Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1813-08-13


Have they acted up to this pr ieesion' Hea-
ven knows they have not. Their boosted
virtue has been put to trials, which 1t was
not hardy enough to endure and In the
many competitions which have taken place
between their passions and their philosophy,
between their sel6shness and their patriot
ism, we have seen them basely surrenderlng
their principles to their interest, till, what
we were once taught to believe was prach-
cal sentiment, has evaporated IN mere talka-
tiveness To prove this, | need only advert
to Mr. Gore and Mr. Strong. Both these
gentemeR have been raised to the first OF
flee in the commonwealth, by the 1ciH and
the Uoice of the people; and yet TINS viii
and this voice have, in these instances, been
but poorly complimented. Bribery, corrup-
ton, treachery, and every foul and wicked
work, have been imputed to the elections,
whilst the people have been told, that they
were miserable dupes of willy faction In
addition to all this, these gentlemen, thus
exalted to power, by the free and unbought
SURFACES of their fellow citizens, have been
set up as marks for folly and malice to shoot
atn
" go far as the party creed of these gen
tlemen might be deemed unfriendly to The
interests of the republic, SO far they were
the proper subjects of popular animadver-
sion, and SO far it was not only the right
but the duty of republicans to state their OBJ
jections against them, provided they did it
with manliness and candor 1t must be
confessed however, that the republicans,
so far from combining themselves to this fair
and honorable course, have, in too many
instances descended to the meanness of in
discriminate censure. They have reviled
rather than scrutinized, and have dealt more
in personal reproach than enlightened criti-
eism. They have ransacked our language
forepithets ofopprobrium, and applied them
with more zeal than judgment, and more
anger than truth; and where old words
would not answer their purpose new ores
have been coined They have heaped de.
nuncafion and SANDER upon SANDER. till
every l'neament of the character has been
defaced, and all its traits lost and confound-
ed in the storm of general obloquy."
Arrived at this summit of greatne S.,
the exalted party now lin power) look down
with contemptuous haughtiness upon the
opposition which they are obliged to en-
counter. The paratvely few individu-
ais, who constitute this opposition. are re-
garded as little better than insects which
may be easily brushed away, or as vermin
which may be trodden in the dust. Their
rights as members of the community, seem
to be lost in the insigniRcancy of their mum
bers, whilst all right, as we'll as all power
is attracted within the magic circle of the
government. To this government infalli-
bility is boldly ascribed whilst every look,
word and action in disapprobation of it, is
denounced as reasonable. Then it is, that
the Predominant party, drunk with success,
and mad with power, begin the horrible
work of prescription and persecution. Then
1t is that party tyranny wages an unrelent-
ing war against the conscience and the un
derstanding and that, whilst faith in the
dogmas of political creed is absurdly made
the criterion of patriotism, the honest dis
retic who has forfeited all his social and ci-
vii rights
"When party has reached this despe-
rate eminence of folly and wickedhess, it is
impossible for human sagacity to foresee the
limits of its career. AS well might you
predict the course of thunderbolt or the
precinct of hurricane. When the laws
have lost their authority, and the social
compact its sacredness, what is there to pre-
vent powerful body of citizens from com
hitting the most shocking enormities-
When men become mad, it is of little con-
sequence to enquire into the cause of their
malady, inasmuch as the effect is always to
be dreaded, whatever may be the cause.
As madness however may commonly be
traced to some excessive feeling, which
predominates over the judgment and as
the violence of the madness will be in pro-
portion to the strength of the feeling; and
as there are no feelings SO strong as those
which mix themselves with conscientious
seruples; so there is no madness, at once