Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1841-11-09
From the y. Y. Ereuing Post.
ffUlI IHc y ftttIi4 TUT.
THE DUTY OF THE DEMOCRATIC LEG
Isl ATIrRES

u l. III 1 Or IL l. Df4hOCAA 1 ~ isAsNr-
ISLATURES.
IT, a. the results Of the late elections pretty clear
Is indicate. the legislatures of great majority Of
the States should be democratic they vii lie under
the deepest. solemn and weighfy responsible
ties 10 the people. They will stand committed ID
carry out those great prime pies which have ever
been the creed of the democracy. To this they
pledged and f,r this they will have been chosen
They cannot avoid the great duty imposed On them
without Justly forfeitlng the confidence Of the de-
mocracy. disgracng themselves IN the eyes OF both
parties, and going far TO convince the people that
neither Professions or pledges can be relied on when
coming in conf ct with the sordd interests Of local
combinations, lobby members, and moneyed institu-
lions.
Hitherto. it cannot be denied that the democratic
State legislatures or AT least those calling them
selves have failed in vast many instances 10 full
I'll the Just expectations of their constituents The
people deputed them 10 carry out reform and they
have hut too often only neglected their duty but
become accompices IN the creation OF new abuses.
However they may have distinguished themselves
bv the opposition these cand dates for office,
II must be confessed that too many democratic mem
bers when the period of action arrived, have beled
their professions and deserted the standard under
which they gained the victory. while others have
cooled down to the freezing point and been CONCEAL
ed into absolute frigidity.
This metamorphosis, has generally. # not always
occurred in questions involving great aecunlary IN
terests, such as bank reform and internal Improve
ments. These generally work wonders. There
seems to be a mysterious, inScrutable influence con.
nected with all measures of this kind. which at the
very moment the power Of arresting prohIgate pub
Inc expenditures bank abuses Is acquired by these
patriots, blinds their understanding. dslrms then
hostility and confounds their perceptions, thai
they forget despise all previous declarations ano
pledges and become the passive. If not active IN
sruments in perpetuatng mischievous old systems
wound deeply or amputatng The limb, they be
come exceedingly qualmlsh, their nerves begin Il
quve-, and IT is all over with them.
We hope to see no more of this. notwithstanding
the Penroses and Burdens, who sold the State O
Pennsylvania to the nsolvent Bank of the Unite,
States. have shared the rewards OF the pipe layer
under the wing administration. No honest mII
ought to envy them their honors or their brides
Like the epauletts and gold lace of the menials @
European arist0cracy. they are badges not of homo
but disgrace They are the wages OF sin, and tn.
wages of sin is d. ath. These, and such like men
may continue To pass current in society they MAJ
be tolerated but wherever they 20, and whereye
they are known they Will be secretly despised
They forever Invested of that glorious
ness of intrinsic worth which Is the prime SQUIRE
of human happiness and can never acquire becaus
they do deserve, that high estimation from theI
tellow-creatures which is only voluntarily tenderc
To integrity. They are therefore examples not L
initiate. but to avoid, and should stand a. light
boats on the reef 10 warn the mariner from ap
preaching.
The democracy, whenever they gam the ascend
ancy ia the State legislatures, are, 10 the frs
place. pledged to a thorough aud radical refc rm
that perncious banking system which has robbie
the people Of untold millions. and still continues tn
system OF robbery with increasing vOracIty; whic
has distracted. embarrassed and obstructed the IN
dustry OF the country by rendering employment IN
certain, aud wages the sport OF bank contraction
and expansions and winch. more than all otae
causes combined, has undermined the morals an
corrupted tine principles, OF those who have been it
accomplIc-s and victims Tins the triumphant de
mocracy stands pledged II do and let their repre-
sentatives beware how they finch from the test
when II comes.
In the second place. the democracy stands pledge
To arrest that Wild and reckless system, which, O.
nine out Of ten, Is mScalled internal improve
mem; and which 'developes the resources OF
state BY punGing 1t into almost hopeless. IRE
trIevable bankruptcy winch has llid 30 man
States the feet OF banks aud foreign money-lend
es; which mas converted the free people of the |
States INTO b1ndsmen, condemned TO labor throug
succeeding generations to pay for the prod gaty
their ioreatners which. while II affected To ,ste
progress of our country, has arrested Its pros
perIty Tor at least a hundred years which has Ell
tailed on the disgrace Of f1rfcIting our faith a
home and abroad aud made 1t our only alternatiy
either to be taxed or dlshonored
These are the two great lions which the democ
racy stands pledged TO take by the beard, whenevt
they acquire the power Of correcting abGscs. Their
are other grievances, which we shall not at presci
enumerate Let them look to IT, we repeat, 4
, once. lest by their hnchng from their nigh re
spoons bIllty, they become objects OF contempt I
their friends, OF scorn and derison to their opp
nents.