Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-12-31

IN in which thousands ave bccD M
lived, presenting question where all
, 'a,e griefs are Lost in ils national i'm
lance, aud which irresistibly address
iself Il the justice and the ecner-
OF the American people, with
m | am content to leave il. Yes,
| was entirely content With the con-
Ion IN which found myself by the
lrrent al aitairs--fDr however dIscOur-
g'lg TO the impatient aspirer for poll
teal lse-howeter dazzling To tic eve
'e baubles it holdss0u may he. l can
'iely say, that in traversing tie field,
1 have found moro tares than wheat
although | am most ready TO admit that
the harvest | have gathered is fully
equal to my claims. Others may say
lar beyond them. 1t was in my peace
ful retirement, that my fellow citizens
came to solicit rue to serve them IN
, THO session, sS -ssrmDIy-hi"i'ya rging
that my experience might be servicea-
BILE to the Siate.-What could 90 but
submit to this call, coming from the cit
liens of my own native cor nty, who
had cherished me when teardless
boy, and by whose support had sue
ceeded to whatever of honor and dis
tinction l had enjoyed? Was it not
my duty as republican 10 obey!
For sir, however may be denoun-
ced by some, as no longer entitled to
the name, | deny their competency to
Judge me-especially your late con-
verts, some Of whom Of yesterday sud-
denly made whole, presume TO send
me out of church whose foundations
| contributed to- lay, as well as to en-
dow it, and arrogantIy claiming TO be
exclusive in the purity of their faith
refuse me the cup Of communion.
Ihiriy-two years ago, in this House,,f
lifted my youthful voice against the
alien aud scdition laws-ihiity- lone
years past stood where now stand,
the feeble colleague of the ilustrious
Madison engaged in the same holy
cause-contributing my mite in the
great struggle that was then carried
on, and | now hear myself denounced
by men who were then in the ranks Of
our decided opponents, They now
send forth their anathemas as the in
flexible republicans who have never
changed, with the High Prizes, of the
Hierarchy.
The age in which have lived, has
been one ofrevolution and great events
equal in the space of something
more than fifty years, to all that had
occurred before in the whole extent Of
backward time. | have seen my
country disenthralIed, becoming the
great pioneer in the cause of human
emancipation--I have seen, what has
been happily said by another, the re-
form which had been banished from
England to America advance in the
revolution of the latter, like the shep-
herd lad, in holy writ, and overthrow
Golah-I have seen it return, riding
on the wave Of the Atlantic, and ts
spirit moving on the waters of Europe
i have seen, amid the CONFUSION of
revolutions, principalities, powers, and
kingdoms disappear, and the mighty
strife finally reaching our own beloved
| country.
For upwards Of thirty years Of this
stormy period, it has been my lot to fill
offices Of great responsibility. with what
| fidelity, ! will leave it to Others to cav.
But t. those who wish to exclude me
from the republican family, NAV say,
and proudly, too, that though, with
Madison in the beginning, as do es-
sentIaly now, on the great questions
which agltate this country-and ifthe
appreciation OF Cato, in his age was
willingly accepted as an equivaen, Tor
that of the world, have higher one,
for Madison is wiser and better
man than ever Cato was.
The House, we are told, gave him
the most flattering applause.