Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-07-10

avowcdly is to be known as "tic successor"
and disciple of that distinguished parsonage,
the executive has been sustained by dcci-
dcd majority in both houses of Congress-
1t is true, that the highest .dcliberative coun-
Gil of the nation was for time upbraidcd as
"lactious," because it rcvoltcd at the doc
trincs and language Of the notorious Prcsi-
dental Protest, but that body long since
wiped off the reproach by cxpunging from its
journals the obnoxious record of its indepcn-
dcncc, and whenever a strict party measure
has been since proposed and urged by the
executive, its friends have lacked neither the
power nor the will to carry it through. 1t is
then plain that the responsibility of all inn
proper and defective legislation by Congress,
for the last three Presidential terms, belongs
to the administration, and with al its consc-
quenccs they are justly chargcable.
Let us now enquire in what measure the
benefits proposed to be secured by the Union
of the States, and the delegation of portion
Of tAeir sovereign rights to federal govern
mcnt, have been realized from the year 1929
TO the present day. Have we enjoyed a
condition of perfect union and domestic tram
guilty, has the administration of Justice by
the lawful tribunals been sustained and en-
forced, has due provision been made for the
common defence, HAS THE GENERAL WELFARE
BEEN ADVANCED AND PROMOTED, and finally
has aught been done by this or the late adj
mnlsration, to MAINTAIN FOR OURSELVES OR
TO SECURE TO OUR posTERITY TIFF BLESS
lNGS OF LIBERTY! These are qucs-
tons, fellow citizens, which the boldest par
titan Of the present executive darcs not an
swcr in the affirmative, and the voice of thun-
der in which millions of freemen are now
repeating them has penetrated the inmost
rcccsscs of the White House, and made to
quake upon his throne the supple intriguer,
who crcpt into that gorgeous palace, when
the Man Of Iron strobe out
But let US look more particularly at the
separate clauses ofthc preamble.
"To form a more perfect union, and to
insure domestic tranquility"
Is it not notorious, that our whole country
has been shaken, rent, divided, by the mpla-
cable rancour of party discussion, that cleo
tons in the principal cities in the union have
been absolutely controlled by violence, Lawful
voters driven back from the polls, and illcga
sulragcs forcibly thrust into the ballot boxes
Have not men been taught that they owe
allegiance not to their country, but to thei
party, and has not this doctrine produced it
natural fruits in the general disregard of tn,
obligation of the frecman's oath, in the con
version Of the sessions of Congress from
theatre of honest discussion and grave deib
Grafton into an arena of factiOus diScord am
brawling violence, and finally IN the utter ex
clusiOn uf sovereign state from her place j
) the councils of the nation! Has not tn
mutual alienation of the North and the Sout
been promoted, encouraged, and famed int
flame that, until better counsels found plac
among the people, had we'll nigh severed tn
, political bands which hold us togetherl
"To establish Justice"
. An able and independent judiciary is nc
= only the source, but the only certain bulwar
, of impartial justice. There must in tn
5 nature of things exist in every well organize
government some common tribunal, cmpow
cred to determine, in the last resort, all qucs
tons Of conflicting authority and jurisdiction
and to pronounce upon the Interpretation an
: construction of the laws Of the land. Sue
authority the constitution confcrs upon tn
+ courts of the United States, and the judges c
0 these tribunals are made independent of tn
c executive, in order that their decisions ma
d not be BIASED by fear or favour ofthe officer
/. whose duty it is to administer the law whic
p the court cxpounds. The cabinet of Gel
d Jackson first preached the monstrous doctrin
:, that every department Of tho Governmer
e was supreme, independent and irresponsible
e in ITSELF and that it was the duty of eXccutiy
officers to execute the constitution and law
"as they understand ,hcm," without bcir
"a bound by the construction sanctioned by II
; constitutional cxpounders ofthc law. In az
lie cordancc with their principle, solemn deci
=, ions of the Supreme Court of the Unite
= States, in matters of life and liberty, ha,
I'd been disregarded and its mandates OPEN
SET at defiance, nor has this dangerous al
R. disorganizine doctrine been renowned
l.. disowncd in word or deed by the present az
to ministration.
ne "To provide for the common defence.
Or This clause embraces not only the prt
m lection of the people of the Union and
o. territory from foreign invasion, but the mail
10 tnanece of such fleets and armies as are r.
. uuired in time of peace, the construction al
provisioning of defensive works, lheprcpar
ton of arms and munitions Of war, and Il
or arming and organization of the militia
lis Although the kindness Of Providence, al
&c the pacific ncinations of the christian worl
ne rather than the wisdom of our rulers, ha'
m hitherto preserved us from open hostiiti
e, with the nations of Europe, yet the admin
ne tration has found abundant opportunity
L. show that the operations of the Gener
In Government, in all our relations with 70
cign powers have been conducted upon 4
v. same unwisc, seli-seeking, and unprincipl
1y system, which characteristics the domestic pc
he icy of the present Executive.
IS, We have long been, and perhaps still al
ed on the verge of war with the most formi
We able Of European powers, upon question
re minor importance, except as a matter
ch principle, a question where we arc clear
y. and indisputably in the right, and the wh'
lal difficulty of Which grows out of WRIT
be concession of the point in dispute by G'
set Jackson's cabinet. What has the prcsC
,ty | dana 20 ratrioyp this dpplora