The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-11-21
Total
THEN AND NOw-THE DIFFERENCE

/ THEN AND NOw.-THE DIFFERENCE.
George Bancroft, in the midst of glowing de-
scription of the prosperity, resources, and pros
poets Of this country, written fourteen years ago.
lin the Introduction to his History Of the United
| Statcs,) says" There is no national debt the
community is opulcnt; the government econom-
! ical and the public treasury full" As this pas
sage recently came under notice, we were struck
with the perfect contrast whcht presents in near
ly every particular TO the present state Of our
tional affairs. We almost Involuntary cast our
eye back upon the daie of the writing, to assure
ourselves Of the exact time that intervencs be-
tween two periods SO remarkably diverse.
Then, Andrew Jackson was in the midst of his
second term-in the height of his Dictatorial
sway. His reckless experiments" and his vio-
lent innovations upon both the letter and spirit of
the Consturion,had not yet begun tobe felt in the
disastrous effects which subsequently and ineyta-
bly, followcd.-Van Buren, came after-"in the
footsteps of his illust-ious predecessor" 1t has
been said that, Though it is not denied that his
whole administration was conducted in the spirit
Of his great model) the immediate successor of
Gen. Jackson never once made use of the Veto
And this is, in stIictness, true. Yet, when it Is
remembered that, constituted as his Congress
was, and subservient to his wishes as he ever
found it, no suitable occasion was afforded bin
for its exercise this fact becomes of little conse-
qucncc And let it not be forgotten that, even
with such advantages, Mr.. Van Buren, took the
liberty no less than three distinct occasions, of
very explicitly threatening to resort to the veto,
should Congress pass certain acts, contrary to his
individual wishes and opinons.-Then came four
years of calamitics for the Whigs-converting
their seeming triumph into the worst defent. In
the accession of John Tyler to the Chief Masis-
tracy, the downward tendency which Locofoco-
ism had given to affairs still further pro.
motcd-and that too, with such a Jealous and
bitter opposition to sound, consei vatve Wing
principles, only the desperate consciousness of
treachery could incite.
Under James X. Polk, the country has finally
arrived Mt its present condition-on the brink of
ruin. Had Gen. Cass received the election, our
prospects for the future wou Id be gloomy indeed
-Four years longer continuance of Loeofoco rule
could only lead TO hopeless and irretricvable con-
sequences.
| We have seen Mr.. Bancroft's account of the
coun.ry's condition fourteen years ago. There
IS no national debt, says the late Secretary of
the Navy: speaking of the period in question =
how is 1t now Am uncalcnlated and hardly cal
cuabie debt is cntailed upon the nation BY the re-
firing Administration. ONE HUNDRED MIL
LIONS OF DOLLARS is unquestionably far below a
just estimate Of this debt, into which the nation
has been plunged by the Mexican War-a war
without adequate cause in the beginning, and
without any adequate result in the end.
The government,was then economical, accord.
ing to Mr. Bancroft's ideas of economy; Though
the yearly expenses of Jackson's administration
were nearly thrce-fold greater than under John
quincy Adams j nor, our annual expenses are
nearly twenty times as great as under the admin
istratlon Of Washington" And the public treas
ury full, adds the historian. Nor, our povcrr.
ment has been Obliged, for long time, to sustain
itself by LOANS. The treasury is empty-and our
immense debt Is likely to keep it so, for wears to
come.
Such is the difference between now and then
difference on which every sober lover Of his
country will ponder.-We deplored the election
OF MIR. Polk, Mt the outset We were confident
he was man il-itted to rule this great nation
to maintain its dignity and integrity, at home
and abroad or to conduct the affairs of the repub
lie IN the spirit of its founders Yet. we were
hardly prepared for the state of things which this
administration has brought about-and we can.
not bat hail the change now near at hand. as
deliverance to our country in most dangerous
extremity.