Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-06-19

my mind has been drawn, in relation TO the policy of
the administration, impose upon me a duty from
which have no disposition to shrink-a duty winch
| will endcavor to perform in that spirit of candor,
cancellation, and manly frankncss, which trust VIII
ever distinguish my intercourse with my fellow citi-
acns upon every important question that may arise for
Their decision.
Icannot, sir, participate in the deliberations of your
convention; nor by any acts of mine, however feeble
or unimportant they may be, longer contribute to
strengthen n cause which the settled CONVICTION oil my
Judgment, the irresistible testimony of events teach me
is at war with the best interests of my country-.wltli
the stability and permancncc of its most cr!hersfctdi
institutions. A cause which IS in open hostility to all
hose cardinal principles Of democracy by which 1t
processes to be governed !-one which, in the tendency
of It's measures, is iraught with incalculable danger, to
the very existence Of the republic and which seeks,
by the elevation of a chief maglstrstc whose acts arc
Condemned by the almost unanimous voice OF the
American people, could that voice be heard in its own
unlisguised language Of dsapprobotior, as 1t rs heard
in he coniding intercourse of life, free from the with
cri,g influence of party prejudice and party tyrrany,
to iubvert the very principles upon winch our govern
me1t is based.
hut, in making this communication, Mr.. Chairman,
| slnll not trcsspass upon the patience of your con-
venion, nor tamper with feelings different from my
own by a recurrence to the reasons that have brought
conviction TO my mind, any farther than To justify the
co,rp I have taken. will only refer in language as
brief, and in terms as conciiatory, as | am capable OF
employing, to one or two of the more prominent OF
the manifold errors and abuses to which my attention
has lecli directed, and to which much OF the present
uiNNlG VI t1I ouIi'l ~ tbb. ~ VIZ 49, -
{ it is threatened, are unqucstlonablv to be attributed.
Ofthcsc, the most striking and disastrous in its
eilccs upon the prosperity and welfare Of the people
the most dangerous in its tendency TO their Liberty
and Eppincss-is undoubtedly the alarming uslrpa-
[ ton, OF the late and present administrations in their
cfors to unite the moneycd with the executive power
of tie government. To reduce the circulating me
dun of the country TO u standard infinitely below
the wants of industry and enterprise. To unsettle,
= and eeatlv to diminish, the fixed value of property,
. wlichhas brought poverty and sliicrlpg upon thou
y -1 -E Il .,,,, ,,nrt1,t aud Inc nT niIr tplInv ~
, citizes. and spread ruin and dcsolation throughout
the lar.. To dcprcss the great mass OF the laborlng
and pr ,luctive classes of the community, by reducing
I the pricrs of labor and industry, to he standardc Of the
l most degraded portions, and the worst governed ma
tons of the old world and finally; to take from the
poor man that powerful and salutary incentive to ac-
ion-that iilcomparably bcnciiccnt Stimulus to an NJ
honest, upright, and industrious course OF life, which
a wholesome and well regulated credit system Is SC
l admirably calculated TO inlpagt.
I Add to this, the still more recent and appalling de-
vclopmcnt of a design upon the liberties of the people
= in the late recommendation of one of the Nationa
Council, for raising, %cQuipplng. and discplinlng an oi
: lective army of 100000 men-a band of mercenary
p soldiers-to he at all times at the beck of the party il
power and ii no longer leaves any room to doub
c that the tendency of the administration is to pcrpeth
. ate its power, at whatever sacrifice of popular right
and popular principles it may demand.
!, Other causes | might name, for they arc Numerous
and startling, but these, | trust, We're there none 9th
> crs, will be deemed sufficient to justify the course
# have taken. One other consideration, however,
VIII llcntlOn, as having induced me, more tSptciaI.
y: nj this time, to seek an opportunity 10 lay my view
@ before the political party of which your Convention
is composed. My name has been freely used by
il portion of that party, in conncXion with its candldac
/ Tor representative from this district TO the next Stat
Legislature. In the coming election, SO importar
. in its results upon the welfare of the country, | desir
to 90 into the contest with ga pure heart, and wit
S clean hands'-to stand forth unslacklCd either b
n personal interest or by party obligations. And as
could not, if elected, discharge my duty to my cour
try, to my conscience and to my God, without dom
violence to the confidence that would thus have bee
reposcd in me-, | embrace this opportunity to max
known my position.
In thus sovcring myself from the deliberations {
II your body, and from political identity with the ind
has required no ordinary effort of the will-no con
n support of those long tried and faithful friend
whose claims to the honorable and responsible tru'
of REPRESENTATIVE in or National Councils, will |
brought forward for its decision. But as the motive
which have governed me are,
Not that | loved Caesar less, but Rome more"
l. | trust that / shall be acquitted Of any personal hot
>, tlity in my feelings towards those gentlemen. NJ
only desire, INV most feryent and daily aspiration
te my Maker is, to see this great Government, of tn
: hitherto prosperous and happy people, wrested froi
u the hands of the PoILsMES- rcscled from the gras
ri Of tlos Nandals, who have laid the axe at the root
the sacrcdtrce of ~llberty-and see 1t committed to Il
N guidance Of Others, more capable, more honest, moi
ri devoted to their countrys good. With these sent
" ments, Mr.. Chairman,
he Ihave the honor to be,
Your very humble servant,