Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-12-16

lions when the cupidlty OF spectators and
fraudulent claimants can prompt them to EN-.
ploy.
II will be but wise precaution to pro,o..
the Government against that source Of mi.
chief and corruption, as far as it can be don
by the enactment Of all proper legal penal,ies'
The laws, in this respect, are supposed 10 h.
defective. and | therefore deem il my duty -
call your attention 10 the subject, and 10 re-.
ommend that provision be made by law e,
/ the punishment not only Of those who sbsr
accept brides, but also of those who shall .;
/ ther promise, give, or offer TO give to anv ~
! those officers or clerks a bribe or reVa,5
/ touching or relating TO any matter of their NJ
/ fetal action or duty.
! 1t has been the uniform policy of this Gov.
eminent from its foundation to the nresep,
! day TO abstain from all interference in the do.
nestle affairs of other nations. The cons
( quence has been that while the nations of
! Europe have been engaged in deso!ating wars
I our country has pursued its peaceful course
I to unexampled prosperity and happiness. The
wars in which we have been compelled to on.
/ gage, in defence of the rights and honor Of
I the country, have been fortunately of shor,
/ duration. During the terrific contest Of IA.
/ ton against nation, which succeeded the
/ French revolution, we were enabled BY the
1 wisdom and firmness of President Washing
& OtneT
nations were drawn into this wide sweeping
Whirlpool, we sat quiet and unmoved upon
our own shores.
While the flower of their numerous armies
was wasted by disease or persisted by hun
dTeds of thousands upon the battle field, the
youth of this favored land were permitted TO
enjoy the blessings Of peace beneath the pa
teEnal roof While the States Of Europe in.
CURED enormous debts, under the burden O,
which their subjects still groan, and which
must absorb no small part of the product of
\ the honest industry of those countries 70.
/ generations TO come, the United States have
once been enabled to exhibit The proud spec
tacle 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 ii is now said by some that this policy
must be changed. Europe IS no longer sep
arated from us by a 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 interes.
In her controversies. Although no one pro
poses that we should join the fraternity of 20
tentates who have fer ages i: zished the bloo5
and treasure of their subjects IN maintainir-
''the balance Of power" yet iE is said that We
ought to interfere between coriending sover.
egns and their subjects, for the purpose Of
Overthrowing the monarchles Of Europe and
establishing in their place republican insii-
/ tutions. 1t is alleged that we have hereto
fore pursued different course from sense
of our weakness, bur that now our conscious
strength dictates change Of policy, and tina.
II is consequently our duty to mingle in these
contests and aid those who are struggling for
liberty. This is most seductive but danger
Gus appeal to the generous sympathies Of free
/ rnp nc we n Of
free government, there is no man who has
an American heart that would not rejoice to
see these blessings extended 10 all other ma
tons. We cannot witness the struggle be-
tween the oppressed and his oppressor any
where without the deepest sympathy for the
former, and the most anxious desire for his
triumph. Nevertheless, Is It prudent or is Is
wise to involve ourselves in these foreign
wars Is it indeed true that we have here
tofore RETAINED from doing so merely from
I the degrading motive Of a conscious weak
ness For the honor of the patriots who
have gone before US, | cannot admit it.
Men of the Revolution who drew the
sword against the expressions of the mother
country, and pledged to Heaven ''their lives,
( their fortunes and their sacred honor TO main
tain their freedom could never have been &C
tuated by so UNIV ny motive. They knew
no weakness or fear where right or duty point
/ ed the way, and it is libel upon their far
/ fame for US, while we enjoy the blessings for
which they so nobly fought and bled. to in
sinuate it. The trath is that the course
/ which they pursued was dictated by a stem
/ sense of international justice, by a statesman
/ like prudence and tar-seelng wisdom, look
/ ing not merely to the present necessities, but
/ to the permanent safety and interest Of the
country.
They knew that the world is governed less
/ by sympathy than by reason and force that
was not possible for Ibis nation to become
'.propagandist" Of free principles without az
raging against it the combined powers of Eu-
rope; and that the result was more.iikely tobe
the overthrow of republican liberty here than
its establishment there. History has been
written IN vain for those who can doubt this
| France had no sooner established republican
| form of government than she manifested de-
| sire to force its blessings on all the world.
Her own historian informs Us that, hearing
of some petty acts of tyranny IN a neighbour
/ ing principally, zine national Convention
/ declared that she would afford succor and fra
/ ternity to all nations who wished to recover
/ their liberty, and she gave it in charge to the
executive power 10 give orders TO the gener
! ais of the French armies TO aid all citizens
| who might have been or should be oppressed
/ in the cause of liberty" Here was the false
| step which led to her subsequent misfortunes
She soon found herself involved in war with
/ all the rest of Europe. In less than ten years
/ her government was changed from republic
to an empire and finally, after shedding nv
| ers of blood foreign powers restored her eXIed
/ dynasty, and exhausted Europe sought peace
and rePose in the uHquesiioned ascendency
of monarchical principles.
Let US learn wisdom from her example,
| Let US remember that revolutions do not a.
ways establish freedom Our oUT fro1 Insi.
J tutions were not the offspring &C our Revolu'
/ ton. They existed before. They were plan
| ted in the free charters of self government
under which the English colonies grew up,
and our Revolution only freed us from the DO
minion Of foreign power, whose govern
| ment was al variance with those institutions
! Bet European nations have had no such E
training for sefgovernment and every, effort s
/ to establish il by bloody revolutions has been E
and must, without that preparation, continue
to be failure. Liberty unreguaied BY "a"