Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1840-09-19

History taught them that Republics had risen
and prospered for while, but relaxation OF the
precautionary vigilance Of the people in prosper
ity prepared the way for the designing pretender,
with fair promises never intended to be fulfilled,
first to gain the confidence Of an honest and con-
| fiding people, and then TO use that confidence as
means Of cheating them out of their dearest po-
lltcal rights, and ultimately subvcrting the essen
lial principles Of government of the people
To guard against every means whereby the re-
public was likely to be assaed, and to lorfy it
against every possible encroachment or danger.
Gus innovation, our forelathers underworld in The
distribution of the functions of sovereignty in
three distinct principal departments, 10 so ba.
lance them as 10 make them reciprocally checks
upon each other.
With great difficulty it was that our Constitu.
ton was adopted; but after all, as our govern.
ment was still to undergo the test Of experiment,
and as it was the workmanship of imperfect man,
the patriotic wishes of every Republican were
kindled into the most anxious solicitude, estper.
adventure, some point in the fabric might not be
sufficiently guarded TO protect it from the en-.
croachments of some future usurping despot-
hence the necessity of perpetual wach(ulness on
the part Of the people to preserve their own gov.
/
liberty is eternal vigilance"
The people, therefore, should be jealous OF
their rights, and consider themselves the sover-
eigns Of the land, and the Office holders their SER
wants. amenable to them for every thing they do.
This is true democracy, and must be maintained,
or the Republic meets the fate which heretofore
awaited all others. To maintain this principle,
every man in or out OF office, should be free in
the expression OF opinion in relation to the acts
of our public (unctionaries, and should at all
times express his appreciation or disapprobaton
Of the measures of the Administration, publicly,
fearessly, and especially without fear OF Offend
ing the officers employed in the public service
This is the way TO maintain the Republican
principles upon which this government is based
and to protect the sovereign people against the
encroachments OF ambitious men in office. The
incessant exercise OF these privileges of thought
and expression, is the kind Of vigilance necessary
may, misrepresentation the preservation OF our
Republic.
And whereas. the present Administration Of
the Executive branch of the General Govern
ment is, in our opinion, departure from the
true principles of democracy, not only in the
usurpaon Of power never intended to be vested
in the Department, but also in the imp araleed
exercise Of prescription for opinions sake, which
has already impaired, in great measure, the
freedom Of elections, thought and expression oil
opinion, whereby the officers who are, and Of
right ought to be, the peoples servants, are al.
ready the peoples rulers, and making rapid strides
towards practical despotism.
That by the abuse Of Executive patronage, the
best and most faithful public servants have been
displaced, for no other reason but because as
freemen they dared to express their disapproba.
ton of some measures Of the Administration,
whilst the most abandoned to rectitude have been
retained, in consideration Of subserviency not to
J the interest Of the people, but the will of the
woudb chief ruler OF this great nation.
That the proper test Of fitness for olIice-hon
osty, capability and laithfulness to the consttu
ton, SO indispensably requisite to good govern
ment-are no longer regarded as recommends
tons to applicants for executive promotion; but
implicit support Of the measures of the Admins
tration, right or wrong, is by the present Execu
tive regarded as the almost sole, and quite the
most important, qualification for Office under this
Administration.
And whereas, we do honestly and candidly be-
lieve the great mass Of the people are Republi
can in sentiment, that they always have been,
and ever will be, so long as they are untram.
melled by the undue influence Of pretended patri-
OTIS and designing demagogucs who, to effect the
! purpose Of their own elevation to despotic sway,
resort TO assimilation and guise, under the guise
} Of apparent honesty and devotion to the peoples
interest, whom, to deceive, they will Aatter, only
that they may the more successfully betray. That
the only redemption of the lettering state Of ON
political institutions is in the virtue and intelli
gence OF the people, who, whenever they are
convinced that their public servants are deceiving
them, will dispace them at the ballot box.
And whereas, we have viewed with regret the
| destructive and runous policy Of the present anc
J past administrations OF the General Government
S upon the currency and commercial interests o.
the country, together with an utter departure
from the principles, as we conceive, under which
, our republican institutions were administered By
: Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe
and on the expiration Of the last presidential term
) Of Gen. JaCkson's administration, we hear him
declaring, as he Steps from the door OF the Capt.
; to, that he leaves this great nation out Of debt
free, prosperous and happy; and suddenly, alte
, Mr., Van Buran's succession to the Chair, VIZ
. find the country bankrupt, its financial concern!
, poralyzed, and an enormous public debt rapidly
accumulatng together with the enforcement o
: the odious Sub-Treasury scheme, the offspring o
monarchical governments, with the recommenda
ton of a standing army of2O0,000 men in tim,
of peace. All this we consider repugnant anc
odious to the perpetuity Of the happy form of go
vernment transmitted 10 us by the blood Of a no
Bile ancestry, and for the inalienabe ,iohts which
belong to irecmen, and are formidable 10 tyrant
+ only, we invoke the united energies of our demo
cratic republican friends throughout the land, L