Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-08-07
assurance that that confidence was not mis-

assurance that that confidence was not mis-
placed.
The capitol was net transpianted. But
when the Democratic party retired from
control in 1861 scarcely building belong
ing to the government was finished. Per-
haps, however, the party would have avoid
cd that cause of reproach if they had earlier
formed the design of transferring those
buildings to the use of another government.
Armies were then maintained. Their
ranks were thin but they were sumptuously
othcered-ofiicered far too largely by those
who had been educated in every soldierly
grace save that of allegiance.
A navy was suffered to exist. But as it
was found little too loyal to desert its flag
and little too gallant to surrender it when
the hour of national peril arrived that navy
was scattered in remote seas
DO-NoTuING POLICY.
The Presidents of those half-fOrgOtten
years were as diligent, by annual and spe
clal messages, to explain why the federal
government could do nothing. as the Con-
gresses were to do nothing Like the two
brothers engaged in the temperance cause.
one of whom lectured ON the evils OF intem-
perance, while the other furnished a shock
ing example, so Democratic Presidents were
perenniallY eloquent in expounding the I'M
potency of the national government. while
Democratic Congresses were as persistent in
| illustrating it.
The pretext for this strange sluggishness
was an amlable one. Constitutional inhibi-
tons were pleaded in excuse for all omis-
slOns. They constantly neglected great ma
tlonal interests, because they feared to in
fringe upon the prerogatives of States they
proclaimed themselves the champions OF
State rights; they arrogated to themselves
the name of the State rights party.
| 1t was speciOus pretence, but it was ut
| terly in>lncere. 80 long as our archives re-
main, 50 long that very party will be known
As the one which struck the foulest blow at
the rights of States which could be con
trived.
That is the party which, on the 18th of
| September, 1850, wrote the fugitive slave
act in the statute book BY that act the
United States commanded the federal courts
10 multiply court commissioners without
limit. by that act the United States offered
such commissioners clean bounty of -
each for certificates that residents of Massa-
chuSettS. or of any other State. were fugi-
tlvcs from Texas or some other State; and
when sGch certificate was obtained
pledged all Its forces 10 remove such resi-
dent to the State wherein he was claimed
which made that certificate, 50 purchased
OF such huckster>, conclusive evidence of the
right to remove, and commanded every tri-
bunal within the insultcd State to be still and
all its citizens TO aid the outra ga statute
the very first victim ofwhich vas a free man
from Pennsylvania. who, being declared a
fugitive by tive-dollar commissioner. was
transported to Virginia by the United
States, and, finding no man there base
enough to claim hun, he was allowed to
get back at his own expense.
In all those years the national character
had not been raised an inch On the con
trary, through them all 1t had fallen con-
stcntlv lower and lower.
When England and France proposed, in
loj2, to join with the nited States in mu-
tual remuneration ofaIl designs on Cuba an
American Secretary of State did not hest
tate to assign a. reason for refusing to
JOIN such convention, that it would give
new and powerful impetus to attacks
ION the island Of Cuba BY lawle-s band, of
adventurers from the United States. with
the ayowcd design of taking possession OF
the island attacks. which, he argued. ~
administration would he strong enough to
resist.