The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-06-20
GEN CASS AIJRELFP.

From Il candidate for public station, but es-
pecially for an office So exalted as the Presi-
dcncy of the United States, courtesy ofman-
ner and Of language is imperatiycly required
by the amenities and dcccncics Of social and
political brotherhood. Parties differ, and must
differ, but the great mass Of each sincerely
seek the countrys good, and labor to promote
it. There are knayes and selfish dcmagogues
in all parties. rs there are hvpocritcS among
the professors Of all crccdS; but ~ Religion is
not hypocrisy, and no sect Is organized and
kept up for the wiltul propagation oferror and
vice, 50 there Is no party which consciously
seeks the overthrow of our institutions and the
subver,ion Of our Public Liberties He who
asserts the contrary is an enemy of the whole
People, labor.ng to disseminate for his own
sorld ends decisions which impcl them to sus-
poet and hate each other The higher his
station and his aims, the baSer Is his spirit and
the more exemplary should be bis punish
mcat.
Gcn. Lewis Cass. in his letter accepting the
nomination which he has sought Sc eagerly
and absorbinely for the last five wears, goes en-
tircly out of his way to utter the following Ii
bel:
The very first article in the Democratic
creed teaches that the people are competent
tp govern themselves; it is indeed rather an
axiom than an article of political faith. From
the DAYS of Gen Hamilton to our DAYS, the
lE-tr opposed to uS-ot whore principles he
VA. the great exponent, if rot the founder
wh;le it has changed lis name, has preserved
essentially the identity of character and the
doubt he entertained and taught of the capac-
ity Of man for self-governmcnt. has cXertcd 4
marked Influence upon its action and opin-
ions. Here is the very starting point Of :he diff
fcre"ce between the two great parties which
divide our country. All other differences are
hut Subordinate and auxiliary to this and may
in fact, be resolved into it. Looking with
doubt upon the issue of selfcovcrnment, one
party is prone 10 think the public authority
should be strengthened, and to fear any change
lest that change might weaken the necessary
5orce of the Govcrnment-while the other.
strong in its convictions of the intelligence
and virtue of the people, believes that original
power is safer than delegated and that the So
luton of the great problem of good govern
ment consists in governing with the least
force, and leaving individual action as free
from restraint as is compatible with the pres
ervaton of the social system thereby securing
TO each all the freedom which is not essential
10 the well-bemg of the whole
nat INC dbohC - hNltilN last, even Ill re-
gard TO Gen. Hamilton and his compatriots,
VIC have no doubt. That it would be easy to
Gull some pretext for it out of his voluminous
writings is quite possible, and in like manner
TO prove that this or that Federalist, in some
moment of disappointment and defeat, said
something implying a want of respect for the
popular intelligence and capacity. 1t is re-
corded that the last Brutus defeated, ruined,
dying, exclaimed: 20 Virtue have wor-
shipped thee asa Divinity, and find thee but
shadow - Should that expression of a crush
ell heart be held to implicate the whole Re-
poohcan party Of Rome as contemners OF Viz
tue 1 ct tins Is precisely the use which Gen.
Cass makes OF certain expressions wrung from
the Federal champions by their unexpected
and as they thought unmerited disaster and
downfall They cannot be fairly Judged by
these erpressions,bu only by the whole tenor
Of their writings asd their lives.
Bat the SANDER on the dead is less imnor-
tant than the mischief to The living-not mere
" to the party assailed but 10 the whole peo
pie. We have common country, common
interests, common destiny. We are natur-
ally divided upon great questions of public
policy, Of which the merits do not always lie
upon the surface, but often require patient and
candid consideration. We are very sure the
majority would decide them correctly, if they
were but allowed to hear them candidly and
really decide them a: all. But ole of these
questions comes up-that of Protection, for in
stance, Or the Mexican War policy-and we
proceed to set forth our views upon it. But
Gen. Cass and his confederates at once inter
pose the calumny above quoted, and prevent
great portion of the voters from hearing us
at all Close your ears good people they vir-
tuaily exclaim don't listen to that fellow, for
ne believes you incapable of selfgovernment,
me nolds you unfit to decide any such ques-
uoh-how can YOU pay any attention to what
re re SAYING Thus the argument is forestal-
ga The lHry preludloed, tins verdict corrupt