The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-08-20
Hon. Nathan Smile.


Dor.
For more than quarter of century, he has
stood forth, firmly and openly in defence of the
people, ard to him, as to father have they been
accustomed to confde the management of their
dearest interests, confident that he could be en-
liced, by the attery of the politician nor the money
of the rich, to abandon, betray or neglect them.
1t has rarely fallen to the lot any man, to have
received for so long time Mr. Smile, the con-
fdence of the mass, without interruption or any of
those jealous, i'll feelings, which often spring up
between the people and their best and nuest ser
wants. There are many subjects, of local and
individual interests TO which the labors of rep
resentative of the people must necessarily be de-
voted; there are so many who fail to obtain their
ends, and so many who are rarely pleased for any
length Of time with anything, that to have enjoyed,
so long, so much and so universal confdene, can
only be attributed to a never failing desire and a
watchfull determination, to secure the permanent
good of his constituents.
Mr. Smile belongs TO that class. so numerous and
respectable in this state, of well-educated, clear
headed and strong minded tillers Of the soil. To
the individuals who compose this class he has ever
been friend, whether acting as their councillor at
the reside, or as their advocate in the halls of
legislation. Being, himsef, aboring man, his in
terests and sympa'hles have always been with the
laboring class, and though never found among
those, who would excite the poorer class against
those who have become rich by assiduity and
labor; yet he has always been first and foremost
to oppose those legislative articles, by which the
vicious and the idle have endeavored to enrich
themselves, not by their own daily industry but,
by the aid of legislation, upon the heard earnings
of the farmer and mechanic The great champion
of the Constitutional Treasury, Calhoun, was not
imprest, earlier in life, with the wickedness of the
banking system; nor than Mr. c., though moving
in narrower sphere, did he pursue a less unre-
hitting and determined course TO open the eyes OF
the people to its frauds and contravenon TO the
primary laws of all true civi! politics. For many
wears Mr. Smile stood alone and unaided in this
State the opposer of legislative swindlng; nor was
it, till the bubble began to burst, aud the people
found their pockets filled with worthless paper, that
the iustness Of his views and the far-sighted grasp
his ieleect began to be understood and apprscia-
ted. Those, who, when that vast fabric Of paper
speculation building up to fall, at last like an
avalanche upon the people, despised and jeered
the warning of the farmer of Cambridge; at last
either by silence, or open avowal acknowledge
that he was right; and the people, who once looked
on with Indifference, hailed him as friend, whose
earnest warning, to their sorrow they had disregar
ded.
Mr. Smile is democrat of the old school. !le
was born democrat, he was Graded democrat,
he was educated democrat, and true to his birth
and education, he has always been Democrat
Not one of these, slick and eely men, who, can be
taken, as the Irshman said people could be, by
hebeas corpus writ, as well where they ant ms
where they are, but an open and bold democrat,
avowing, without concealmen, or palliaton, his
opinions on all proper occasions With him there
has been no trucking to the party in power, no
spscous pretentions to catch the popular favor, no
prevarication OF shrinking to escape the censure of
his political enemies. lie has pursued the same
underwriting, honest course. OF him it cannot be
said that he has ridden hobbies, or been all sides
lie has never gone 10 bed at night federasts,
and walked up in the morning democrat lie
was democrat when the federalists gave that name
TO Mr. Jelersons party as term Of reproach-
Inc is democrat now, when the federallsts are
endeavoring to appropriate that name as term Of
honorable distinction.
The private worth and sound practical sense of
Mr. Smile, added 10 his promise as legislator for
the people, soon placed him at the head ofhis town
This was not done by any assumed superiority or
any of those mysterious movements, or look-wise-
and say-nohing-appearance which poilicaj ugglers
so well understand it was not done by his influence
IN property or extensive family connexions i; wasnot
done by some nabob, who was too snimportant TO
secure his own election, and sought the elevation OF
Mr. Smile as tool; but i, was done by the stern,
deep and strong devotion 10 the interests Of the
mass, which maife.ted itself in all his actions, and
in all his movements. Years OF labor and toll in
the legislature, have shown his fellow ,owns-men
that their confidence 10 him not misplaced ;and
from the able and firm representative of town, he
has now become an honor to The state. Such is the
reward that always waits upon those who, like Mr.
smilie pursue the great highway Of political TRUTH
and never Tor one moment, ,urn aside into the by
and forbidden paths os error, even though by so
doing, they may be aauered by the great, and en-
riched by the wealthy. A calm Pursuance of,ru,h,
and the best good Of the people with deep and i'm.
movable reliance upon their virtue and intelligence,
has been the secret of Mr. Smiles success. To
such man, the people run,as to the" shadow Of
great rock in weary land" The course Of such
man is upward mo influence no earthly power can
keep him down, or drag him down. The taunts,