The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-03-12

claim as citizens of the U. Slates but in no ca
cnn the same person, at the same time act as Il
citizen OF two separate States and he is thereto
positively precludedf from any Indifference wiMt
feSeftei Po~ers Cfaay STATE Lut KGt Of which
IS, for The time being, a citi,ea. lie may ndet
offer to the citizens of other States his advice us
management, and The form in which it is tendert
is left 10 his own discretion and sense of propcr
may be Observed however that organized association
ofcizens, requiring compliance with their Wishes Il
much resemble the RECOMMENDATIONS of Athens To III
aies-supporled by an armed and powerful eet IL Wa
indeed to the uJon Of the leading States Of Greece
control the domestic concerns Of the others, that the dc
slrucon Of that celebrated c0nederacy, and Subsequent
OF all It's members Is mainly 10 be attributed And II
owing to The absence Of that spirit that the cyctc
deracy has Tor many years been preserved Never hu
there been seen in the Institutions OF the sepcrae member
of ANY coeeacy elements Of discurd. In the prir
cipes aud forms of government and religion, as well as
the circumstances Of the several CARTONS so marked ds
crepancc observable MS to promise any thing ut lur
mOny IN their intercourse or permancncy in their alliance
Aud yet for ages neither has been Interrupted. Conte
with the positive benefits which their union produced wit
the Independence and alc! from foreign aggression wc
secured these sa.aCOs people respected the institution
OF cnch other however rcpugnant to their principle
ind prjudces
Oar Conicderacy, flow-ctzcns can only be preserve
by the same nrbcarance. Our citizens must be cOntr
with the exercise Of the powers with which tho CCns
ton clothes them. The attempt Of those of State II
control the domestic institutions of another, can only re
suit in feelings OF dstrnst and jealousy, the certain hurbn
Gers Of dsuOn violence, civil war; and the ultimate de
strucon OF our free Institutions Our COnitdeacy per
ecly illustrated by the terms and principles governing
common coparnershp. There fund of power is TO b,
exercised under the direction Of the joint councils Of h
allied members, but that which has been reserved by III,
individual members is intangible by The common govern
ment the individual members composing it, To attempt
il finds support in the principles OF Constitution. II
should be constant and earnest cndeayOr mutually to
cultivate spirit of concord aud hnrmOny among the
nprts aln al 4,
taught us tint the agitation by citilCGs If one part Of TIL
Union of sjcct not cohltd to the General Government
but exclusively under the guardianship Of the local author
iics is productive OF no other consequences han bitterness
alienation, dscord and injury the very which i,
intended to he advanced Ofnl the great interests which
appcrtan To orr county that of union, cordial col dg
fHt"rna union, is by far the important since il is the
only true aud sure guaranty oi all others
In consequence Of the embarrassed state of bus
ness and the currency some Of the States may meet
with difficulty in their financial concerns llowev-
or deeply we may regret any thing iinprudenl OF
excessive III the engagements into which States have
entered for purposes Of their own, it does not be-
come us to dispsrage the State Governments, nor
TO discourage them from making proper efforts for
their own relief on the contrary it is our duty to
encourage them, 10 tha extent of our constitutional
authority, to apply their hest means, and cheerful
" 10 make all necessary sacrifices and to submit 10
all necessary burdens To fulfil their engagements
and maintain their credit for the character and
credit Of the several States form part Of the char
aCter and credit Of the whole country. These re-
sources Of the country ARE abundant, the enterprise
and activity Of our people proverhal ; aud we may
we! hope that wise legislation and prudent admin
s,ruton, by the respective Governments, each act
ing within lis own sphere, will restore former pros
pcrly.
Unpleasant and even dangerous as collisions may
sometimes be, between the constituted authorities
or the citizens OF our country, in relation To the
lines which separate their respective Jurisdictions,
the results can be Of no vital injury TO our ius,iru-
tons, if that ardent PATRIOTISM, that devoted attach
meat to liberty that spuit Of moderation aud for
bcarNnrc for which our country men were once dis
lnguished, continue to be cherished. If this con-
unucs TO be the ruling passion of our souls, the
weaker feelings Of the mistaken enthusiast will be
corrected, The Ethiopian dreams of the schcmeing
politician dissipdcd, and the complicated inrigurS
Of the dcnagoguc rendered harmless. The spirit
of liberty Is The sovereign balm for every injury
which our institutions may receive. On the con-
trnry no care that can be used in the construction
Of our government, no division Of powers, no dis
irhUlion OF checks in It's several departments, will
porve eiiectnn 10 keep US n free people, il this
spirit l. suffered to decay, and decay ii will, with
out consan, nurture. To the neglect Of this duty,
The best historians agree in a,ribuiing the ruin Of
all the Republics with whose existence and fall
their writings have made us acquainted. ] he same
cluscs will even produce the sarIe effects and MS
long us the love of power is Il dominant passion in
the human bosom, and ms long as the understand
ings of men cen be warped and their affections
changed by operations upon their passions and pref
udiccs, so long will the liberty of n people depend
on their own constant attention 10 It's preservation.
The danger to all well established free governments
arises from the unwillingness of the people to he
li.vc in It's existence, or from the influence Of de-
signing men, diverng their attention from the quar-
ter whence it approaches, to Il source from which
it can never come. This is the old Tick Of those
who would usurp the government of their country.
In the name of Democracy they speak, warning
The People against the influence of wealth aud The
danger Of ar.locracy. History, ancicn, and mod
crn, Is full Of such examples. Cwsar became the
master Of the Roman people and the Senate, under
the prc'rncc of supporting the democratic cIaims
Of the former against the urisocracy Of the latter.
Cromwell in the character Of the protector Of the
liberties Of The people, became the Dictator Of Eng
land and Bolivar possessed himself of unlimited
power, with the title Of biz Couniry's Iiherator,--
There is, on the contrary no single instance on re-
cord Of m extensive and well established republic
being changed into m nrisocracy. The tGnden-
ccs Of all such governments in their decline is TO
monarchy and the antagonist principle 10 liberty
there il 10 spirit Of aciion-a splr, whlrh assumes
the character, and in times Of glcat excitement, i'm
poses Itself upon the People rs the genuine spirit Of
freedom, and like the false Chrsls whose coming
was forctod by the Savior, seeks 10, and were i,
possible would impose upon the true and most faith
fu disciples Of liberty. 1t is periods Ike this that
it hchoo,es the People 10 be most watchful oflhosc
10 whom they have inirused power. Aud although
there is at times much difficulty in Distinguishing
the false from the true spirit, calm and disp,ss-
ona,e investigation will detect the counterfeit as
well by the character of lis operations, ms the re-
suits that are produced. The true spirit Of liberty,
although devoted, perseveriug, bold, and uncon-
promising in principle, that secured, is mild and toll
Grant and .crupu'ous as TO the means it employs:
whilst the spirit Of party, assuming 10 be that of
liberty, is harsh vindiclivr, and n,oerani and To-
tally reckless 10 the character Of the allies which
it brings 10 the aid Of lis cause. When the gcnu-
inc spirit Of liberty aninales the body Of people
10 thorough examination Of their affairs. il leads
TO the excelsior Of every cXcrcsccncc which may
have fastened Itself upon any of the Departments
of the Government and restores the system 10 its
pristine health ard beauty. Hut the reign Of an in