Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-09-19
A Lesson from The Past.

| Lesson from The Past.
Il In all human affairs il is wise to take
counsel of experience and for that pur-
pose it is useful sometimes to pause in
our course and review the past, in which
we may often read lessons to guide us
for the future. With this view the
National lntelligencor Of Saturday pre-
senis lis readers with a summary hisior,
Of the "RElGN OF LocoFocoIsM" in our
country, which occupies one Of IFS broad
sides. 1t recalls vvidly the chief incl
dents in that twelve years of misrulc-
the arts by which it rose-is high promi
ses of Reform--ts arbitrary exercise OF
power-its disastrous experiments upon
public creduliiy and public credii-ihe
explosion Of the last Of the experiments,
the pros!ration of all individual industry
and enterprise, the suffering of The Peo.
pie, and the bankruptcy of the Govern
nent, as a warning to the country to look
out for the future.
1t is the boast Of his party that Mr.
] Polk was not only leading actor in all
The destructive measures which are here
briefly referred TO, but that he is pledged
TO follow in the footsteps of his two "ilIus.
Ioious predecessors Coming into Cllice
under snch auspices, it cannot be doubt
ed, should it be the pleasure OF The Pro
pie to make him President, that We
should be visited with "A renewal of nil
the party excesses, the abuse of powe,
The miserable experiments on currenc,
and commerce, with their disastrous re
suits, and all the train Of evils which at
last brought the People to their senses.
and induced them TO pat "A stop, iou
years ago, TO the ruinous career Of the
party thea in power. Let these things
be considered before i, shall be forever.
too late
We invite attention to day 10 the sub.
Joined exhibition Of some of the unpre.
cedenled abuses Of that disastrous period
in our history =:
From the information furnished by The
Secretary of the Treasury, IN his leuerI
ot December 3Olh, 1899, IN answer to a
resolution OF the House of Representa-
tyes, passed January l4lh, 1889, il ap
pears that the whole amount oi delalca.
lions, from the foundation of the Govern
meni to the commencement of Genera
Jdckson's administrations period OF
forty years-was 81, go, ,73i SO that
during Mr. Adams administration, " hich
50 much required reform, the amount was
1927 1887 40, being a l,ulle more than
thud OF the average during the terms oi
Messrs Madison and Monroe that from
the commencement OF Gen. Jackson's l
administration Ia the close of Mr.. Van
Buren $ the whole amount was S2 400. Il
O19 O6 and the number Of dcianlIers one
hundred and eighty, being an average
OF Si3 1893 To each--the aggregate iol
those twelve yeats being more than hall Il
oi the aggregate for The preceding fol,
years, and an increase from an averag,
oi + Sil5,5i7 gcr G7aun 10 an average olII
more than $4,000 per dnnum. 1
50 much Tor reform in the matter OIL
deldu'els. 1t is but just to Mr. Van
Buren, 10 remark, that the delalcalions of
his term wefe chiefly on the part of ind. II
vldnels appointed by his predecessor |
though some OF the most nag,ant cases
had been overlooked 10y him on The scor, Il
oi The services which the cu,prits wer, |
rendering To the Democratic party. Our
limits ipfbld our entering into details on
Ihls head, bot the pubic records abound !
IN proof that known 6efaultrrs To large
were retained in Office aue,Il
heir ackno" Iedgcd deialcation, becausr
h"y were reported 10 he "tnnin piilar.
u The Demorralic cause" "distinguishI
'd irendS OF the Administration, Sc III
aud lha, ~ one remarkable case n pe,soui.
who had hinsell brcpmp a confessed de- u
aultcr loi over u hundred thou,nnd dol.
ars, was allowed. on res gninl, 10 nom, II
lale hls successor. (who wns apuo,ulpd
'ccordlng!y,) ) the defaultcr rcr,ll, ing thai
he person appointed chad been through IN
nj an ardent friend of General Jackson,
and M unyicldlne ad,o II,
ate "f HE pr'nci, les n Democracg."
Another matter io be uiorm,d was ,b, II
'Npcnses oi The General Government IN
md to ibscnd the sirrrios economy apGiI
accountability were 10 b. .nlnrcrd inj,
very branch Of the 0d niplIta,ion. I'LL,
: needless 10 parade aga,n the official 4
'oof Of tho ludlcrous manusf ~ vhehlI,