Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-05-17

press having Oeen so frequently subveried TO
tyrannous ends, although originating in the
most exalted freedom, shall we wonder when
the senate house is debased TO the same pur
poses2 If the love of fame is "the las;
weakness Of great minds" The Ius, Of power
produces the first wish of small ones,
Small are the minds which find their way
into subseryient democratic councils Small
as they may be individually it is only by be-
coming smaller that they are allowed place
there. The price one must pay for the most
honorable participation in public affairs is to
sink ones manhood into the narrow dimen-
slons of three hundredh or four hun
dredh part Of man. The country, not
possessing a real man, attempts to make one,
somewhat as the bees their queen with
this remarkable difference that the bees sue
coed, and the men fail. The human hive is
not constructed on true principles, and new
er can succeed in this attempt to manuIac-
ture manhood. .. ..".:
am not aware what other meaning the
historic reader can put upon these words be-
sides their very obvious and simple import
but politicians have it seems out Of these
terms made an authority for conduct direct.
iy the reverse. The constitution declares
the body polite to be voluntary associa-
lion, while the politician says it shall be an
involuntary association. The principle an
nounces love and choice practice enacts
necessity and force. All, therefore, on be-
half OF which am asserting may be sum
med up as the restoration of the primary
constitutional principle. give no strained
or unusual value TO the word voluntary"
on this occasion. Either it means choice or
it means nothing at all. lfit does not as
sert the free Voluntarness Of every individu-
al who comes into "the body polite" ii
signifies nothing; or al least nothing which
common sense can lay hold of. II the vol
untariness is 10 be coufued to those who
have the power, aud they are to be at liberty
TO force every one into the association, then
must esteem this word voluntary" 10 be
a solemn mockery, and the sooner it is eras
ed, and the term forced" is put in lis stead,
the sooner will the words of the constitution
harmonic with the idea Of its trainers, and
be at one with the every day practice of its
supporters. 49," ..:.
It will not surely be said that this reading
is to stand good for those who originally
framed the constitution. but that all volun-
fairness or choice is to be taken away from
their descendants, from those whose misior
tune, as it would appear, was to be born in
TO The world few years later. The fathers
could not design that their children, their
own flesh and blood, should be placed ia
worse posEfou than they claimed for them
selves. Ii is true that in the next clause
they say they form " a new constitution OF
civil government for ourselves and poster
ity" butin the following they also say all
men are born free and equal" and the de-
clared right to amend the constitution is too
we'll known and too practical to be forgot
ten. cannot see therefore the propriety ot
twisting the terms Of the constitution from
thei: obvious, legitimate and true meaning,
and under those terms affirm the right of
any man to be a member of the body polite
or not as to him, on conscientious dictate,
shall seem best. -: III.
OF course present no. this argument 10
the state. For to do that would be to ad-
nit its rightful establishment an act OF
moral Improperly and false logic which we
hope 10 avoid. But lay it GU, for the con-
sideration of that large class of minds which
is rather alarmed than invited by novelty.
thus show that the voluntary" principle
! was clearly and fully recognized, as far as
words can prove, by the Trainers Of the con-
sttuton of 1880. Mine is therefore no new
doctrine, whatever the practice may be. II
the practice has not yet obtained; il is time
it should. If men have not yet acted up to
| their own principles, this is the age 10 call
upon then TO do so. These illusions must
no longer deceive men and be the idea OF
voluntary government entirely new, or 63
years old, or $50 years old, suppose il may
! obtain if we think proper, and we shall be
determined TO that by the conscience which
rules US. ~.>.-.. :-~ *...< 81. F..
That | d. not set any very great value 90
| the constitution under its best construction
you will readily conceive, not only from
| these particular remarks, but from the gener.
al tenor Of my Communications. Yet there
, is always certain advantage in referring 10
the origin Of our political order; or rather
we should say disorder. - -. ...~ -.
The first clause of the Massachusetts con-
stiiulion declares thai 6. the end of the insti-