The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-07-24
TO rur CONSERVATIVES OF VERMONT.


marty and friendly to the election of his successors
have had the moral courage to disapprove some OF
,h nrornent measures of both administrations
nort;cnary those relative 10 the currency of the
aountrv In the States of N. Y. and Va. they are
,,,,erous. and composed of the first men for intel
|roence and wealth.--being rather men OF business
-. o,,;o;ans In Conn and other States they
have entertained so great repugnance to the ne'o
doctrines of the administration hat they nave open
l., sen,rated from those with whom they had been
ssociated--settng up separate hckets LOT o'a'e VI
fcers. This course has called down upon the'r
heads the severest denuncations OF those Wiling
slaves of patronage and corruption who cannon COM
prehend how any portion of the party shonid ven
ture to exercise the right of private judgment IN OPP
postion to the opinions of the party Leaders Inc
effect has been such as could not easily have been
anticipated by all who understand the character OF
the party assailed. They have neither been terri-
fed out of their principles, nor diverted from their
independent course. So far from IT, the vigorous
opposition of the Wings and their own open seces-
sion, have completely Frustrated the ruling party
rendering their impoeAt rage rather an object OF
contempt than of dread.
In this State it is known that there is scattered
Der of individuals of the class referred to-men who
have generally acquired competence by their in
dustry-who know from their experience the
value of credit aided by integrity and prudence,
who regard sound and uniform currency inds
ensab e to healthy condition ofbusiness as who'll
some atmosphere is to a healthy animal life. These
men are the Conservatives of Vermont, and as such
l address them, and whether their aggregate num-
Der amounts to or two thousand or more it mat
ters not. 1 do not approach you under any dis
guise; do not pretend to be of your party, because
l never was attached to the Jackson Van Buren,
party; am genuine Whig-ardently attached to
the principles of that party, but yet like yourselves,
determined never to resign the invaluable privilege
of forming my own judgment ofmen and measures.
# is very likely, therefore, we may differ widely re-
speeding the policy or expediency of many impor-
tant measures which have agitated the public since
the accession of Andrew Jackson and l know we
entertain very different estimates of the character
of many prominent public men who figured during
that period / an not politician enough, however,
to perceive why this should prevent our acting in
concert on vital questions involving disagree
ment between You profess to in the doc
trines suddenly espoused by the administration,
about year ago, nothing but imminent danger
to internal prosperity and ultimate hazard to
our institutions. You entertain natural aversion
to sudden and violent changes in modes of business
you are puzzled understand the consistency of
great party which for several years protested to
cherish the Banking Institutions of the several
states-dec arng them TO be perfectly competent to
administer the fiscal affairs of the government with
and safety, and then suddenly, as in The twink
ling of an eye up furious denunciation of these
very institutions traltorous TO the government,
and faithless to the people. You at least that
there nothing in the conduct of the Banks, nor
in any other state of things, to justify such won
derful evolution. Whatev difference of opinion |
might exist the most efficient that first
occasioned suspension of specie payments in our
Commercial cities-upon the happening of that
event you could, as business neither treacb
cry nor bad faith in the conduct of our State nsti
tutons in yielding to the storm, far from it, you
deemed such course absolutely imposed upon them
by proper regard to the interests of the communi-
ty within which they placed we'll as from
a principle of selfpreservation.
With such views and feelings which NAV add
shared by all reasonable persons, it strange
that you refused to SHIFT your position and join in
the senseess party Glamour which raised every
where to drown the anticipated voice of public in
dignation at such open derectIon of cherished
principles. What you had been taught to believe
in 1884 and 1886 were sound doctrines in relation
to the collection and distribution Of the public
enue, you persisted in believing were sound in 1897.
In all this you had changed in nothing, and yet you
found yourselves separated from your party. The
difficulty you had refused to change. Your
associates had passed to the opposite side of the
way and then called out to you to follow them
under the penalty of being denounced as deserters
from your coors. You have far braved the de-
annexation and maintained your honor and your con-
sstency. In this may venture to tender you the
sympathy and congratulations of the Wing party.
They do not, it true, share your sentiments on
all ENTHUSIASTICALLY the subject of the depos-
lite bank system They feel impelIed by an expe-
renee of 40 years to prefer different system-one
which, under all circumstances, prosperous or ad-
verse--under commercial embarrassment