The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-11-04
BRONSON GILLoTINEp.

Gu On yesteTuuyJ nuTluR Juuge DEonSou iTon
his post because he dared to think, to speal
and to act as u freeman, as an American. Ii
this letter (see the letter in another column
Judge Bronson is dignifed with the title o
subordinate" and his hightoned, elevated
dignified and manly response to the Secretar!
is characterized as "manifestng spirit o
insubordnation," rendering impossible hi
continuance in the Office of Collector. Ha,
it then come to this, that in America, the
home Of freedom, freedom Of thought, o
action and of absolute independence, man
occupying the prominent position Of Judge
Bronson, position credtable to him and the
country, man of the highest order Of legal
abilities, and Of unimpeacbable character, &
! above all Democrat, and leading Demo
crat in his State, is to be cut down from his
Office for no other reason than because he
first dared to avow his sentiments in his own
State, when called upon for them, and then
had the hardihood to stand by and maintain
them when ordered by the Secretary of the
Treasury to retract them, and to act in con-
travention to his own conscientious convic-
tions. Is this the doctrine of the Democratic
party! Is this Democracy Are we hence
forth to understand that Democratic appoin-
tees throughout the country are the mere tools
and slaves of the Secretary under whom they
receive their appointment, mindless and de-
pendant. Is this freedom or is it slavery!
Not only are they to obey in the discharge Of
the duties of their post, as abiectly as a
Russian would obey the ukase Of the Emperor
or Turk the mandate af the Sultan, the
petty tyrant, whose "brief authority" is
stretched over them, but they are to do his
every bidding, as a slave does that of his
master, they must act the sculion and pur-
veyor, and cringe and fawn on the master
who holds the lash above their heads; or they
have the Executive mark Of Cain. placed in
their foreheads and are hurled forth from their
places to make room for more abject depend
ants, who will be satisfied to feed on the pap
of patronage, and fawn on the master who
commands them and lick the hand that ap.
plies the scourge when they are, like Judge
Bronson, guilty Of any act Of "insubordina-
tion." A pretty term to be applied by Guthrie
to mun as far his superior in every quality
that makes the man, as is the sun to q star Of
the sixth magnitude! Truly Americans have
fallen from their vaunted freedom, when dar-
iag to be a freeman is characterized by one Of
the Heads of Department as 'insubord nation >
An English Ministry would hardly use such
a term with reference to one Of its high ap-
pointments, and here in America under the
reign of Franklin the First, q man, who, all
admit, has faithfully performed the duties of
his Office for "insubordination" in not con-
forming his political faith, in State politics
too, to the ipse dictum of fifth rate pettifog.
ger. Let the Democracy compare this con-
duct with the following manly ayowal Of Gen.
Jackson in his first inaugural address;
"The recent demonstrations of public
sent iment inscribes on the list of Executive
duties, in characters too legible to overlook
ed, the task of reform, which will require
particularly the correction of those abuses
that have brought the patronage Of the Federal
Government into conflict 1iM the freedom Of
elections, and the coun;eracton Of those causes
have disturbed the rightful course of appoint
ment, and have placed or continued power in
funfaithful or incompetent hands,"
But we will not pursue this matter further,
but turn to the fairer side Of the picture. II
must be pleasing to Judge Bronson and his
friends, and to nil lovers of manly and inde-
pendent action, to review his course, for in it
they find nothing to condemn, all to admire.
They see in him an embodiment Of the great
principle of freedom which produced our Re-
volution; they will see in him man who
dared to say to the Federal Government, you
shall not interfere in the freedom of elections, g.
especially in State elections; that he dared
to act on the principle which Jackson made
prominent, principle lying at the very
foundation of our government and the rights
of the individual. Such man do they see
in him, and how grateful to them the com.
parison when they turn to the petty tool who
has thus attempted to ostracise him and over
throw him, because he dared resist the en-
croachments of the Federal power, which
would penetrate into our every concern, and
render every oficeholdcr the hirelng tool
and petty agent of an aggrandizing central
power. Thus it has often been in times past,
and we are not surprised at the magnitude oi
| the offence, when we consider the size Of the
perpetrators, and the scope of the horizon
which has 50 long limited their vision. The
shoemaker should stick to his last;" and
when Gen. Pierce expects to make states.
man out of man OF Guthrie's mental pro-
portions, he must expect to be disappointed.
To suffer for the right is always honorable
and Judge Bronson could not have been more
fortunate than in becoming the martyr Of the
cause in which he has been cut down. Lei
the result be as it may, he at least has reason
to be proud Aristdes WIS banshed be-
cause the envous could not bear 20 hear hin
4 called "the JUST" Marcellus was exiled from
Rome because tyrant feared the comparison
WHICH the people would make between them
but even then we learn that
"Siore true JOY Mareelius exed feels.
! Than Cessr with Senate al his heels;"
and such may well be the proud reflection o
every one who falls martyr 10 the right,
champion in the great cause of freedom o
thought, of freedom Of expression. and. abov
all, OF freedom of individual action, regard
less of Executive dictation, Executiy'
menace, or Executive vengeance - Wteelin!
EnteAi9eacer. =.