The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-05-28
POLITICAL ASSOCIATIONS

In our last we barely minated tho fact, that the
monocratc loco focos of this vicinity had organiz-
ed political association with the especial purpose
of nveigling young men into the loco foco ranks,
and binding them there might probably add
'sright or wrong''-whether their consciences or
their judgments ultimately should approve dis.
approve of the eneis Of the Grand Masters Of pc.
ltical Jesuitism. We say might probably add
this but we ought to have said it, absolutely and
unqualifedly Look at the Jusuits-who ever
read or heard of one that dared to question the
perfec,ibility of his craft but that was not deuouc
ed and prosecuted to the last extremity Look al
tho political associations of France, in the days of
the regcides, and them dragging their own
members to the block, the least suspicion of con-
tumacy. And yet the perpetrated its crueities
in the name of Religion, and the other sacrificed
It's hecatombs of victims the altar of Liberty !
Loco foco associations cannot hold out more i'm
posing flag, pretend TO greater purity Ii jos
nit dared to think to act contrary to his order
he paid the forfeit to the Inquisition il republi-
can of France hestaed TO applaud the ndscrimi-
nate murder of men, women and children-he was
rewarded with the gu!lotine /; and if The member
of any political associations dares to think and act,
like freeman for himself and on his own Iespon-
sibity-he may be sure TO meet the rebukes, the
abuse, the persecution, and the thousand annoyan-
ces TO his feelings and his business which his Of
Tended fellow can devise. Young man-beware Of
this thing You will rue the day of your connex
ion with political association. The sober, sound
sense of the people condemns them remember
the masonic institution--tbe most uneXceptonable
perhaps, of any ever devised the people of Yer
mont would not tolerate it and we wonder at the
folly, the desperation, that can induce the
treasury fed tools of the federal government thus
10 brave the Indignation o! people who have al
ready pronounced judgment upon that society II
is sign not to be mistaken, that lofocoism cannot
! live on the soil of New England it must like q
tottering edifco, be propped up TO prevent immed
ate ruin it must drag out sickly existence, by
the use of extraordinary and hazardous appliances
or die at once. 1t is a bad cause which requires
such means.
The pure, the patriotic and the wise condemn
political associations. Let us hear GEORGE
WASHINGTON-we quote fiom his legacy to the
people of the Union
"All distractions the execution of the laws
all combinations and associations under 'chatere'
plausible character, with the real design to direct
control, counteract the regular deliberations
and actions of the constituted authorities de
structve of this fundamental principle) the duty o
obedience to the established government, (and o
fatal tendency. They serDe to organize faction, &c
give it artificial and extraordinary force, to pu
in the place of the delegated will of the nation The
will of party, often small but arlful and enter
pricing minority of the community and, accord
ing to the alternate triumphs OF different paties tt
make the public administration the mirror of the
! i'll concerted and ncongruous projects of faction
rather than the organ OF consistent and wholesome
plans digested by common councils, and modified
| by mutual interests. .
| MHowever comb: nations or associations of the a
bove description may now and then answer popu
lar ends, they likely, in the course of time ant
things, to become potent engines, by which Gun
ming, ambitious, and unprincpled men, will be en-
abled to subvert the power Of the people, and tt
usurp for themselves the reins of the government
destroying afterwards the very engines which hav'
lifted them to un ust dominion.
We are not making mountains of mole hills, b.
applying the strong and emphatic warning ofWAsH
1NGToN to the political associations of the presen
day. He speaks af associations generally, which
may affect the stability of the government, but ih
character he gives them, and the dangers which
he apprehends from them, both attach to the politl
cal associations which originate at the Boston Gus
tom House-have sprung up under the fostering
hand of federal office holders, and been introduced
by the same instrumentality, into Vermont The,
are to use almost the language of Washington, po
Iitical "engines, designed by cnnning ambition
and unprincipled men, to subyert the power of tn