Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-08-31
V SKETCH

The following vivid sketch OF the abuses
and corrup;ions Of our Troy administrations
is contained in a letter Of Judge Burnet OF
Cincinnati, addressed to the committee OF ar.
engagements for celebrating the 4th of July
at Massillon, (Ohio,) in answer to an invita-
ton 10 attend that celebration.
The history OF our government, for the
last eight or ten years, presents to the world
a scene of fraud, speculation, extravaganza
and oppression, unparalleled. The Presi.
dent and the Secretary Of the Treasury, in
violation of law of Congress, have seized on
the revenue Of the nation, and disposed OF it
at pleasure, as spoils of victory belonging
to conauerers. The offices of Government,
which heretofore were given 10 the faithful
supporters Of the constitution, are now a
vowedly granted as rewards for past, or bri-
hes for future, devotion to men in power.
Large sums Of money are placed IN the
hnndS OF partizan officers, without adequate
security, or suffered TO remain in the pos.
session Of receivers, denominated sub.treas.
urers, to be used for purposes Of corruption,
and virtually TO be transferred TO the sche.
dule OF bad debtS, The patronage and pow
er of the chief magistrate are brought in
perpetual conflict with the freedom and
purity of elections.
An unrelenting prescription has been de.
creed against the Wings and Conservatives;
and against all others, who will not give up
the freedom Of opinion and right or wrong,
support the measures OF the administration.
Threats, promises and brides, are employed
to improve the condition Of the political
press by rendering suhservient to the will of
the party in power. The surplus millions
which encountered the treasury when Mr..
Van Buren, was raised to the presidency
have been squandered, and a national debt,
amounting already to many millions, has
been created. The array Of ofice-holders
the Swiss guards Of a corrupt Executive
has greatly increased.
The unfortunate Indians, once the I'M.
disputed owners OF the entire country, under
the pretexl of an alleged treaty, have been
commanded to abandon their homes-,heir
altars-and the graves Of their fathers, TO
satiatc the a%varice of unprincipled white
men. AS was natural, they h%esilated to o.
hey the tyrannical mandate; because they
had the courage 10 do so, they have been
attacked, hunted like wolves, shot down IN
the swamps,to which they repaired for shell
seized in violation Of the guaranty OF
our national flag, which even savages res
pec,, and sent into Punishment, under a
military escort. In carrying on this work
Of destruction, more than twenty millions
Of public money have been already expen-
ded, and the undertaking is not half accom-
By a series Of wicked experiments, the
national currency ever enjoyed by any
has been wantonly destroyed-specie
banished from circula,ion-the regular bust
ness Of the country broken up-lhe prices Of
agricultural and mechanical products, and
he rate OF eSchanges rendered unstable
,redit, the only capital of the enlcrprisiug
Door man, has been taken from him, with
he chilling reproof that he who deals on
capital ought to break, and
when a suffering community have made
heir humble appeal TO the President and to
Congress, they have been insultingly told,
There is no distress which any honest man
Jug ht to regret The President has official
y declared that people rely too much on
he goveTnment-that men OF business must !
AXE care OF their own concerns. and that
will take care oil itself
This is but an imperfect epitome Of the e.
Ills under which the people are laboring
day Of retribution, however, seems to be
/ hand. The nation is waking up The
ire OF 1916 is rekindling in the bosoms Of
he people, who are preparing to rise in
heir strength, and scatter the tvrants, who
AVE already so far undermined the temple
liberty, that it begins TO lotter to its fall.