The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1853-03-19
Political.
BOOKS POSTED.

and City Governments, is now COM
pletely IN the hands Of its principal an
tagonsts. Though embarrassed and
crippled by distraction in its own coun-
ellis and a strong adverse majority
throughout in both Houses of Congress,
it has done Some things worthy of note
on transfer Of the Executive power
possibly of remembrance hereafter.
1t has preserved Peace from first to
last, in the face of strong popular ten
dencv toward aggression on the rights
of neighboring Nations. No Foreign
State has compiained--none has had
reason to complain of any deficiency
in good faith or good neighborhood on
the part OF our Government since Gen.
Faylor's Inauguration. And there is not
to-day speck OF war upon our horizon,
nor is there likely to be, until Our Gov
eminent shall see fit to create 1t.
Ii has done all that it has had power
to do for National development and In
dustral progress. Never crowding upon
the Aboriginal tribes, though sometimes
constrained to repel their savage toravs
on our border settlements, it has pur-
chased many millions Of acres Of their
territories and paid them literally there
for. 1t has expended Millions IN or
ganlzing, protecting, surveying, sc, the
New Territories acquired unJe- its pre-
decessor from Mexico or created out of
our more Northerly domain. During
its four years, large sums have been cx-
pended in building Custom Houses,
Post Offices, Marine Hospitals, &C., in
all parts of the Country. Aud though
Systematically resisted and bafled by a
majority of Congress in its earnest Ell
forts to effect something for our more
exposed ard crippled industrial pursuits,
it has had the satisfaction of obtaining
at least one handsome Appropriation for
River and Harbor Improvement, similar
TO that vetoed by Polk during the pre-
vlous Administration.
1t leaves about Sixteen Millions OF
hard Coin in the Treasury, although the
second great source of National income
the Public Lands-have been nearly
sequestrated throughout its term by the
i.sue OF Bounty Warrants to soldiers in
in the Mexican and earlier wars. And,
although the ncn,aal reduction Of our
Public ll"bt under the Wing Admins
tration has not been large, yet the real
reduction Of that Debt, through the pay
ment Of Indemnity to Mexico and to
our own citizens holding claims against
her for Spoliations which our Govern
ment contracted by the Treaty OF Peace
to satisfy, the payment of Indemnity to
TeXa. for the surrender OF her preten-
slons to New Mexico, the payment OF
fremont's and other claims against the
Government, and the allotment OF
Bounty Lands to old soldiers (Which is
only .justitiable on the assumption tha.
II is done in satisfaction Of an equitable
claim on the Na'ion) must altogether
amount to many Millions of Dollars.
Finally, the National Credit stands
higher at this moment than ever before,
and Loan could be effected on terms
more favorable to the Treasury than at
any former period.
Such are the material circumstances
under which the Wing party surrenders
to its antagonist the Executive power OF
the Federal Government. Its brief of.
fetal ascendancy has not been brilliant,
for it has stolen nothing from other ma
tons; it has not been ~ventful and stir.
ring, for 1t has waged no war upon In.
duStry, Commerce or Credit at home
No honest, enterprising, law abiding
citizen has slept perturbedlv through the
night from apprehension that some Re.
moval of the Deposits, Specie Circular
or what not, would derange his business
or blast his prospects before morning.
All these, we are quite aware, are
very tame, slow considerations in such
Progressive age and with such Pro.
gressive people as ours We do moi
hope by presenting them to arrest the
attention of those now intentIv engross
ed in the distribution of the Spells.
We have no desire TO represent the out.
going Administration as faultleSs-oul
columns Will bear witness that we have
opposed and rcproved its faults as freely
as We have commended its merits. But
there may come a time, even within The
next four years, W hen to have scdulously
maintained Peace, Thrift, material Pro.
gress and Public Credit, may be regard.
ed as something more than negative
merits, and against that day (nay it bt
ever so distant y we have made up this
brief and hasty record.
". Y. TriLuNe.