The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-08-22

But Congress, by imposing tax upon ths
article more grievious than IL wns able "a
bear, have destroyed the very revenue whIsll
they intended to mise. This instance among
many, others Of a similar nature, SHOW
HOW TOTALLY DESTITUTE ARE
OUR PRESENT RULERS OF WISDOM
AND FORESIGHT, even upon subjects i'm.
mediately regarding the peeunisFy interests
of the Government. r.
These are not the only esIls consequent
upon that timid and time. .ss1>inR policy. Il
has embarrassed the govei 1ent 90 muck
that II must be a long tia before we "a
dare ngain to 90 to war with nav poweI Y
nation, even for tho msintsnance of,
denrest rights. All thess evils wouIl 4
great measure have been prevent 81
sufficient Independence in the Sdministf| 3
to have imposed modesute taxes a. the!
mencenent Of the contest. The cred
the nation would then have continued a
aud we might have avoided the painful Z
tacle Of seeing the public stock sold
market, at an enormous discount, aud
dy spectators enriching themselves 81
purchase, at the eSivsd, aaQf the toll "a =
Of The honest , ys,sTs, o,s., and "s.s; sssr7r es
II
have altogether relinc ~ IT, Al 49,
because it was n wtIl-established IN
the law Of nations, that II war be ~
one country against another, for
claim, and the treaty which termil be
contest is silent upon that object, IL y
er abandoned. Thus the Govsrnmel
at Inst yielded the very point for the
nance (which they professed to 90 IA Ss.
ter having expended nearly two hund hill
lion OF dollars. We have not only OBJ
tained by the war anything which wers
taught to expect, but we have lost nj 3al.
liable privileges. All The numerous hts
and advantages guaranteed to us by y's
treaty, have been relinquished. Nay ae
have not only been compelled to concIU =
n treaty which does not contain one solitaI
stipulation in our favor, except that therS
shnl be pence; but which unsetiles the boun.
dnry of our country, and leaves to the deci.
sion Of Commissioners, whether we shall lon-
ger retain part Of our territory, which we
have held in quiet possession for more than
twenty years.
But notwithstanding our immense ma
tionulty debt, which, II war had continued,
would soon have resulted in national bank.
ruptcy, Notwithstanding all our property,
even the very necessaries of life have been
taxed heavily; notwithstanding we had not
obtained a single object which we had in
view at the commencement of the contest,
but have lost many valuable privileges; not
withstanding our country has been invaded in
every quarter, and the capitol of the United
Suites has been laid in ashes by maraud.
ing party Of the enemy-this has been called
glorious 'oar. Glorious it has been, in the
highest degree, to the American character
but Disgraceful in the Erireme to The Ad.
ninistration. When the individual States
discovered that they were abandoned by the
general government, whose duty it was to
protect them, the fortitude of their citizens
arose with their misfortunes. The moment
we were invaded, the genius of freedom in.
spired their souls. They rushed upon their
enemies with q hallowed fury, which the
hirellng soidies Of Britain could never feel
They taught our foe that the soil OF free
dom would always be tho grave of its in
vader. 'ff-
THE COUNTRY RUINED pY DEMOCRATIC RULE
But do the administration, ,oho inrolret
us in the late unnecessary par, deserve an,
credit from their exertions! Certainly not
They were the spontaneous efforts of tn,
country, uhdirected by tho government
The militia who were chiefly engaged il
these glorious conflicts were often without
pay and comfortable clothing. The dread
iul situation OF the country compelled them
to abandon their families and the sweets oil
domestic life, without any previous warning
to defend places which ought to have been
ready for a siege at the commencement Of
the contest AS well might Ferdinand the
7th of Spain who was not in his kingdom
but who was nominally King, claim the
glory of rescuing his country from the. ar.
mics Of France, as our government take to
itself tile credit of expelling our invadsrs.
When we turn our attention to the reg
ular army, which were peculiarly under the
direction of the national government, what
do We discover?, During the first year with
in which our triumphant banl,ers were to
have noated upon the walls of Qnebec, and
all Canada was to have been olrs, the year
in which that province was Ieft unprotected
and the forces of our enemy we're employed
Europe, it experienced npftin9 but
tinuation Of degradation and defeat
there an American on the Hpor OF this h
who has not blushed for his Country a
sand times, during that disgracefu' yeaf,
til all the general officers, who had bee
pointed for political purposes, and entr
with the command Mt the. commencement
the contest, were disgraced; and until
ers had fought themselves into credit
into notice, all our battles ended in def
During the last year Of the war, tho
ular army, under their commanders, ref.
ed their lost characte and performed p
digies Of vaor; unfortupnteIy, on account
the impotency of the government,
fought against such fearful odds that
were hardly able to defend our nortI
frontier. Indeed, so dreadful was the
uation of our country for some time previ6f
to the close of the contest that the occas
al splendid exploits of our heroes, like
CLEANS Of lightning in ! dark and tempt
0us night, Ony ndded new horfors 10
surrounding gloom. Thef only served
show US what brilliant exef(joEs our count
might have made, had we ~ governed
men who were capable of pfetefly colIectinI
its resources. 7
But peace has again returned ~ bless oul
shores. Again, Commerce, wig ~ for year,
been weeping over the misfortuuge Of ou
country, brgins to smile. Again ~ stant
neutral towards all European poweSs.R Wha
then should be the political conduct Of ou
country in future! Precisely TO pursue III,
political maxims adopted by Washlngtor.-
We ought to cultivate peace with all natione
by adopting strict neutrality not only O
conduct, but of sentiment.
We ought to make our neutrality respected
| by placing ourselves in an attitude Of defence