p.

OverviewTranscribeVersionsHelp

Facsimile

Transcription

Status: Complete

33

yond those of any other country. But, on the other hand,
we are subjected to injustice and tyranny in a thousand
ways. For thirty years past, party spirit has produced a
constant series of oppression ; the triumphant party using
its power to deprive the defeated party of its rights. The
proscriptions inflicted on men in office for holding political
principles different from the dominant party, are among the
most detestable acts of tyranny.

The infringements of the most solemn treaties, the
palpable violations of the constitution, and the usurpation of
unconstitutional powers by the executive, exhibit most
woful departures from the general principles of a free go-
vernment. And it may be questioned, whether any king-
dom in the civilized part of Europe has suffered so many
violations of public and private rights, as the people of the
United States have suffered within thirty years, without an
attempt to punish their oppressors.

And now we read, in our public prints, repeated com-
plaints of misrule, and out-breakings of popular violence ;
and the writers seem to be surprised at such events. They
do not consider, that these outrages are the natural, not to
say necessary, consequences of the doctrines which they
themselves, in many cases, have been preaching or eulo-
gizing ever since the constitution was formed. Such men
are beginning to learn that men must have something to
govern them besides reason.

Most persons seem to think, that the election of a
good president will remedy all our evils. This is a vain
hope ; a temporary alleviation is all that is to be expected
from the best chief magistrate that the United States can

E

Notes and Questions

Nobody has written a note for this page yet

Please sign in to write a note for this page