Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-12-11
Geuecal assengolp.

NHi' W. 'h'ai VI hS oSHAttg ana Li00 bauRS
Of the House of Delegates. were re elected
Speakers of the respective Houses without op
position. The Governors Message twhica DC
eupies six close Columns Of he Richmond
Wbig) was then presented and read. The
Governor closes bis Message with the following
remarks on the Tariff:
The General Government has now
been in practical operation for nearly
forty years. During the first thirty
years of IFS administration it was gene
rally conducted with a respectful regard
to the written provisions of the copstitu.
lion AT intervals, however. during
most OF that time, indications of spirit
OF encroachment may be seen. Within
Che last ten years the administrators of
the General Government have. as
conceive, set up claims to powers to an
iDdetinable and unlimited extent They
have substantially, in my judgment, as
serted general jurisdiction over the
I soil, over the liberty of the person. and
over the rights of private property with
in the limits of the States respectively.
They have, ssf conceive. asserted the
power and unlimited control over the
/ whole proceeds of the labor Of the COM
munlty, as the great desideratum of
their political economy. In this claim
to unlimited power will be found the
essence of all modern despotism. 1T
would satisfy, as think the whole pre-
n Nf tho i
Autocrat upon earth. 1t substantially
assumes the proposition that all rights
held by individual man are the gifts of
the government, and not the gifts of his
God. 1t thus converts individual man
from natural being, endowed with
rights from his God, into an artifi
cial machine the slave and property Of
the government. Here there is seen a
federative government origin tiDg in ex-
ternal cause, created for external OBJ
I lects, declared. echoed. and re echoed
TO be of unlimited powers. insiuuating
itselfinto the sanctuary Of private rights,
niermeddiing with individual occupa.
tons, and dealing out portions to indi-
viduals OF the whole proceeds OF labor
of the community at pleasure. not leav-
Ing to the State governments, according
to ny best judgment, one exclusive so
vereign power which would serve a. the
basis Tor the formation of a state cousti,
tuition. hope, in this extraordinary and
perpiexing state of things, may be
permitted to congratulate the General
Assembly upon tue recent occurrence
OF great event, which has rendered
the present an auspicious moment for
The momentous enquiry into the true
foundation and best notifications Of our
state constitution. | feel myself more
particularly called upon to make this
cheering congratulation, by the deep
and anxious interests felt by great ma
1 lority of the freeholders Of this state re-
Gently manifested in its favor BY the So
Tenn pronunciation of their audible i'm.
pressise voice. The recent election of
electors of President and Vice President
has gwen the most certain assurance
that the present administration OF the
General Government will be removed
from their official stations and others
introduced into their stead. This great
event has been brought about by the au-
d'hIe voice of above half a million oi
tFeemen resolved to remain free. The
loud thunder of the voice of above hall
million of ireemen must present an in
s'ructive lesson to the present incuHi'
u Dents ia office, as well as to their dele
II gated successors, and indeed to the
u whole people of the United States /
4 oenounces in language too plain to be
Il ,saken, and in a tone too awful to be
Nsregarded. the despotic doctrines a
vowed, and the unwarrantable usurpa-
ions adopted by the present admins
ration. 1t proves that the people ar,
not prepared topermit themselves to b.
aflpped Of the rights and liberties secu
red to them by the restraining provision
oitheir written constitution, and 10 &C
eeept III lieu of them the unlimited vii
% the administration Of the Genera
1oyernmeut, in disregard of the will O
'Aelr constitution. lido not believe, an
Tan scarcely indulge a hope. chs
AZ these complicated usurpations ca
oeput down, and the Constitution rel
'ored to its pristine excellence. in an
'0att time, by any administration what
efer, They haya been unthinkingly ex