The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-01

saved the great body Of the people from the
stealthy Entertainments Of the crafty few. In the
frequent and disastrous battles between power and
right whole nations have been cloven down, and
they have been forced TO exchange the banner of
freedom for the purple robe of the tyrant. Our
BILE ancestors felt and understood this beacon-uth
Through blood, carnage, and agony, they worked
out their salvation, won their glorious way, and
made despotism trembe on her strongest thrones.
Their heroic virtues and illustrious achievements
appeared to be the precious carnations Of the wis
dom Of Providence, and rescued our own American
liberty from the ruthless avages Of British usurpa-
ton.
But the seges and patriots who saved our llber-
ties did not oil agree about the powers and pur-
poses of the American institutions, which supplaned
the British scepire. Discordant views of civil gov
eminent very soon created political parties, and
stimulated their leaders 10 the warmest rivalry and
the severest contention which antagonistical opin
ions could excite in the human heart. strong
and an expensive government was the object and
the policy of many who had always distrusted the
competency Of the people TO govern themselves, and
who, consequently, strove to enlarge the bounds Of
federal power. On the other hand, a1plain and eco
nomical government, which protects all, and OPP
presses none, was the fair and honest embodiment
of system which the masses Of the people had de-
termined TO advocate and designed to create. Ac-
cordingy, they did create just and frugal govern
ment, Of equal rights and specified powers. But,
from the moment Of its creation TO the present day,
spirit has been exered to obtain by construction
~
expressly repudiated by the convention the people,
and the States.
In the heat and turmoil Of political contentious,
some hasiy factions Of pernicious growth have
sometimes ripened among US; and, dsconcertng for
a season the usual order Of events, have given un-
steady vibrations 10 the scales Of political power.
But great and rervading results, continually opera
ting on the welfare and discernment OF the people,
have gradually dispersed each fetious combination,
and fixed the relative value Of eoniending parties, in
shaping the direction Of national policy.
The heated elements which were fully developed
in the earlier stages Of the government, and which
divided citizens into parylines, continue TO pre-
vail. We daily recognize the doctrines, princi-
pies, and propenses Of the former federal party,
now fully and zealously advocated under the Dor
rowed title of WINGS. But the change Of party
name should never be permitted to obliterate the
memory of other days. to make the federal constitu-
ton succumb convenience to weaken the reserved
authority and rghtful weight Of the separate States
and to foment resistance to the coniederacy by arm
| ing the general government with dangerous and
unwarrantable dominion over private rights. No;
every such wild and reckless endeayor to disturb the
harmony of our federative system must be prompt
ly resisted by the great republican party. They
have always stood on the solid foundation Of equal
rights and honest laws,--upholdng the spirit and
compromises of the constitution, and asserting the
power, dignity, and sovereignty Of the separate
States, against every disposition, from whatever
quarter it may come, to disparage and modest
them. Under the auspices of this noble and
victorious party the whole fabric Of that wretch
ed policy which originated in the baneful genius
of consolidation, and which former fedesalists
and modern wings have equally labored to up
hold, has decayed and tumbled down; and, by
its timely fall, has freed the nation from funded
debts from national banks; from idle dependence
on the credit system; from bankrupt laws to defraud
creditors by sponging debts; from hateful monopo-
lies of every sort; from waseful expenditures on
useless schemes from reckless and insidous as.
sumption of State debts; and from corrupt and
corrup,ing distribution Of yearly revenue from
public lands.
These inestimnble trumphs--achieved by the
prevalence of justice and the power of truth-are
guarded by sentinel who happily adorns the pow
er which supports him. The people have exalted
to the summit Of authority statesman, who will de.
vote his energies to preservation Of the Union and
the sacred principles which formed it; without which
indeed, it cannot be perpetuaed, nor even prolonged
to another generation.
Should foreign enemies modest our Union, or at.
tempt to ALLEVIATE citizens from determined dispo
stion to support it, shall regret their impotent
Wy and meddesome infatuation. But every effor
to accomplish such designs will expose the fuility
Of the experiment. and diminish the power and Sc.
curity of their own cherished institutions. Let moi
the madness of ambition imagine that our presen,
defences cannot be increased and are wholly insult
icient to protect US. We have all the power and
resources which any people DESIRE to repel the
evils of injustice; and augment them to
the extent which wisdom shall indicate and
patriotism commend We know that freedom
Of opinion, ardor of discussion, and diversity
of judgment, prejudice, and partiality, are incl
dent to the nature Of man and the sovereignty
Of States and that the constant exercise of these
unbridled attributes too often exhibits the appear
ance of premeditated hatred and wanton strife
But rulers who are swayed by the spirit of patriot
ism, who consult the general good and coolly esti-
mate the horrors Of war, may wisely hesitate to
commit the fortunes Of humanity to the issue and
auspices of such a scourge. Before the magnitude
of that final arbtrament, ambition should humble
her pretensions with consderate dstrust and defer
entail dread; for, amid the Christian admonitions OF
this reasoning age, nothing but the rights, the
honor, and security of Nations can justify the un.
dertaking. Our peaceful republic is averse to war,
and to all the direful consequences which illustrate
its Her constant thoughts are turned to the
cultivation of sincere amty and enlightened inter-
| NTH c,reiun Stafas The lo,a r .z......