Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-02-14
From the New York National Advocate.


we may Judge from the contents of the
papers the reception of the "Hero Of
two wars" was not such as his friends
had anticipated We cannot do better
than give the following account of the
celebration from the Mercantile Adyer-
tiser of the 18th uIt. After quoting an
appropriate extract from Goldsmith, the
editor goes on and says:
This beautiful extract from the pen
of that great philosopher, which furnish
es commentary on the celebration of
the eighth of January, is the principle
from which we act in opposing the pro
ceedings of that day. II is most hum
iatlng for citizen of this place, to de-
clare, that the celebration of that day,
was not such, as under different cir
cumstances we could have wished New
Orleans can never feel unfriendly 10
Gen. Jackson; and it is misfortune
when an honorable man has TO suffer
for the folly and indiscretion oil his
friends. The inordinate aud extrava
giant pretensions set up for Gen. Jack
Sampson, the wisdom of Solomon, the
rbeauty OF Absalom, and the virtues oi
Aris.ides, must be offensive to public,
the ends of whose moral institutions, are
to award to every man equal and exact
justice. Exaggerated pr aise, is as rid
eulous as exaggerated censure -they
both subvect all notions of right and
wrong Those who lose sight OF the
Distinguishing feature of our govern
ment. (ihe equality other citizens) and
attempt to lavish rewards and distinc
tons, which hear no proportion to the
services, ought always to expect disap
pointment and modification. II we tes,
Gen. jackson, dispassionately by the
ordinary rules Of life, and we do not see
why it should be otherwise doubtless he
will be found to be a very excellent
man, OF Intelligence, but like others
with defects In his composition.
These are the reasons why The ster
ling population Of tins city, comprising
its bone and sinew.n took no part 10
TIE celebration. As we strike atogeth
er at the principle of unnecessarily ex.
atibg men, the mere minute details, we
hope some one who was present at the
scene will give an accurate account II
is known that the Legislature dscounte
nauced the proceedings altoge iher---lhat
in appointing a commit ee on their~part,
sir of them were administration, and
two Jackson men from grace alone Il is
known too, that they made no appropri
alton for deiraying expenses and that
they refused that tbeir committee should
be under the control of the one raised
in this city. OF the procession nothing
can be said-indeed if the troops of the
city had not very literally turned out,
there would have been no procession;
and half of them, or more, were Admin
isiration men. There was not majori.
ty of any class of the city, that partici
pated--not of merchants. or any pre-
fession Of men. The steam boats did
not ali turn out-and but one ship in ten,
hoistsd their flags. OF the ball given,
that was notifying failure too: the
price of tickets, was fixed at ten dollars.
and but eight persons subscribed, it was
then reduced to five dollars. and but
thirty subscribed, and it was again re
duced to three dollars. We are not in
formed what number attended, but we
suppose it was small And to crown all
Gen. jackson LETT here at one o'clock
in the night What could this have been
for, but to avoid the disappointment of
seeing a naked Levee, in broad day
light. But this detail is irksome 10 US,
and we take no pleasure in blazoning it
to the world.
The people of this city, aud the peo.
pie of this state, particularly the creoles,
have covered themselves with immor
tai glory 1t required degree OF NOR
al firmness to resist the claims of Gen.
jackson to our sufirages, which would
have done. honorto the Romans, in their
best days. dow profoundly ignorant
were the managers here of the people OF
Louisiana!-They expected when the
general arrived, that he would be Gul
liver IN Lilliput, Stork among frogs;
wLo, when he left, would croak out, in
obscurity their little day. But they
| have no reason to say:
| "why man, be doth destride the narrow
world,
| Like Colossus; and we the people,
| Walk under his huge legs, and peep about,