The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-08-20

country for its unity Of purpose, the completeness
of its organization, and tho vigor and eficien
cy of its operations.
1t is against this party, fellow citizens, that we
| are contendng. We are fighting the battle of the
Constitution agains: the daring encroachments o
power.
1t were mparativey, easy task to maintain
the true principles of the Constitution IN their con
fct with abstract IL it stood only in its
own strength, there would be little to fear from it
But when other means than that of argument are
used to sustain it when patronage comes in, with
its appeal to the selfish passions, and its long train
Of sinister inhuen cess truth struggles with ii fearful
odds. Let the party against which we are conten-
ding, be stripped Of It's Executive armor; let the
power of making and unmaking thousands of exc
curive officers be placed in hands whele it shall
cease to have connection with parly--where II
can exert no political influence, and find no mo-
tves of ambition TO stimulate it to encroachment,
and our work as party will be complished-
Our very name will cease to have practical sig
nifcancy. IF the unrghteous assumptions of pow
er by n British King had been seasonaby abandon =
ed, and our revolutionary fathers had been permit.
ted tho enjoyment of their Just lights, the name Of
Wing woul never nave been consecrated IN ther
seven years struggle for liberty. But power sought
10 govern them without their consent, and the
Wings OF '76 resisted it. Power usurped, now
seeks to govern the people of the United States,
and the Wings Of 1889 grid on their atmor to meet
it. 1t does not the in armed legions
to crush by physical force but it rises up in ;he
midst of Useless IMPOSING, indeed but more dan
ence--not the influence of truth acting the
son Of men, but of patronage acting their SELFISH
ness and crCdUiuy.
The great question at issue between the Wing
and executive parties, is vital question. 1t goes
to the foundation Of the Constitution, and is Of an
Importance incomparably greater than can be con-
nected with any measures affecting merely the
credit, the currency, the manufactures, the
merce Of the country The Wing party resist
ing encroachments of power, which, acquIesced,in
will subvert the Constitution. functional de-
rangement of the human system may be cured with
ease but how formidable
ganic disease, firmly seated. Who shall restore
the Constitution, after it has been essentially chang
eddy usurpation and popular acquiescence? Who
shall administer a remedy when the same opera
ton that diseases the patient, iiHcts a paral ysis
upon the only physician that has the power of
healing.
Looking only at The abuses of Executive power
in their fragrant enormity, rs violations Of the Con-
stitution, there would in them enough to
warrant the hope of an immediate correction by
the popular will. An administration far less u
surping, and far less regardless of Constitutional
restraints than the present, put down in 1901.
And shall this administration triumph in Its augu-
mentation of the same abuses Can il live With the
I. federalism of 'aS broadly stamped its front,
and spread out there in full and matured proper
tons Thus should reason, fellow citi zens,
had we not considered the nature and tendency,
and marked the practical bearings, of the present
abuse of Executive power.
The truth is-a truth which cannot be too deep
ly considered-the abuse of power, OF which we
is III lts sell perpetuaun8. IL not
only violates the spirit OF the Constitution, but,
what is infinitely worse, it perverts the public SEN
timent to an acquesence in that violation. If the
people disposed to CHI ange the CONSTITUTIONS let
them do il, directly in the mode ii has prescribed.
Let the PROPOSE tons be brought forward, dis
linct amendments OF the Constitution, that the
President shall have power to remove every eXecu-
live officer for opinions sakethaI he shall be per-
mltted to take millions, annually from the Treas
lry and expend them in the elections, State and
National that he shall be represented by his min
sters in both Houses Of Congress- and that he shall
freely bes,ow upon their members for the purpose
Of influence, the offices, and the honors in his gift
Lot this be done and we shall have opportunity
o make up an issue, fairly and openly those
great questions Butw shall have no such pro-
positions. The men IN power dare not bring
hem forward. And yet, what they dare not do,
directly, they are doing indirectly. Every power
embraced in these suggested propositions ofamend
nent, has been exercised during the last ten years,
md is still exercised and yet, how many thous-
lnds are blinded by interest to the true nature of
hese encroachments on the constitution, and how
many other thousands and tens of thousands are
ed by tho mysterious, insIdous influence of party
o an ucquicsence in thcm
How long will it be, be fore the Const tuition will
lnder such of administration, be practi- |
,aly and rrevocably changed-changed in the !
worst possible manner-by encroachment and &C.
luiesence, without fair and open discussion, and
without the direct and intelligent action ofthe peo-
pie.
Who that looks with the eve Of true political
which is capable Of thus leading the people TO ac-
luiescc in "a practical perverson OF their constu,
ion, ground for the most serious alarm The p0o-
lie rose in their might forty years ago, and put
Town an administration that had only entered on |
he threshold of the present abuses of power
The first manifestation of them the signal for |
IN onset which resulted in triumph +; and yet |
hey have now beensaslenod the country for
en- years
DO you ask us, fellow citizens, to solve the mys-
cry Of this changer 1t is at hand. In the first |
,Iace, the active republicans of 90 gathered
heir fathers. They carried into the contest of
hat period the stern virtue of the earlier and better
lays of the Republic. The men who framed the
Constitution then lived aud lived to some purpose
rhey saw, at a glance, the tendency of the ad
'anoing power OF the Executive 10 subversion of
he Constitution they had aided TO establish and
hey rallied to the rescue. The conflict was short
md the triumph complete. We need not say, fell
ow citizens, what would have been the fate Of the
present Dynasty, if it had opened its OF u
urpation and corruption in face of the whole body
r tho patriots of rs, and the Constitutional faith
RS of 81 1t would have been Frustrated and
wept away by an overwhelming tide Of popular
Indignation.
We cannot here forbear referring to n single ex-