The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-08-02
J there is ORGANIZED life in every rart

as tneTe is organized lie III every Pdit
of the human system. Jackson was
deaf to every counsel which sought to
subject general labor to a central will.
His vindication Of the just principles OF
the constitution derived its subimity
from his deep conviction that this strict
construction is required by the lasting
welfare of the great laboring classes OF
the United States.
To this end, Jackson revived the tri-
bunical power Of the veto. and exerted
it against the decisive action of both
branches of Congress,against the votes,
the wishes, the entreaties of personal
and political friends. "Show me-"
was his reply to them, "show me an
express clause in the constitution au-
thorizing Congress to take the business
of the State Legislatures out of their
hands," "You will ruin US all,' cried
firm partisan friend, "you will ruin
your party and your own prospects,"
"Pro vidence," answered Jackson, "will
take care of me;" and he persevered Z.
In proceeding to discharge the debt
of the United States-a measure thor
oughly American-Jacks on followed
the example Of his predecessors; but
he followed it with the full conscious
ness that he was rescuing the country
from the artificial system of finance
which had prevailed throughout the
world; and with him it formed a part
of system by which American legis-
lation was to separate itself more and
more etTectuaIly from European prece-
dents, and develope itself more and
more, according to the vital principles
of our political existence.
The discharge Of the debt brought
with it, of essity,a great reduction
of the public burdens, and brought, of
necessity into view, the question, how
far America should follow, of choice, The
old restrictive system of high duties,u Jun
der which Europe had oppressed Amer
ica; or how far she should rely on her
own freedom and enterprise and power,
defying the competition, and seeking
the markets,and receiving the products
of the world.
The mind of Jackson on this subject
reasoned clearly, and without passion.
In the abuses Of the system of revenue
by excessive imposts, he saw evils
which the public mind would rene ly;
and, inclining with the whole might Of
his energetic nature to the side of rev.
enue duties, he made his earnest but
tranquil appeal to the judgment of the
people.
The portions of country that suffer-
ed most severely from system Of leg
islation, which, in Its extreme charac-
ter as it then existed, is now universal
y acknowledged to have been unequal
and unjust, were less Tranquil; and raj
lying on the doctrines offreedom, which
made our government limited one,
they saw in the oppressive acts an as
sumption Of power which was nugato-
ry. because it was exercised, as they
held, without authority from the peo-
pie.
The contest that ensued was the most
momentous IN our annals. The great
est minds Of America engaged in the
discussion. Eloquence never achieved
sublimer triumphs in the American
Senate than on those occasions. The
country became deeply divided; and
the antagonist elements were arrayed
against each other under forms Of clash
ing authority menacing civil war; the
freedom Of the several States was in
voked against the power Of the United
States; and under the organization of a
State convention, the reserved rights of
the people were summoned to display
their energy, and balance the authority
and neu,ralize the legislation OF the cen
tral government. The States were
agitated with prolonged excitement;
the friends Of freedom throughout the
world looked on with divided sympa-
thies, praying that the union of the
States might be perpetual, and also that
the commerce of the world might be
free.
Fortunately for the country, and for
tunately for mankind, Andrew Jackson
was at the helm of state, the represen-
tative of the principles that were to
alay excitement, and to restore the
hopes of peace and freedom. By ma
ture, by impulse, by education, by con-
viction, friend to personal freedom
by education, political sympathies, and
the fixed habit of his mind, a friend to
the rights of the States-unwiIling that
the liberty of the States should be
trampled under unwilling that
the constitution should lose its vigor or
be impaired, he rallied for the constitu-
tion. and in its name be publIshed to