Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1840-02-13
R EPLY ::

THoMAsToN, 18th January, lS4O.
have received, my dear sir, your very
interesting letter of the 18th inst, respect
ing our public affairs and it affords me much
pleasure to recognize in it revival ofthat
Republican spirit which achieved so much
in perilous times. 1t reminds me of the
time when we were fellow laboarers in the
same cause in sustaining our country in a
war successfully maintained and trium-
phantly terminated against most power
ful and vindictive enemy. You sir, well
fecollect stood by the Government and
sustained the at the sacrifice of an ample
fortune. But now patriotism has, fear.
ceased 10 he virtue, and sacrifices on the
altar of liberty weigh but little in the scale
of merit
You have lived, you say, to contribute
your share in the establishment of republi-
can principles. hope and trust, sir, that
neither of US will have lived to see them
FRUSTRATED
Whether the war upon the currency, to
which you refer, originated with the Pres
ident or any memebcr of his cabinent, or
or indeed who desired or invented the des-
tructive measure, it is manifest that a
Treasury Independent Of the people and
subject to the entire control ofthe Exc
cutive would sooner or later PROSTATE in
the dust the temple of liberty. | agree
with you that KINGS are not examples
which republicans should recommend, and
when the recommendations comes from the
Chief Magistrate of the republic, the sym
tom is unpropitious and alarming. In the
school in which you and have been taught
the maxim--was that the peoples money
should be guarded by the peoples represem-
tatires and dealt out 10 erecutiUe 0Gfcers
piece meal and wih a sparing hand-and |
think this maxim is beginning to be incul-
Gated anew
If this is the case and the sub ject is I'M
derstood, this "INDErENDENr TREASURY"
this "OFFicE HoLDER's BANK" as you are
pleased to term it, ,oiH not subiugate the
people. There seems to me a redeeming
spirit still remaining to frown down any
measure calculated or designed to purchase
their liberties. These Liberties have been
too dearly bought to be thus trifed away.
A Spirit of inquiry is beginning 10 awake
and it is becoming a question to be Sc
yiously discussed whether it is safe that any
party should be established for long time
in power.
Twelve years. the time the present par.
'ty will have had the control is long enough
TO spoil men much more pure than the best
of the present or past administration.
You inquire my opinion OF General Har-
rison His military merit is matter of
history-the achiev ements of his youth in
defence of the frontier against a savage
foe and particularly at the battle of the
Miami of the Lake under the gallant
Wayne you have long since known. His
victories at Tippecanoe, Fort Meigs and
the Thames are familiar, far they are COM
pa:atively recent exploits. His official du-
ties while Governor Of the n. Western
Territory are less known but suffice it to
say he held his appointment under Presi-
dent Jefferson and though the Office might
have been lucrative to him. his duty to the
public and his faithful application ofthe
national funds we're so punctually perform
ed. that he acquired nothing for himself
He was always liberal and brave and as
successful as brave, aud | do him no more
than Justice when say, that at the close of
the last war, no American officer stood
higher than GEN, HARRISON. Col John
son who served under him and Is ROW
Vice President ofthe United States has re-
peatedIy given him this character and !
know he is too honorable to take it back
But my personal acquaintance with Gen
Harrison is, as a statesman. We were
members together in the II. Representa-