Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-12-23
this country since the Dnclnrniinn of 1nl.a,,


,his country since the Declaration of Indcpcndonrc
nnt mat gwen by Gen. Jackson at New O, eYns'S
washington carried the country Successfully ,lrn,
.ne seven yeats war OF The Revolution amidst snes
| ana traitors without finding u necessity or reen
hl'hseli authorized TO resor TO auch means Bnlti-
more, m open, unlortfcd city, and every way yory
similarly clrcunisnnced 10 New Orleans was sur.
cessnly defended during the last war bv the sn,n,o
neous efforts OF its citizens who voluntarily rendered
n'oie service IN tho way OF personal excrtion than
n non" nave been exoried byany amount Of COERCION
lis, too, amidst d1y deuincntious from, tho Endo.
raj press against the President for corrnnion in cct.
us inc country into the war, and for mbecility in
carrying It on; denunciatons that never ceased mill
he press tsef stopped that is when the editors and
| Their woklnen, with the alacry of all other ci,izons
| shonldered their muskets to meet the enemy in tho
| held. Indeed, the whole idea Of extracting bv coer.
con from freemen the most effective resistance
asalnstforegn INVASION, IS based upon wrong con-
ceptlon OF the genius of Republic. All history
proves that the patriotism and public spirit of a Re-
public are more effective in calling forth in the hour
Oh need the utmost energies Of State than all the CO.
erclye powers. of the most absolute desputsm.
True as this undoubtedly is, in the general, vet
the case Of Gen Jackson, when he assumed the com
m7nd at New Orleans, was peculiar one recurring,
rs ne supposed, action from him upon contrary
principle The difference Of habits. manners, and
language OF the two classes Of population there had
| prevented that intimate intcrningng and associn-
uon so necessary to mutual esteem and confidence.
Certain Americans Of prominence, upon no known
lncts, but upon the authority of mere suspicion indus
tfopsly infused into the mind of the General caunl
mons suspicion ofthe 'oyatv of the French part of
the population. Such suspicious never conll have.
been whispered TO more suscpniible oar. No man
ever was more habltually dstriisiu of the good in
lcnunns OF others, who was exnciinc to the IN
bounded confidence he required to be nj ICED in hi
own. There never was one more apt to think himself
the only safe Depository of power.
"Under III, Influence of these susoici1ns he pro.
claimed martial law and caused it 10 be enforced up-
on the members Of the Legislature by either thrust
ing them ont or keeping them ont of their legislative
halls with an armed force No COERCION however
was used or required to make every man do his duty
IN defence of the conHtv. The population, Of MI
wasd 10 III nc 81 n The s,Grd f,r
that would have done honor 10 the pcone of anv city
or State in the Union, and which fully refi,cd the
cnIunnlou> suspicion against them. But thcv p,ys
It stlll more satisfactory ,efIt ton In the Ian
ruage o! Their eloquent Sen1tor ;nav noblv rcfieI
at the lannon's mouth. Itnav ',g'l he said there
fore that Orleans wns saved not nv ,eoson Of bnt
IN despite Of martial law; for 50 gross a, insult to
themselves and their local authorities was well ca,
culaed TO produce dissatisfaction and dsntT,ctio,
| When man performs any remarkable feat he AMI,
10 cons1er not only the means actually used but al
merenccompnnlmenis ms having been necessary To
the result and the world IS too ready 10 tnir it upon
trust from hun TINT the fact So This is lilstra-
ted by ioble of Bon,parte He used to think AMI
say that the sun of Auseritz was propifions 10 his
victories Hnspur would have answered him That
the sun woul have shHnn the same. ".f vonr moth
" = Cit iil Uul hlteUel on lft u1Y B1n1pIr'c
dId no greater injustice TO h genius BY ascrbine any
| portion of his military achievements to msrn m.
shine than does General Jackson do to h oNn mill.
tnry character by aflrbnting the successful defence
| OF Orleans to martial law. Beside what belongs TO
the vtor Of his tro,ps 1t ia Justly nscrih1be to NJ
cause but that Of his own lndomiIahc nerve md en-
ergy, and that great main faculty of nusng his own
| SPIRIT INTO every one about him.
| Alter the decisive defeat OF tho enemy his evacu-
alton oil the country and the refu,atinn by the peope
o! Louls1na of the cal"mny against them it was due
to them that there should have been an nnpl,,e re-
vocluon of martial law, though such step
| shou have implied magma nmous concession that
| i never had been needed. What was the motive for
Keeping II up afterwards is left conjecture and ey-
en- Conjecture is at loss 10 assign rational one
The experiment had shown that the chords of the
public heart beat true and that in the hout OF need
| he conld make them respond To his master touch -
The whole military force of the state was under his
! rlGhiu command. Why contnpa the assumed an
| thory over non comhn,ants !-whv continue,ho in.
| reference with the rlghtml prro1aves Of the civil
authorl les? Was it barely to prevent information
| from being conveyed tn the enemy If So the mo.
tive was wholly inadequate; fpr there n,thns to
comm nic1e that he could care about ticir tnpyvn
nothing but that he was daily ncreasi the num-
Der of his men, improving their discipline aud other
Wis" gatiInf better prepared for defence But, if that
was the Object, lie entirely failed in accomplishing
what intended: for he hmse tells ia II was as
cer1inei from the British OH 'crs after The peace that
they were u'iv INFO ncd Of every thing thai hanrrn
Ell in the civ from first To last 81 inor ssel was he
'n'' he DECISIVE hn'te had er'iu'Ilv crippled the en-
cmv that shortly Afterwards he wro'e the Secretary
OF " ~ nm me "nemv ; i'st cxrr,inns have bonn
l'''r'h MS ""''' w ''' '''' 100 VIZ present sea-
,,o,e,h t,r,,,rv ,, o~o,,,, hl ,o- o.,,,,,,o -,
his troops. On the l2,h February h. was off Mobile
,oarar,, ori.,n, a. -. 9oa H. ., =, -,
,n,noJ rro,, tho Aao, ,-,B =, ,;,roo,;on Ir;.J r,
H. ,J,;, ~ -. tro.t,, ;or ,,.,. ~, ,L 55I
! ' s %, 4 , ~, = ~ 49, 49,, al , -, -
TE'scolI' o"' 4,l','I' any, o'ouF iI
o.',e,n' .a syn eouo.'u Tvs '!n q -chyIh rs
eoli'.n' d. W" H.t!s up" l'rll n"
~ 80, W. 49, & my .o' W.
- H. ~, " o''' my ~ ca
~ u, ,'r pa., W So'''G W. ot tlee uIhu'tl done
co. uu' w anou raene'lal' Who tnonEn 10
% W .J'N nSn'ns' idl'o" l'eh ~ a'"!'N
WIN r'iIet' >etn'l Volnn',r'ei "er services an'
rendered sucH 9aIah' ana V2uahe ni IN obtaining tn
Erei' VICTORY rs 10 eNjof me SPECIAL comnend1oI
%! tne oe''eIaI n''nss hese men compained lhl
lHev were unnecessarily kept IN uiS1nrCClDe en-