Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-08-25

To correct this procedure, and TO restrain
the subordinaies Of the Executive from inter
ference with popular elections, my colleague.
(Mr Cri,,endcn) now present, introduced a hill
in the Senate. He had the weight Of Mr..
Jeficrsons opinion, who issued circular to
restrain Federal officers from iniermedhng In
popular elections. lie had before him the
British example according TO which, placemen
and pensioners were no, only forbidden TO
interfere, but were not, some OF them, even
allowed to vote at popular elections. But his
bull LEFT them free 10 exercise the elective
franchise, prohibiting only the use of their Of
hcial influence. And how was this bill re-
ccived in the Sena,ci Passed, by those who
profess TO admire the character and TO pursue
the principles of Mr. jefferson, No such
thing. Ii was denounced as a sedi,ion bill
And the just odium Of that sedi,ion bill which
was intended TO protect Office holders against
the People, was successfully used TO defeat a
measure of protection of the people against
the Office holders Not only were they left
unres,rained but they were urged and stimu-
lated by an official report 10 employ their infiu-
ence on behalf Of the Administration at the
elections Of the people.
Hitherto, the Army and Navy have remain
ed unaffected by the power Of dsinission, and
they have not been called into the political SER
vice Of the Executive. But no attentive OBJ.
server Of the principles and proceedings of
the men in power, could fail to see that the
day was not far distant when they, too, would
be required TO perform the partisan Offices Of
the President. Accordingly, the process of
converting them into Executive instruments
has commenced ina Court Martial assembled
at Baltimore. Two officers of tn, army Of the
United States have been there put upon their
solemn trial, on the charge Of prcjudicing the
Democratic party by making purchases for the
supply Of the Army from members OF the
Wing party! Ills not pretended tina, the Unit
ed States were prejudiced by those purchases /;
on the contrary, it was, ! believe, established
that they were cheaper than could have been
made from the supporters of the Administra-
ton. But the charge was, that 10 purchase
at all from the opponents, instead Of the friends
of the Administration, was an injury to the
democratic party, which required that the Of
tenders should DE put upon their trial before
court martial. And this trial was commenced
at the instance Of Democratic convention,
and conducted and prosecuted by them! The
scandalous spectacle is presented to an en-
lightened world, Of the Chief Magistrate of a
great people executing the orders of self Gre
ated power organized within the bosom of the
state, and upon such an accusation arraigning,
before military tribunal, gallant men who
are charged with the defence Of the honor and
the interest Of their country, and with bearing
its eagles in the presence of an enemy
But the Army and Navy are too small, and
in composition are too patriotic TO subserve all
the purposes Of the Administration. Hence
the recent proposition Of the Secretary of War,
strongly recommended 10y the President, under
color of a new organization of the militia TO
create a standing force OF 2OO, 900 men, an
amount which no conceivable foreign exigency
can ever make necessary. 1t is not my pur-
pose now TO enter upon an examination OF
that alarming and most dangerous plan of the
Executive Department of the Federal Gov
eminent. 1t has justly excited burst gener-
al indignation; and no where has the disap-
probation of it been more emphatically en-
pressed than in this ancient and venerable
Commonwealth.
The monstrOus project may be described in
few words. Ii proposes to create the force
by breaking down Mason and Dixon's Line,
expunge the boundaries of states. melting
them up into continent mass, to be subse.
quently cut up into ten military parts, alien.
ates the militia from its natural association,
wlthdraws It from the authority and command,
and sympathy Of its constitutional officers, APP
pointed by the states, puts it under the COM
mand of the President, authorizes him TO
cause 1t TO he trained, in palpable violation OF
the constitution, and subjects il 10 be called
out from remote and distan, places at his
pleasure, and on occasions not warranted by
the Constitution!
Indefensible as this project is, fellow cit.
liens, do no, be deceived by supposing that i,
has been or will be abandoned. Ii is prin.
ciPle of those who are now in power that ar
election or reelection of the President i'm
plies the sanction Of the people TO all the
measures which lad been proposed, and all
the opinions which he had expressed, on pub
lie affairs prior 10 that event. We have seen
this principle applied on various occasions. -
Let Mr. Van Buren, he reelected IN November
next, and il will be claimed that the people
have thereby approved Of this plan Of the
Secretary Of War. All entertain the opinion
that it is important TO train the militia aud rem
der IL effective: and il will he insisted, in the
contingency mentioned, that the People have
demonstrated Ihai they approve OF that specific
plan. There is more reason TO apDrebend
such consequence from the fact that a com.
mlitee OF the Senate, 10 which the subject was
referred, instead OF denouncing the scheme as
unconstitutional and dangerous 10 liberty,
presented labored apologize report, and the
Administration majority 10 that body ordered
twenty thousand copies OF the apology to be
printed for circulation among the people
take pleasure IN testifying that one Admins
trsiion Senator had the manly Independence
To denounce, in his place, the project as I'M
constitutional That Senator was from your
own state.
have thus, fellow citizens, exhibited 10
you true and faithful picture Of Executive
power, as !, has been enlarged and expanded
within the last few wears, and as il has been