Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-08-20
M | S c E L L A N Y.
OUR UTAH CORRESPONDENCE.

UTAH, June 30th, 1853.
To the Editor Of The Termom Phonir -
The latest scandal here is an order from the
Secretary of War to sell three thousand of the
public mules. They are to be sold at public
auctions but the matter is so arranged that it
is thought that hundred thousand dollars, at
least, will be lost by it to the government.
1t is pretty generally believed that the Sec
retary is riding contractors with whip and spurs,
and receiving doucears from the expenditures
of army supplies, for his own pockets but
knowing something of his family circumstances
and social position, l have never thought so
myself think, on the contrary, that this act,
like many others of a similar character, is the
result of party policy, prcmeditate and deter
mined, to unhinge the moral notions of the
country, and to corrupt and debauch public SEN
timcnt with the view Of adapting it to the de-
basing influences Of slavery. That this policy
has been pursued during the last ten years with
system and method, will not have escaped the
attention of those whose opportunities have
been favorable for observing but it is not till
recently that a dead set seems to have been
made upon the army. The military establish
ment in every country has always the tendency
of fostering notions of honor and integrity !;
and although all the rest of a country might
become depraved and corrupt, the army would
naturally be looked to for the last traces of any
frankness and honesty that might be left re-
naming. 1t is hence that in deliberate at
tempt towards debasing the public mind the
army would naturally become prominent OBJ
ject for operating upon, since success there
would have correspondingly a very much great
er effect than if achieved among the same num-
Der of civilians at large. 1t is immaterial
whether the Secretarys measures are personal
ly corrupt or not; it is enough that they are
sufficiently tortuous and crooked to be consid-
cred as such, and to pass as an example with
young and inexperienced officers, set them from
one high i'll place and authority.
Let us suppose case of extracting q tumor
or cancer from the human frame. The question
that first arises is, as to whether the constitu-
tion and physical system of the patient are suf-
fciently strong to stand the operation-wheth-
er the system would not become so much ex-
hausted under the knife that death would ensue.
But in the parallel case of extracting the cancer
from our body polite, the question is as to how
the system can be so much weakened and 'ex-
hausted that the operation cannot possibly be
performed by any means whatever. And ac-
cordingly, instead of giving stimulants and
bracing up the system to the work, the object
appears to be to effect as lavish waste of ma
tional vitality as possible. AS it is in vain to
effect an immediate destruction of the physical
energies of the Nation; the same end is sought
to be attained by constantly shocking and weak
ha e al,
hope that they may become so prostrated at
last that small olgarchy of STAKEHOLDER can
manage the affairs of the country with as much
care as they would those of a rice plantation.
Their instincts are acute and they argue correct
ly; for the only way to proceed in enslavng q
free people and establishing a despotic power
over them is first to destroy their moral sensi-
bilities.
In fact, in almost every political measure Of
late years we can perceive strong tendency in
opposition to the sovereignty of the people and
in favor of the rule of the few over the many
in favor of a change, in short, in the form oi
our government from republicanism to monar.
chy or an imperial despotism. So much is this
| the case that the sentiments of Jefferson arc
more applicable to the present times than they
were to those in which they were uttered
Speaking of the form of our government in
contraGistinction to an oligarchy he said: "The
constitution to which we are all attached, was
meant to be republican, and we believe to be
republican according to every candid interpre.
tation. Yet we have seen il so interpreted and
administered, as to be truly what the French
have called it, a mOnarchie masque. Yet SC
long has the vessel run on this way and been
trimmed to it, that to put her on her republican
tack will require all the skill, the frmncss, and
and the zeal of her ablest and best friends. II
is crisis which calls on them to sacrifice all
other objects, and repair to her aid in this mo,
mentous operation"
The serious exhortation contained in this
passage from the great champion of republican.
ism is as applicable at the present time as i,
ever was. 1t is useless to say that the slave
interest is small contemplate interest in com.
parison with the great interests of the country
that the cotton crop is not equal in value to
the hay crop-that it does not add so much vi
tai strength to the country, etc., etc. The ene-
mics of republican institutions are all up in ac-
ton, contending with desperation for self-exis.
tence and armed with powers to which in com.
narisOn the hay cron and the cotton crOD are ms