Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-03-11
HERALD OF THE TIMES.

from the con,r,l Of the Executive, the
more wholesome the arrangement, and
the more in accordance with Republican
principle.
Connected with this subject is the
currency. Tho idea of making II cxc!u
Sivcly metallic, however well intended
appears to me TO be iraught with more
fatal consequences than ANY other scheme
having no relation to the personal rights
# tie citizen, that has ever been devised.
II any single scheme could produce The
effect OF arresliug, at once that mutation
of condition by which thousands OF oul
most INDECENT fellow citizens. by their
industry aud enterprise, are raised 10 the
possession Of wealth, that Is the one. II
there is one measure better calcula, co
than an),her to produce that state Of
things 80 much deprecated by all true
republicans, by which the rich arc dali,
adding TO their hoarJs, and the poor sink
ing deeper mo penury, 1t Is an exclusive
metallic currency. Or if there is n pro
cess by which the character of tho
country for generosity and mobIcncss d
feeling may be destroyed by the grea
increase and necessary federation OF usury
II is an exclusive metallic currency.
Amongst the other duties OF IL delicat,
character which the President is called
upon 10 perform, is the supervision OF the
government Di the Territories Of tn
United States. Those of them which
are destined To become members Of our
great political family, are compensated
by their rapid progress from infancy to
manhood, for the partial and temporary
doprivatioa of their political rights.
1t is in this District, only. where
American ciilZcns are to be found. who
under settled system Of policy, are dc
priycd of many important political priyil
cges, without any inspiring hope as Ia
the luturo. Their only consolation. under
circumstances ofsuch deprivation, is that
oflhe devoted exterior guards ola camp
that their sufierings secure tranquility
and safety within. Are there any OF
their countrymen who would ubjec, them
to greater sacrifices, to any hunliaiions
tbaa those essentially necessary to the
security OF the object for which they
were thus separated from thor fellow
ri,Izcns ! Are their rights alone not lo
be guaranteed by the application OF those
great princi pies, upon which all our con.
s'itulions are founded ? We arc told by
the greatest of British Orators aud States.
men. that at the commencement 0s the
war Of the Revolution, the most stupid
men in England spoke of" their Ameri.
can subjects. Are there, indeed, cili-
zens Of any of our states wh9 have dream
cd Of their subjects in the District OF
Columbia ? Such dreams can never be
realized by any agency of mine.
The pc6 pie Of The District of Colun.
b:a arc not the subjects OF the people Of
the states, but free American citizens. -
Being in the latter condition when the
constitution was formed. no words used
IN that instrument could have been inten-
dcd TO deprive them Of that Character
lflhc,o is anything in the great princi
pies Of unalieuable rights, 50 empha,icaI
ly insisted upon in our Declaration OF
independence. they could neither mike,
nor the United States accept. II surrender
OF their liberties, and become the subjects,
iE ether words the slaves, other former
fellow -citizens. II this be true, and it
will scarcely be denied by any ono vino
has correct idea Of .his own rights as an
American citizen, the grant to Congress
Of exclusive jurisdiction in the District Of
Columbia, can be Interpreted, SO far as
respects the aggregate people Of the
United States, as meaniDg nothing more
than to allow Congress the controlling
power necessary 10 afford free aud safe
exercise of the functions assigned to the
Genera! Government by the Constitution.
In all other respects the legislation OF
Congress should be adapted to their pc.
culur position and wants, and be contor
mab!e with their deliberate opinions Of
their own interests.
have spoken of the necessity OF
keeping the respective Departments OF.
the Government, as well as all the o'hcr
authorities OF our country, within their
appropriate orbits. This is IA matter of
difficulty in some cases as the powers
which they respectively claim are often
not defined by very distinct lines. Mis-
chievous, however, IN their tcndcEc III s,as
collisions of this kind may be, those
which arise between the respective com
mini,les, which for certain purposes
compose ono nation, arc much more so
tor no such nation can long exist without
The careful culture Of those feelings OF
confidence and affection which are the
effective bonds of union between free
aud cOnicdcrated states. Strong ms is
the tie Of interest, it has been often found
Intellectual. Men, blinded by their pas
sions, have been knonn to adopt measures
Tor their country in direct opposition to
all the suggestions Of policy. The pl.
icrnatIve then, is 10 destroy or keep down
Il bad passion by creating and fostering u
good one and this seems TO Ge the cor.
ner stone upon which our American
political architects have reared the lab.
rlc of our Government.
The cement which was to bind it, and
perpctualc It's existence, was tho allec
touate attachment between all It's mem
bers. 10 insure the continuance Of this
feeling, produced at first by a COMMIT
nity OF dangers, Of suilcrlugs and of in.