The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-10-13

were.)
If, fellow citizens, examine the history of al
republics, we shall find that as they receded from
the purity OF Representative Government, the con
dittion of obtaining Office the making of prom
ises. He who bid the highest in promises was the
favored candidate, and the higher the bids, the
more marked and certain the corruption. Look a
tho progress of tins thing in our own republic
Were any pledges required of your Washington OF
your Adams? Adams the candidate of the fed
eral party and a statesman was bound to carry
out the principles of his party. Was his successor
Thomas Jefferson the high priest of constitutional
democracy, called on for pledges? No. His whole
life was pledge ofwhat he would do. And if we
go back to this old system of selecting men for the
Presidency, whose past conduct shall be a guaran.
tee of their conduct when elected to the Chief
Magistracy of the republic, the nation would ad-
vance safely, rapidly and surely in the path ofpros
perity But of late years, the corrupung system OF
requiring pledges hath been adopted The Presi-
dency hath been put up to the highest bidder and
we have seen the result. 1t remains for YOU my
fellow citizens, 10 arrest this course of things
(Cries of-we will, we will.
While then, fellow citizens, have never hesita-
ted to declare my opinions proper occasions up
on the great questions before the nation, cannot
consent to make mere promises the condition of OBJ
tanning the office which you kindly wish to bestow
upon me- My opinions / am free to express, but
you already have them, sustained and supported
by the acts Oft long and arduous life. That life is
pledge my future course, i'll am elevated by
your sufrages to the highest Office in your gift
Immense cheering for several seconds.)
1t has been charged against me, fellow clizeus
that am Federalst. While acknowledge that
the original Federal party in this country was &C
tuated In It's course by no improper motives Ideay
that ever belonged to that class of politicians
tremendous cheering) How could belong to
that party? was educated in the school of anti
federalism, and though too young to take active
part in the politics of the country when at the e.
rection OF the constitution, the nation divided
into two parties, my honored father had indicted
me into the principles of Constitution al Democracy
and my teachers wero the Henrys and the Masons
of that period. He, who declared that the seeds
of monarchy were sown in the soil of the Costiu
ton, was leader in my school of pol tics. He,
VIII said that eff this Government be not mon
archy, il has an awful squirting toward monar-
chy' was my Mentor. (Immcnse applause.-Some
time elapsed before order could be restored at
hearing these, emphatic declarations ofthe GENERALLY
If know my own feelings, if know my own
judgment, believe now as did then, with the
patriots Of The Jefferson school, that the seeds Of
were indeed sown in tho fertile soil of
our Federal Constitution, and that though, for fifty
years, they lay dormAut, they at last sproued and
shot forth INTO strong and thriving plants, bearing
blossoms and producing ripe fruit. This govern
ment IS noW u practical monarchy U.oud and
long cheering indicating that the people felt Inc
'"'' force oil his declaration) Power is power, it
matters not by What name it is called. The head
OF the Government exercising monarchial power
may be named King, Emperor, President or lmaun,
still he is a monarch But this is not all. The
President of these United States exercises pow
er superior to that vested in the hands Of nearly
all the European Kings. II is power far greater
than that dreamed of by the old federal party
1t is ultra federal power, it is despotism!-
(Cheering) And may here advert to the objec-
ton which has been made against me-. 1t has
been said that, if ever should arrive the dgni-
fed station occupied by my opponent, would be
glad and eager to retain the power enjoyed by the
President of the United States. .Never, ncuer
Tremendous cheering) Though averse from
pledges ofevery Sort will here openly and before
the world declare, that will use all the power
and influence vested in the Preside mt OF the Union
to abrdge the power and influence of the National
Executive! Ut is impossible to describe the sensa-
ton produced by this declaration.) Is this FEEDER
alism? (Cries ONO, no, for several seconds.) In
the Constitution, that glorious charter of our ber
ties, there is defect and that defect is, that the
term Of serv ice Of the President not limited
This omission is the Of all the evils under
which the country is now laboring. If the priv.
lege of being President of the United States had
been limited to one term, the incumbent would de-
vote all his time to the public interest, and there
would be to misrue the country. shall
not animadvert the conduct of the present ad-
ministration, lest you may in that case, conceive
that am aiming for the Presidency to use for sell
fish purposes 1 should be an interested witness if
entered into the subject. But here pledge my
self before HeG0en and earth, if elected President
of tcse United States, to lay doson at the end ofs
term faithfully that high trust ut the feet Of tho Pso
pie! (Here the multitude were excited to de-
fy ,descrlption.) l go father. here declare be-