The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-12-09

4 again to your favorable consideration.
r L think 1t due to the several Executive
i Departments of this Government to bear
: testimony to the efficiency and integrity
: with which they are conducted With all
f the careful superinteudence which it is pos
7 sible for the heads of those Departments
!, to exercise, still the due administration
: and guardianship Of the public money must
t very much depend on the vigilance, intel
: il;gence, and fidelity of the subordinate Off
: GERS and clerks, and especially on those en-
, trusted with the settlement and adjustment
of claims and accounts. am gratifed 10
believe that they have generally performed
their duties faithfully and we'll They are
appointed to guard the approaches to the
public Treasury, and they occupy positions
that expose them to all the temptations
and speculations which the cupidity of
peculators an0 fraudulent claimants can
prompt them to employ. 1t will be but a
wise precaution to protect the Government
against that source OF mischief and corrup>
ton, as far as it can be done, by the enact
ment of all proper legal penalties. The
laws, in this respect, are supposed to be
defective, and therefore deem 1t my duty
to call your attention to the subject, and
to recommend that provision be made by
law fol' the punishment not only Of those
who shall except bribes, but also OF those
who shall either promise, give, or offer to
give to any Of those officers or clerks
bribe or reward touching or relating to any
matter of their official action or duty.
1t has been the uniform policy of this
Government from its foundation to the pre-
sent day to abstain from all Interference
| in the domestic affairs of other nations
The consequence has been that while the
nations of Europe have been engaged IN
desolating wars, our country has pursued
It's peaceful course to unexampled prosper
Iity and happiness. The wars in which We
have been compelled to engage, in defence
lof the rights and honor Of the country,
have been fortunately of short duration.
During the terrific contest Of nation against
nation, which succeeded the French reyo-
luton, we were enabled by the wisdom and
frmness of President Washington to main
tain our neutrality. While other nations
were drawn into this wide sweeping whirl-
pool, we sat quiet and unmoved upon our
~
merous armies was wasted by disease or
perished by hundreds of thousands upon
the battlefield, the youth of this favored
land were permitted to enjoy the blessings
of peace beneath the paternal roof. While
the States of Europe incurred enormous
debts, under the burden of which their
subjects still groan, and which must alb
sorb no small part of the product OF the
honest industry of those countries for gen
erations to come, the United States have
once been enabled to exhibit the proud
spectacle of a nation free from public debt;
and, if permitted to pursue our prosperous
way for few years longer IN peace, we
may DO the same again
But it is now said by some that this
policy must be changed. Europe is no
longer separated from US by voyage OF
months, but steam navigation has brought
her within few days sail of our shores.
We see more of her movements, and
take deeper interest in her controversies
Although no one proposes that we should
join the fraternity of potentates who have
/ for ages lavished the blood and treasure
of their subjects in maintaining "the ball
ance of power" yet it is said that we ought
to interfere between contending sovereigns
and their subjects, for the purpose OF over
throwing the monarchies of Europe and es-
tablishing in their place republican lnstl-
tutions. 1t is alleged that we have here
tofore pursued a different course from
sense of our weakness, but that now our
conscious strength dictates change OF pol
| lev, and that it is consequently our duty to
minole in these contests and aid those who
are struggling for liberty.
This IS a most seductive but dangerous
appeal to the generous sympathles OF tree
men. Enjoying as we do the blessings OF
free government, there Is no man who
has an American heart that would not re-
ioice to see these blessings extended to all
other nations We cannot witness the
struggle between the oppressed and his op-
pressor anywhere without the deepest sym
pathy for the former, and the most anxious
1 desire for his triumph. Nevertheless, Is
lit prudent or is it wise to involve ourselves
in these foreign wars? Is it indeed true
I, that we have heretofore, refrained from do
ing so merely from the degrading motive
: of a conscious weakness? For the honor
of the patriots who have gone before us
| T cannot ADMIT it. Men of the Revolu
: tion who drew the sword against the op
2 pressions of the mother country, and pledg
ed to Heaven their lives, their fortunes
a and their sacred honor to maintain theI
e freedom, could never have been actuate'
Y by so unworthy motive. They knew N
e L. -, l,,fu