Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-07-03

perfection of human institutions allows, it is
a fair and natural presumption that such fail
urc is to be imputed to erroneous or dcfcc-
tive legislation by Congress.
During most of the administration of Gen.
Jackson, and through the whole of that of
the functonary whose highest pride it
avowcdly is to be known as "thc successor"
and disciple of that distinguished parsonage,
the executive has been sustained by dcci-
dcd majority in both houses of Congress-
1t is true, that the highest dclibcrativc coun-
Gil of the nation was for time upbraidcd as
'iactious," because it rcvolted at the doc
trincs and language of the notorious Prcsi-
dental Protest, but that body long since
wiped off the rcproach by cxpunging from its
journals the obnoxious record of its indcpen-
dcncc, and whenever strict party measure
has been since proposed and urged by the
executive, its friends have lacked neither the
power nor the will to carry it through. 1t is
then plain that the responsibility Of all i'm
proper and defective legislation by Congress,
for the last three Presidential terms, belongs
to the administration, and with all its consc-
qucnccs they arc Justly chargcable.
Let us now enquire in what measure the
benefits proposed to be secured by the Union
of the States, and the delegation of portion
of their sovereign rights to a federal govern
mcnt, have been realized from the year 1929
TO the present day. Have We enjoyed a
condition of perfect union and domestic tram
guilty, has the administration of Justice by
the lawful tribunals been sustained and en-
forced, has due provision been made for the
| common defence, HAS TIE GENERAL WELFARE
BEEN nn'ANCED AND rnVMOrED, aud finally
has aught been done by this or the late adj
ministratlon, to MAINTAIN FOR OURSELVES OR
TO SECURE TO OUR PosTERITY TnF BLESS
1NGS OF LIBERTY! These arc Dues
tons, fellow citizens, which the boldcst par
tizan Of the present executive darcs not an
swcr in the affirmative, and the voice ofthun-
der in which millions of ireemcn arc now
repeating them has penetrated the inmost
rcccsscs of the White House, and made to
quake upon his throne the supple ntrigucr,
who crcpt into that gorgeous palace, when
the Man of Iron strobe out.
But let us look more particularly at the
separate clauses the preamble.
"To form a more perfect union, and to
insure domestic tranquility"
is it not notorious, that our whole country
has been shaken, rent, divided, by the impla-
cable rancour of party discussion, that cleo
tons in the principal cities in the union have
been absolutely controlled by violence, lawful
voters driven back from the polls, and illegal
sullragcs forcibly thrust into the ballot boxes!
Have not men been taught that they owe
allegiance not to their country, but 10 their
party, and has not this doctrine produced its
| natural fruits in the general disregard of the
| obligation OF the frccmans oath, in the con-
version of the sessions of Congress from
theatre of honcst discussion and grave DELHI
Grafton into an arena of iactious discord and
brawlng violence, and finally in the utter cx-
cluslon OF sovereign state from her place in
the councils of the nation! Has not the
mutual alienation of the North and the South
been promoted encouraged, and famed into
| a flame that, until better counscls found place
among the pcoplc, had well nigh severed the
political bands winch hold us togcthcrl
"To establish Justice"
An able and independent judiciary is not
only the source, but the only certain bulwark
of impartial justice. There must in tic
nature of things exist in every well organized
government some common tribunal, empow-
cred to determine, in the last resort, all I,,cs-
| tons OF conflicting authority and jurisdiction,
and to pronounce upon the Interpretation and
construction of the laws of the land. Such
authority the constitution confers upon the
courts Of the United States, and the Judges of
these tribunals are made independent of the
executive. in order that their decisions may
not be biasscd by fear or favour the officers
whose duty it is to administer the law which
the court cXpounds. The cabinet of Gen.
Jacksonlirst broachcdthe monstrous doctrine
that every department of the Government
was supreme, independent and irresponsible
in itself, and that twas the duty Of executive
officers to execute the constitution and laws,
"as they understand Them" without being
bound by the construction sanctioned by the
constitutional cxpoundcrs ofthe law. In &C
cordancc with their principle, solemn dccs-
ions of the Supreme Court of the United
States, in matters of life and liberty, have
been disrcgardcd and its mandates openly
set at defiance, nor has this dangerous and
disorganizing doctrine been renowned or
disowncd in word or deed by the present adj
ministration.
"To provide for the common defence"
This clause embraces not only the pro-
lection of the people of the Union and its
territory from foreign invasion, but the main
tnancce of such fleets and armies as are re-
quircd in time of peace, the construction and
provisioning of defensive works, the propara-
ton of arms and munitions of war, and the
arming and organization of the militia.
Although the kindness of Providence, and
the pacific inclinations of the christian world,
rather than the wisdom Of our rulers, have
hitherto preserved us from open hoslilitcs
with the nations of Europe, yet the admins
lration has found abundant opportunity to
show that the operations of the General
Government, in all our relations with for
eign powers have been conducted upon the
same unwisc, self-seeking, and unprincplcd
system, which characteristics the domestic pol
icy of the present Executive.
W. h~r- Ives L~Vn, ""I p..hops sun are,
ON the verge of war with the most formid-
.lhl nj l. 4