Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-08-04

oHu hoAicutnR spirit oil 6peculatl0n 10 prudent ana
economical habits succeeded the flood of luxury and
extravaganza; and the fruits Of all this were exhibit
Ted IN widespread moral deterioration, and frequent
examples OF the most shocking pronigacy ;-profi-
gacy III the national government, whose expenditures
had run up from l3 to nearly 40 mllions-proligacy
IN many OF the states. which has since been consum
mated in -profiigacy in public officers,
inultudes of whom became defauIters-and profit
gacy among the thousands of citizens, who had been
seduced into hazardous enterprise.
. The liberal reward of honest labor. and success in
honorable pursuits, were some alienation OF the mass
of evil which had been produced; and because of
these, many dreamed of the return of substantial
prosperity. But alas for the dreaners Ct the brilliant
dawnlng of brighter day. became the lurid precur
sor OF devastating tempest. The tempest came
came with terrific power-sweeping away banks and
ferng and want to the domestic fire. side, and invov
ing the government itself in that bankruptcy which
II mad entaled upon more than quarter OF million
of its citizens.
Such were the second fruits of abandoning the
welltried Republican pocy but these bitter fruits,
appealing as they did for return to that policy, with
force which would seem TO be overwhelming, ap-
pealcd in vain. A change in the course of the gov
eminent was inevitable; but the change, ordained by
the ruling dynasty was not remedy for the distress
ses oil thepeople. They again shot wildly to another
extreme and for the most prodigal issues Of an un-
restricted and unreguatcd paper currency they pro-
posed, through the SubTreasury, TO sever the gov
eminent from the people, and restrict the business of
the country, so far as the Federal Government was
TO have any control over it, to the meagie and uncer
tain supply OF gold and silver Acircuating med lum
of more than 500 Millions they would reduce TO less
than SO-not more than twice the amount of the an
nual expenditures OF the government!
This measure was resisted by the people, Again
and again was 1t defeated by their representatives and
that, too. when majority Of thom were the personal
and political friends Of the men in power But Pow
er trlumphed over the People, and the deed at last
was done IL brought no relief TO individual suffer
ing. Even the government was forced to repudiate
Inn
1t was obliged to exc out miserable existence by the
issue of bills Of credit; and when on the 4th OF
March, lSil, the Wings took possession, they found
the natoua estate covered with tie wrecks of twelve
years OF inlsrue, and its administrators burdened
with debt of "a millions of dollars.
These disasters were justly regarded as the legtl-
mate fruits OF departing from the old republican prln-
cples and policy Such was the deliberate verdict OF
the people, rendered in the Presidential election of
$40. The wisdom of that policy, which had been
unanimously affirmed in the days of Monroe, was
again stamped with the verdict Of popular approva,
by the most brilliant political revolution ever record
cd IN the annals Of our country or the world
The people required substitution of this policy
for that, which had brought upon the country such
wretchedness and shame and To effect this change,
they demanded and enforced change OF the admin.
lsratlon. Between the President elect and the repre-
sentatiyes of the majority, there perfect harmo
nv; and the first act of his administration was TO
cali an extra session If Congress-to lring the sew
cra branches into efecua play in order to grant the
necessary relief 10 the puOc distress ana remove Inc
embarrassments which were pressing upon the gov
ernmen.
The representatives of the people at once entered
upon the task committed to them Among Their
frs efforts, they attempted 10 reform and regulate
the currency. Seeking wisdom from past experience
they endeavored to frame system combining the
eSceI!encles, and avoiding the evils of those which
had already stood the test of time and trial. The
suit OF their anxious labors sent to the Execu-
tive: but alas it not to the chosen and we'll
beloved President of the people. In one brief month
from the inauguration by an lnsctutabo act of Prov
denre, the venerated HARRISON had been gather.
ed TO his fathers, and in the Executive chair sat-d
Traitor The first bill was strangled by the Veto
A second was promptly framed and with most lib.
era spirit of concession TO the views of the Acclden
tai President. His signature, indeed, had been actu
ally pledged; but through Ueachery, alike to the
principles of the party which had elevated him, and
TO his own plghted faith, that signature was with.
held
Though embarrassed by the pressure of a reckless
opposition, and the treachcry of the Executive and
his followers the Wings were not fahless. True 10
the country and TO their own pledges, they sought
that country's veal in all the modes left 10 them.
Having failed in one point they turned their energies
into other channels. Abiding the time unavoidable!
necessary to mature Protective Tariff, they sought
to relieve the pressing necessities Of the government
by temporary Tariff. 1t was based purely on rev.
enue principles; but even this fell under the Veto
power. An act was passed, base upon the only just
and true principle of representation in the House OF
Represeniatves-the representation of the people
not of state soveregn,es-rcqulrlng the election O.
members Of Congress by districts; and even th'
was met by qualified Veto which has stimulated {
portion of the states to defeat the law by dsobcdi
ence, amounting to practical Notification. The
knife of retrenchment was applied TO the expendt
ures OF the government; fortunately, with success
looping off the monstrous sum which had annually
been wasted upon most dlsgraceiu and wicked wa
upon handful of savages, and introducing more jus
principles of economy into all the branches OF thu
government. The majority of Wings also sought, IL
common with n portion e( their opponents, and no
! in vain, TO afford relief to the muludes, whom tn
errors of the government had plunged into irrcmed
/ BILE embarrassmeuts. Ii was done by bankrupt ac
which, however differently i may be regarded b
those whose interests were differently affected by il
was founded IN the purest principles o mercy an
humanity; the very principles indeed, now recog
nized by every safe in the Union, through either il
non-imprsonment or relief laws In part throug
the accomplishment of its own purposes, and in PAL
by the efforts of opposers that act is now at an
The great question Of the Public Lands was ais
grapped. and Distribution bill was pa sed, in NJ
cordance with the deeds of ces)n, and for the fir
time carrying out the long pllghted faith of the GOV
eminent to the several states. 1t fortunately recei,
ed the sanction OF the Executive, and the results
its temporary existence even when but 1.-THE OF Il
ordinary sales of the public lands could be mad
, concusvely proved the wisdom of the measure
Finally, through unweariel labors ana amid all Il
embarra, smens Of conflicting n,crcsts-of the pc
severing md all but unanimous opposition Of Il
Locofoco party, from the North, the West, the Gel
tire, and the South, wei as of large portion
, the Southern Whiss-a Protective Inrif was pas
ed, and received the approval of the President. A
approval, however, which could be secured only
n sacrifice of the Distribution act.
Q From this hurried survey of the course Of the Viii
since the election of 1910, two things are eviden
first, that they honestly and faithfully sought to
deem their pledges and thus to restore the old repn
llcan policy; and second, that, in all points or
they were prevented by the ireachery of the Pre-
dent. The Tariff forms the only material exceptio
In these factsis to he found the key the
. the present condition of the country. The Tai
alone could not, at once, restore universal prosper
alone, it never do this We have therefore, {
pressed prices and unsteady markets still and v,
:, amounts of capital YET lying utterly dormant
y infinitely more than enough to infuse strength q
+, stability into sound system of national current
% Yet there has been improvement. There has been
" great decrease Of foreign importations; there ha
been largely increased expectations of domes
manufactures and produce giving increased nctiv
:, to agricultural and mechanical a or, to manufactur
II and 10 our immense inland and foreign commerce
- all resulting in two important thinss,-an immeI
r. Relation OF our foreign debt, and an immense inf
u of gold and silver
Such have been The effects of Tariff, whose pc,