkey and every despotism OF
the new and old world"
NV heart shudders, my blood curdles at their re.
Communications. In every country under heaven
where such system prevails the people are tramp
led and plundered ofther rights; ground down
to the very dust by the awful despotism OF their ruiz
ers; bought and sold like cattle with the earth, per-
secuted by Power, plundered by these very SUB
Treasurers, 'schained the brues and fettered to
the soil" And yet, sir, this administration and its
advocates u z the example OF these odous Iyran-
MES, as almost the only argument in favor OF the
adoption of their hateful scheme. They tell US
that their plan works very well in these countries
But they do tell hatt is there the grand engine
of despotism, without which the people could not
be kept in slavery Yes, the plan does work we'll
in despotisms 1t does the work efIecually, 1t
works admirably we'll. 1t answers the very pur-
pose for which it was desigued-that of plundering
and enslaving the people, while it deprves them OF
the power of resistance!
Where am |? Is it possible that here in this mighty
Capital ofthe only free Republic on earth with the
deeds OF gallant fathers still green in our men,
cries, with here and there one of their lingering as
socrates now gazing upon our deliberations and the
thunders of York Town yet ringing in our ears--is
it possible say, under these circumstances, that
calmly listen to a proposition to abandon the
settled policy of our government from Its beginning
to this day. despise and denouuce tho wisdom of
its immortal founders, reject course which has So
cured unexanpled prosperity to our country and
the stretch of liberty to onrselves-and turn
back and aectionateIy, hug to our bosoms, as jew
els above all price, the barbarous institutions Of the
dark and benghted despotisms of the old world'-
Are 10 turn deaf ear to the counses of our
revolutionary sages and receive tor our guide the
- e A,tfn md nfC2
is the republican seed scattered far and wide by
immortal sires, to be eradicated with our own hands
and are we to transplant into fertile soil the
sickly shoots of desPotlsm, and nurse and water
and cherish them into health and vgor and ructi-
fcation? Heaven forbid. Let every man who
wishes we'll to our republican institutions put the
seal of reprobation on this scheme,
have said that this very "Sub-Treasury system
is one of the greatest used by the autocrats
of Europe for perpetuating their ty rannes. In the
hands of monarch it is an engine of tremendous
power. He appoints every officer They are all
absolutely dependent upon him, and are appointed
10 do his bidding. They responsible TO him
lone. They scattered all over the empire
Every petty district has Its officer to receive and
hold the re, enues of the Government. They have
immediate communication with the people. OF
course, as the interest Of the officer binds Inn to
his sovereign and there is no one to inter-
fere between them. the money he receives can be
used in influencing the people Cor subjects as they
ARE called) in any way desirable. Thus thousands
and tens of thousands of these little treasurers are
using the money in their respective districts, SO as
20 produce the desired influence on the people And
yet, in moment, the whole treasure can be col
lected in one concentrated mass at the nod of the
monarch. This sis all done silently and secretly
The evil is felt and can tell whence it
Despotsm is upon them and they have no
to break it.
This system of monarchy, this engine of despot-
ism is the very which the bill under considera-
ton proposes to introduce into this country. 1t
will make the power ofthe President as supreme as
that of any autocrat of Europe. You will have a
hundred thousand Office holders appointed by the
President, holding their offices at his pleasure, de-
pendent upon his will for the very bread they eat,
and commissioned to do his bidding. Every neigh
borhood will have within its confines one
of these "Sub Treasures "to barrass the people
and eat out their substance" The land will be
filled with spies and informers All the public
money, millions millions, will De in their hands!
1t will be scattered about among their partzans, be-
come the OF countless demoralizIng sdecula-
tions upon the industry and property of the people,
and must inevitably end in Concentrating all power
in the breast of the Executive Adopt this scheme,