Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-12-17
III e AID OF II I'll e Il M e S.

w" P"sss ioT tic atlliuinent ol winch the
Federal Government was Instituted haw VI
no' been lost sight Of. lnlrlsicd onl,
wilh certain limited powers. cautiously
enumerated, distinctly specified, and de.
hnei with precision and clearness
which would seen, To defy msconsluc
tion, Il has been my constant ulln 10 con.
line my sell within The limits so clearl,
marked out, aud 80 carefully guardLd.-
Having always been Of opinion that the
best prcservative Of tho union of The
States IS to be found in tota! abstinence
from the exercise Of all doubtful powers
on The part of The Federal Government,
rather than ih attempts Ia assume Them
by II loose construction of the c0nsti'u-
lion, or an ingenious peryersipn Of lis
words, | have eDdeav0ured to avoid re-.
commenting any measure WHICH ] had
reason to apprrhend would, IN The opinion
even of a considerable minority OF my
fellow citizens, be regarded us irenchine
IN the rights of the States, or the pro.
visions of the hallowcd inslrumcn, of our
Union. Viewing The aggregate powers
of the Federal Government us u volun;a
ry cone ession Of the States, II seemed Ia
me that such only should be exercised as
were at the time intended 10 be given.
| have been strengthened. too, IN the
propriety of this course, by the convic-
ton that all efforts to 60 beyond this,
tend only to produce dissatisfaction aud
disirust, to excite jcaloasics, and TO pro.
woke resistance. lnsfcad Of adding
stie 9Th to ihe Federal government even
when su" cessIul, they must ever prove
"a source ofiucurable weakness, by aI,ena,
ing n portion OF those whose adhesion is
Indispensable to the grent aggreg tie oi
united strength, and whose voluntary
attachment ~, in NV estimation, far more
essenl,a! to tho efficiency of n govern.
'nent strong in the best of all possible
sircn.ih-iha confidence and attachment,
of all those who m Ike up lis constituent
elements.
Thus believ:ng.it has been my purpose
to secure to the whole people, and TO
every member of the contcdcracy, bv
general, salilary. and equal laws alone,
the benefit of those republican institutions
winch il was the end and aim of the con
sttuion TO establish, and lhe impartial
influence Of which is. in my judgment.
Indispensable to their preservation.
| cannot bring myself to believe tha,
the lasting happiness Of the people the.
prosperity Of The States, or the perma-
ne. CIV ofthcir Union, can be maintained
by giving preference or pri 'riiy to an,
class OF citizens in the distribution G!
benefits or privileges, or by the adoption
of measures which enrich one portion OF
the Union at the expense of another
nor can | see in the inlerfcreacs Of the
Federal Government with the local le.sla
lion and reserved rights If the States u
remedy. for present, or security ugains,
future dangers.
The frs, and assuredIy rot the least
important step towards relieving The
country from the condition into which it
nad been plurged by excesscs in trade,
banking. and credits Of all kinds, was To
place the business transactions Of the
Governme, its elf on a solid basis giving
aud receiving in all cases value fo- value,
and neither cOuntcnancing ror encourag.
ing in others that delusve ~ tenn OF cred.
rs from which it has been found too dn.
ficut to escape, aud which has lett poth
iny bchi d i, bu, the wrecks that marx lis
fatal career,
Tha, the financial utl',irs ol the Govern
mont are now, and have been during the
whole per cd Of these wiJe.sprc ding
difficulties, conducted with strict and
iD,oriab!c regard to this greai fnndanen
tai pinciple, aud that By the assumption
and maintain,nce OF the stand thps iaken
On the very threshold Of the approaching
crisis, morc than By any other caosc or
causes Whatever, the community at large
has been shielded from tie incalculahic
evils of a general and indefinite suspcn
sion OF specie pa, ments, and conse.
1t mi ght have Easte', ola just and invara.
BILE standard of value, will il IS believed,
scarcely be questioned.
4 steady dhereEce on the part Of The
Government, To the policy which has pro
daced such saiulary results, aided BY Judi
cious State legislation, rni, what Is not
less important, by the industry, enterprise,
perserverance. and economy ot,he Amcri
can people, cannot fail to raise the whole
country, at an early period, 10 a state of
solid aud enduring prosperity, not sub
jec. TO he again overlhrown by the sus.
pension OF banks, or tho explosion of Il
boalrd credit system. Il is for the pco.
pie, and their representatives,, TO decide
whether Or not The permanent welfare OF
The country (Which all good citizens
equally 'es;re, however " idely they may
differ as 60 the means Of it's accomplish
men) shall be IN this way secured or
wh, ther tho management III. the pecu-
mary concerns Of the Government, and,
by consequences, 10 great extent those
of individuals also, shall be carried ba :k
to condition Of things which e stored
those contractions, ana expansions Of
the currency, and those reckless abuses
of credit, from the balcful effects of which
the country ha~ so deeply suffered II
return that can promise, IN the end, ~"
better results than 10 reproduce the cn.
barrassmeuis Ito govcrDmen! has cx.
pcrenced ; and to remove from the shout