Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-01-14


This, now, as a force permanently in arms must be
considered standing army sufficiently formidable, II
there was ever any reality in that dread OF one which
wise republicans have always taught, and nations
more fond OF their freedom than ambitious OF gov
erning others have always cherished But even this
is not enough the President calls loudly tor ten more
regiments OF cI,ais and 1--WE SUPPOSE many more
OF volunteers: which, at full compliments, will make
twenty-five thousand men more. Thus are to
have, besides some twenty thousand authorized by
law, but minus OF the full complement i'll some cases,
a standing amy, and not merely paper, some sixty
seven thousand strong. Nor must we forget what the
Adutant Generals report before US iurther says that
the troops heretofore kept in our seaboard and lake
toItrcsses have all been withdrawn in order TO rem
force armies in Mexico and that tley mus, speed
lily be replaced, not only because the deences OF great
maritime points, like those OF Boston and New York
the Delaware, Old Point Comfort Charleston and
others, OF Navy Yards like Portsmouth, Norfolk
and Pensacola cannot be left unnamed, bat because
great and costly system OF sea-iots Will tail into
immediate diapidaton if lett for but "A year two
unoccuped by sliclen, bodies OF troops SO that the
very suppositon-the continuance OF the war-whicl
makes necessary the forces now asked will equally
require the raising ui as nany more roops-say sont
live or SIX thousaud-as have been Withdrawn IRON
our toIresses adding To which some thousands need
ed in Oregon, must certainly count at not short
seventy five thousand men the army which these Pres
identaI plans OF Mexican suhugation will require Il
be raised and permanently kept ON foot,
let it be remembered That, Tor these estimates, W
take only positive ddtq-iacts now in existence, am
furnished by the actual state o the army, or by tn
Presidents own acquisitions and the consequence
which they inevitably Involve.
Behold, then, People OF the United States !-yo
who enblrd Tor your liberties, when the Federallst.
in John Adams day, raised few thousand rcgua
uuops--you whom certain among Us have, until with
few years, Piled with alarms against even our poo
little West Point army, which, except as school
war, was but a name-behuId what those very dema
gogues with jefferson on one point OF their orke
tongues and Federalism on the other, have brougl
you to by the grosses Presidential usurpatlon, the
have onIp, in order TO recover their failing party
popularity, plunged You into Il war which that Twin
patriarch Of old republcanlsm, integrity, and wisdom
ALBERT GALLATlN, dcnOunCcs to You, as IT with IN
last breath, utterly wrongful, cruel. and inpoc
but they are attempting. under the preence that III
national honor stake for the endless and reentes
prosecution OF such a war, TO ias:en upon you pei
petual standing army
We need surely not recur 10 historical examples, nc
cite the venerable authorities against such fatal scl
AS in some other things, so, happily, there IS as
this an instructive might almost call it religion
in the public mind 1t may have borne that Pres
dent OF the United States should have COntrlved 10
his own ends, War Which can hardly fail 10 be Il
pcrniciuus in lis event II bad IN lis origin bu
when the Public that. in addition 10 every othe
disaster, it is fix upon Ms that bnne OF pubic tree
dom, a Perpetual Standing Army, will II not, beside
distressing and rejecting the new demands OF patron
age and power by the President hold him TO the stree
est account for the abuse OF the power alread
entrusted to his hands,