Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-09-16
Thirty YEARS AGO.

alive who are now dead. IL requires
not the aid of inspiration to foreteI the
same catastrophe respecting hundreds
of millions now living, in thirty years
10 come.
Tnrty years ago. all Europe was
involved in the French Revolutionary
War, the most atrocious and dlaboli
cal strife in which the lives of men
were ever thrown away: since the age
Of Nimrod, by The most humane, Intel
,ctuil, and religious nations under ihe
sun, in comparison with whom nearly
all the rest Of the people Of the earth are
cruel, ignorant, idolatrous bsrbarldns.
Su his the consistency OF humane char
acter. We dare not prophecy that the
crimes ard cruelies of similar con
Aict will not be renewed for thirty
years TO come.
Thirty yers ago, Mr. Pit was in
the Nth Of power, aud Mr.. Fox IN
the nadr OF opposition, balancing re
tween them our political shere, amidst
those disturbing forces Of tremendous
energy, which then were shaking the
whoIa Y TEN Of civilized society
round. They are now sleeping side
hy side, under their marble tomhs, in
Westminster Abby, ard our little
world OF politics is in equilibrium still
withou, them. owe meier may look
upon their like again." and ye, what
reason is there to question that two as
great IS they ,'and better paired 10 serve
their country, by union rlther than ~
contention, may arise in thirty years to
COM?
Thirty years ago this kingdom was
divided against itself Ivy the Aristocrats
and the Jacoblns. the first OF whom
were wiling to sacrifice the liberties
OF thelr country to prevent the latter
from extending them by reforma
ton of abuses. The one monopolzed
al the loyal!y, aud the other all the in
dependence, in the land, and each
with cqlal pretensions-- that is, with
none at all 1'he legs! fiction of"Con
structive treason" was inyeN'ed III those
days and explained wdh such consum
mate cieArness, ~ speech OF nine
hours, hy the present Lore Chancellor,
then Attorney Il :ocrt--that MOI twelve
honest men could be found to under.
stand it-tonsequent'y, the accused
were most 2norantly Quilted. May
never a Jury be more chi ghtened for
thirty years to come!
Thirty years ago, the National Debt
was some two or three hundred mil
lions BY able management ii has
been raised, in the interval, to thrice
that sum. Bat ii already shews such
SYMPTOMS of decay, that, unless some
new war be ei gag,d in to recruit it,
there is cause to fear it may be redu-
ced TO the first named amount in thirty
years to cone.
Thirty years ago, the Slave Trade
was awful, honorable. humane, and
Christian occupation 1t is now pira
cy, aud persons engaged init are liable
10 be hanged by The neck until dead"
at the yard arm Humane laws are
ever varying-Justlce Is eternal. Sa-
very itself is now as lawful, honora,
bic, humane, and Christian thing as
the slave trade was then; there are
some signs OF the time which afford
hope that, by natural demise, legal
| execution, or actull suicide our colonies
will nc rid OF this curse IN thirty years
20 come
Thirty years ago, Bonapartc was
not known, except as an artillery Off
Ger in the French army. His cam
paigns in It4ly, Germany, Egypt, Sy-
ria, Poland, and Russia; his exile at
Elba, his 'eturntO Paris, his overthrow
at Waterloo. his Imprisonment at St.
Helena, and his death, have all been
and gone, and as ifthey never had been,
except IN their consequences, which
will not cease to be implicated with the
fate OF nations till the worlds end.
There may be boy at school, this
day, or rather at home, during the
mldsuG mer vacation. who shall arrive,
at eqaal cmlnencc OF power, glory, and
dominion, over the dcstinics Of man,
through life and beyond the grave, in
thirty years TO come.
Thirty years ago, the small pox was
a perpetual pestilence, walking in dark
ness throughout the world, wherever
ships aud armies, merchants or travel
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