Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-07-20

with absolutely no success, except pe',y "u'"'
tage gained overnn Indian chiet ny tue "o"1"c's
of an American officer
I've army has been denorallzed, ny haNIhe uP
roiitinents and promotions depend, not upon pr"
iessiona ability and fidcty,h ut upon poUtcn, SUI
serviency a,,d efficiency, and the administrator "
now recommending the creation OF II stdhdRg mr.
mn Of too hmidred thousand mt0, uhder uIc pre-
tence of organizing the militia
10 promote the general welfare"
This is perhaps the most comprehensive clause
i'm the preamble which we are considering, ana 1t
is hy virtue of n similar expression in the article
of the constitution which defines the authority OF
Congress- that hody claims and exercises rs largest
powers. The practical exposition Of this clause
appears to have been that Congress, when not
Otherwise restricted by The Fundamental law OF the
land mny legislnte OIL all subjects in which The
whole people have common interest with TIE
exception OF comparatively unnporant difficulties
win The Indian tribes, we have enjoyed period
OF about twenty-five years OF profound peace
The HHrvests have in general been cXuberont, tnr
ejgu capital has flowed in abundautIy for perna
nCnt investment, the public revenue OF the mutton
hns in general greatly exceeded the wants of the
government, and the people have been orderly and
industrious. With these elements it would seem
not difficult problem so to govern free people
as to render them prosperous and happy. What
then have the present and late administrations
done to promote the welfare of the people, which
ten years since was the freest and the most pros
porous upon the face of the globe? To what
cauSH bun the acts and neglects of our government
can we ascrbe the notorious facts, that the nation
al treasury, which lately overfowed, is now bank
rupt; that every branch of the industry is pros
trated that the price of every article of Aner-
cat growth or produce, and even of labor itseII,
is reduced TO rates rnous alike to the aborer, he
agricultur ST and the manufacturer that the pes
cuuiary credit of, The unon, and OF the states, is
ut The lowest possible ebb that we wholly
without adequate circulating medium, and that
r
saved both creditor aud debtor from impending
ruin? 1t is idle TO ascribc the universal pros,ra
ton Of the energies OF youthful people to the
trihing partial aud inadequate causes by which the
subsidized presses and partlzans Of the present dy
nasty attempted 10 explain it. The people know
the causes, aud tje authors, and they will redress
themselves by the speedy removal Of both.
TO secure the blessings of liberty, to ourselves
and our poserty'
We come now TO the chief grievance Of which
the American people have to complain. l4lc
other evils to which we have alluded are endura-
bic, because they are in their nature temporary,
but when the foundations on which rest all our
free institutions ure sapped when Tie constitution
Itself sshaken, when the utter perversoh aud ans
application ni all the powers conferred upsn the
edernl government lead men to question the u
~ Of central power and TO calculate the value OF
the union it is time 20 first prnciI aesaud
10 inquire whutherit Is yet TOO late to rcpair what
it may otherwise seoL be out OF our power to re-
build We Use no Idle words, when say that
the DOWN ard progress and tendency of our sys
ten of government has for the last ten years filed
the friends of rational liberty with dsmay, and
that many of the wsest observers among dn
now look forward more with fear than with hope. |
The prodigious increase of the power and patrol-
age of the FEDERAL government, the daring usurpa.
tons OF the executive and of Congress, the rdck |
less and protligatc expenditure OF the public mo
neys, the shameless aduptions.n aav9wal Of The
principle that public Office il the appropriate re-
ward for party services, the regular aud constant
employment of The entire power aud resources
OF the government in maintaining the asccndancy
ct II party, and as IN the late case OF New Jersey,
the abandonment of forms o. proceeding to
which obvious necessity and long use had given
the force of law /; these indeed, when considered
as the fruits of but ten ycars-uf miSrlhe by gov
ernmeni elected by TIE peopl" are enough 10 eX-
cite the jealousy, and rouse the vigilance, of the
most confident and sHngulne adnlrer OF republ!.
can institutions.
But the last ten years have been years of fever
i>h excitement, and 1lic people are now awaiting
us from a dstemIercd dream The whole nation
had been infected with reck lcssicsS and impa
tience of spirit, which finally found vent ~ Il Gu
rerr Of reckless speculation; and the propensity
to indulge in these adventurous schemes WAS nIos
unfortunately countcnanced by the policy OF the
govcrnnent.n relation to the public domain, and
the currency. Vast tracts Of land were thrown
into the inarket, and made subject TO entry N gov
eminent prizes settlers were Induced to occupy
these, wen rs unsuryeyed lands, hy Itc PROMISE
OF presumption laws; emigration 10 The mere ~
accessible aud remote territories encouraged
by the expectation that rail roads, cnnnS, and ar,i
fetal harbors would be constructed lhrong out tue
mighty west at the national expense, and Tor all
these enterprises the means were abulIdani'y sup
piled by the mushroom banks, which it was the
policy Of the dominant party TO substitute Tor tile
Bank Of the United States. Ovcriraling with
I,, N ir,,,L f,t,
the revenue laws, SO extensive as 10 he of them.
selves sufficient To rain all the manufactures Of
the nation. But these delusons have passed away
with the administration Which ushered them in,
and the approaching crisis will show rulers
that there is II point, beyond which the people can
neither he driven nor led The imposing person -
al character and distinguished military services OF
Gen. jackson covered and atoned for II multitude
Of political errors, but his successor avail him
self of no such mantle for the disguise of his own
failures. man of the comtnonest grade Of tai
cni, the originator of no conspicuous measure al
public policy, possessed of no shining quail
ties, and who can he characterized only as being
chnracleress-he unIst be content 20 he Judged
by the results of his administration, and the man
who was no, ashamed TO avow himself to he :lle
head. not Of his people, but OF his party, viii
speedily ind that party to he hut a lean minority.
We have thus, fellow citizens, in accordance
with the spirit Of the times, gone back TO first
principles We have briefly enquired into the
purposes and duties of the federal governments,
and touched upon some Of the points in which foe
more than ten years it has heen grossly mal-ad-
niinisercd. Having pointed out tie evil. we nre
now 10 suggest the remedy, and in this the voire
CT the public has long since anticipated u.s. The
servants of the people had indeed become their
masters but the rightfnl 0overeigns are about ia
resume that authority, which comes to them from
source higher Than all written law, and TO dele
gate the regns of government to adler and NOR,
trust worthy hands.
We do not think il necessary TO dwell upon the
character and services of the distinguished either