Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-12-21
VERMONT PHENIx.
Friday Morning. Dec. 81, 1898.

psNNsyLyANrA. The recent riotous proceed
inps in Harrisburgh, by which it has been at
tempted to control the organization aud action
of the Legislature, by mob, is one oil the
most fearful and alarming signs oil The times
1t has often been remarked, that our govern
ment is still but an experiment, and it remains
n question involving no little doubt, whether
our sy stem will continue to operate well ana
Nth sufficient energy, in all the emergencies
which NAV arise. While intelligence and mo-
raj integrity prevail among the people, there is
no danger But when party spirit runs high,
and parties are nearly balanced, as to num-
bers. in any state, and a considerable portion
ofthe population is ignorant or unprincipied,
how easy il must be TO create civil war, IS
evident from the example already furnished IN
Pennsylvania. In such case there scarcely
seems to be any conservative power The Of
fcers of the state have no force under their
control but the militia and the militia ilself
partakes at such times of the spirit which pre-
vails.-At present however, and we trust 1t
will ever be the case, there is too much knowl-
edge diffused among the mass of the popula-
ton of every state, and too much moral primer
pie, and love of our institutions to fear that any
extensive commotion should occur But let
the destructive spirit which animates large
portion of the Loco Foco party prevail extern
sively, and we should see the scenes OF anar-
civ and blood which characterized the French
Revolution, again enacted among us.-Let ev-
cry good citizen then, rcsolutely set his face
against party which countenances such things
as have characterized the Loco Focos in some
parts of the land and especially in this case in
PENNSYLVANIA and let US all feel with new
and unwonted power, in view Of what has ia
ken place in Pennsylvania, the force of the
truism often thoughtlessly pronounced, that
THE GENERAL DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE AND
MORALITY, is the only safe foundation for our
republican Institutions. In this view il is
the interest of every man, not only that his
own, but that his neghbors children should be
educated and be under good moral influence.
TIE TREASURY REPORT. Mr. Secretary
Woodbury's long, dry report on the financial
affairs of the government, has been published.
He estimates that there will be balance of
$2,765,342 in the Treasury on the first of Jan.
This however, is on the superstition that none
of the Sub-Treasurers in the meantime make
use of their leg appeudages Mr.. Price, the Dis
trict Attorney for New York, has since set out
on tour to Europe with portion of this bal
ance and will not probably be back in season
to pay it over before January, @ so that there
is likely to be small deduction and should
there be prospect of Congress enacting the
law recommended by the President, making it
felony in public officers to pocket the govern
ment funds, we may suppose it will hasten the
development of other defalcations Gen.
Gratiot also principal of the U. S. Engineer
Department is accused Of having embezzeled
the public funds. What a commentary are
these things, on the argument of the Secretary
in favor ofthe Sub-Treasury Scheme What
contrast is now afforded of the insecurity of
the public funds, with the perfect safety which
the old system afforded, with national bank.