Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-03-17

contrary, no care that Can De USED III the
of our Governments, on di-
vision of powers, no distribution ofchecks I
in its several departments, will prove eff
fectual to keep Us free People, if this
spirit is suffered to decay; and decay it
will without constant nurture. To the
neglect of this duty, the historians agree
in attributing the ruin Of all the Republics
with whose existence and fall their writ
ings have made US acquainted. The same
causes will ever produce the same effects /
and as long as the love OF power is
dominant passion of the human bosom,
ard as long as the understandings of men
can be warped and their affections changed |
by operations upon their passions and pre- |
JUDGES, SO long will the liberty of a pee- |
pie depend on their own constant attention |
to its preservation.
The danger to all we'll established free
governments arises from the unwilling |
ness of the People to believe in its exist
ence, or from the influence of designing
men, diverting their attention from the
quarter whence it approaches to source
from which it can never come. This is
the old trick of those who would usur2 the
government of their country. In the
name of democracy they speak, warning
the People against the influence ofwealth
and the danger of aristocracy. History,
ancient and modern, is fall OF such exam
pies. Caesar became the master of the
Roman people and the Senate, under the
pretence Of supporting the democratic
claims of the former against the arlstocra-
cy of the latter; Cromwell, ID the eharac-
, ter of protector Of the liberties of the Peo-
pie. became the dictator of England and
Bolivar possessed himself of unlimited
power with the title of his country's Lib
orator. There is, on the contrary, 40
! single instance on record Of an extensive
and we'll established Republic being chang
ed into an uristocracy. The tendencies of
, all such Governments in ther decline is TO
monarchy; and the antagonist principle to
liberty there is the spirit of faction-a
spirit which assumes the character, and
, in times of great excitement, imposes itself
} upon the People as the genuine spirit of
freedom, and like the false Christ whose
coming was foretold by the Saviour, seeks
to, and. were it possible, would, impose
upon the true and most faithful disciples
of liberty. 1t is IN periods like this that
> it behooves the People to be most Watchful
i of those to whom they have intrusted
: power. And although there is at times
r much difficulty in distinguishing the false
: from the true spirit. calm and disposition
ate investigation will detect the counter
/ feit as we'll by the character of its opera
tions as the result that are produced.
The true spirit of liberty, although deeot-
ed, preserving, bold, and uncompromising
{ in principle, that secured is mild, and toll
!, Grant, and scrupulous as to the means it
! employs !; whilst the spirit Of party, as
: suming to be that of liberty, is harsh, vim
dictive. and" intolerant, and totally reckless
+ as to the character of the allies it brings
5 to the aid of IT'S cause. When the genu-
: inc spirit Of liberty animates the body ola
. people to thorough examination of their
/ affairs, it leads to the excision of every ex.
f crescence which may have fastened itseli
5 upon any of the Departments of the Gov
: eminent, and restores the system to its prs.
+ tine health and beauty. But the reign Of
!. an intolerant spirit Of party among free
: people seldom fails to result in a danger
e Gus accession to the Executive power in.
' Produced and established amidst unusual
. professions Of devotion to democracy.
: The foregoing remarks relate Amos,
v exclusively to matters connected with our
: domestic concerns. 1t may be proper,
4 however. that should give some indiea-
: tons to my feliow.citizens of my proposed
/ course of conduct in the management o:
/ our foreign relations. l assure them,
: therefore, that it is my intention to use
, every means in my power to preserve the
e friendly intercourse which now so hap.
L PLY subsists with every foreign nation
: and that, although. 0! course, not we'll in
t, formed as to the state of any pending ne
Y gotiations with any ofthem, see in tht
personal characters of the Sovereigns, a:
d well as In the mutual interest of our own
e and of the Governments with which GU
n relations sre most intimate, a pleasing
J. guaranty that the harmony so importan
r to the interests of their subjects, as we'll a
h our citizens, will not be interrupted by th,
lr advancement of any claim, or pretensiol
ie upon their part to which our honor wouIt
m not permit US to yield. Long edefende
IN of my country's rights in the field, trus
D. that my fellow Citizens will not see in m,
j. earnest desire to preserve peace with for
st eign Powers, any indications that thei
s. rights will ever be sacrificed, or the homo
a. of the nation furnished, by any admission
nd on the part Of their Chief Magistrate I'm
er worthy of their former glory. .. .-*.
ut In our intercourse with our Aborigina
lie neighbors, the same liberality of justice
ry which marked the course prescribed /
ty me, by two Of my illustrious predecessor:
ay when acting under their direction in tn
r. Il e 4