The people's press, and Addison County Democrat. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1838-1841, 1841-05-11

uaiion of our country, and the party spirit
which has produced it. 1t is greatly to be aP'
prebended that there are men on both sides OF
the political field, whose patriotism is swallow
ed UP 10 their party pursuits. But the measure
of oensure to be meted to the two political
bodies which divide US, is very far from being
equal. Ifbefore the accession to power ofthe
two last administrations, which must ever be
identified, the country was in high and palmy
stote ofprosperity,a is now sunk into the state
of wretshedness so graphically depicted by the
writer, BY the baeful influences OF party spirit,
that party which has during that period swayed
the government, and guided its legislation,
should be chiefly inculpated. We believe that
a g1ea, majority OF the lsading wings, both in
aud out Of Congress, are governed by honora'
Bic and patriotic principles, and ifunrestraiDed
by the desperate efforts which will doubtless be
made by factious opposition, will adept sys'
tenn of measures, which will again speedily
replace the nation upon the highway to wealth
and greatness.
CAUSE OF NATIONAL SUFFERING.
There is, at this moment, an amount of in
,iividual embarrassment and suffering among
the industrious clasEes, which does not exist in
any other civilized nation, and certainly ought
moi to exist in this, where the natural and &C.
CURED advantages of cheap soil and cheap
government, and the absence of wars, the great.
est of all national calamities, ought 10 secure
to every honest, and industrious and frugal in
dividual the means of providing for himself,
and those depending on him for support, CON-
Portable subsistence. That such state Of
prosperity is far from being general, is too ev-
ident to be denied. even by the most thought
less observers. Among the mercantile, manu-.
featuring and mechanic classes, there is almost
an entire want of thrift with the l. asst unfortu
nate portion, while there is the most distressing
embarTassments and losses among still great.
er portion. The agricultural classes are. from
their occupations, more independent of the e.
wills incident to these causes, now in operation,
which have proved SO injurious TO the interests
of commerce, navigation, manufactures and the
necbar$c arts.
A cultivator Of the soil can subsist almost
wholly upon the products of his own farm; but
the mechanic, the manufacturer, the merchant,
and the members of the various other profes.
sions who are not engaged in manual labor
pursuits, as well as the numerous class of man.
ual laborers who are not proprietors OF land,
are by no means in the Independent position of
the farmer. whose capital is in land, which, I'm.
der The favor of Providence, who sends the rain
upon the Just and the unjust, has always render
ed returns proportionate, or nearly so, to the Ia
Dor which has been bestowed on its cultivation.
Still, even this comparatively fortunate order
of men are by no means free from the embar
easements and sufferings in which the more de-.
pendent portion Of the nation is involved
That they have not been wanting in industry
while the seasons have been genial, is satisfac-
tor;ly shown by the extent of the crops for the
past few years. 1t is indeed an undeniable
fact, that all the great crops of the country for
several years past have been more abundant
than in a like space of time within period of
twenty or thirty years.
Admitting such to be the truth, and the facts
10 show the correctness of The assertion are
within the reach of oil of us-why Is it that
there is so much pecuniary embarrassment in
this nation of II, 100000 of intelligent, indus.
trious individuals, with greater acquired and
natural, physical, Political and moral advanta,
ges than were ever possessed by any nation on
earth?-whv is it, we say, that there is so much
anxiety, embarrassment and suffering among
the most enterprizing, industrious and useful
portion of the naiionl
Why is it. we again repeat, that the great
body of laboring men of all professions, with or
without capitals of their own, are, in spite OF
their industry, economy, skill and enterprise
reduced TO such state of pecuniary embar.
rassment that it is doubtful if majority Of
them could, il their affairs were settled and their
property converted into money of the standard
value of the country, and none other ought to
be considered as money why is it, for a
fourth time We repeat, that this mass of hard
working, useful and meritorious men should be
placed in circumstances that would, were they
to make the attempt, render it impossible for
them to pay the debts which they owe, and
which, sooner or later, must be paid, 70 free
them from their present pecuniary difficultiesl
We answer that it is mainly owing 10 the
prevalence OF party spirit, by which the proper
functions Of government have been either az.
rested in their natural and protecting course,
or else turned actively against these great in
terests of the nation, which it is the proper bu.
siness of the government TO foster and extend.
For several past years, Congress, though in
session more than half the year. have treated
any subject which has come before them upon
mere party grounds, and without due consid
Grafton of its bearings on the welfare of the
country. The result Of such legislation--i
Legislation il can be called-has been the pas
sage of acts injurious to the national interests
-or what is still moro apparent, a neglect to
pass laws which the public interests imperi
ously demanded.
Our foreign Relationship which many branch
es ofcommerce mig ht have been sustained, tina
arc now going TO decay-and others which
could have been greatly extended-haye beer