Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-12-30

j HCIu ~ kNGs YIN Otf thC TOM tbstdEI
Dawn b. OsDBN, ESQ rose amidst The
cheers o the meeting, and commenced his
observations by iemarking, that he had f-e-
quently been asked, since the meeting had
been called. why it was done SO soon after
the election Was it wise to keep the pub.
lie mind in perpetual state of excitemcnta
Would it not have been better for The friends
of Mr. Clay to have waited until the approach
of another election before they nominated
him to the people as q candidate for the first
office in tSeir gift? To these inquiries the
answer was obvious. The public mind was
now more Tranquil than after the great ex-
citement of contested election: the storm
has passed by, and we now repose in the
calm that follows the tempest Ii is on this
very account that the friends Of Mr.. Clay
have deemed the present the most p,oper
| period IN which to ad 'ress themselves TO the
sober sense oil the people. on the great sub
ject OF their general welfare. Ii is because
they do not propose TO appeal to such as be-
come excited only through the medium of
their passions, that they have deemed the
present occasion the most propitious and APP
proprlate for inviting the consideration of
their fellow citizens to the great subjects of
national concern 1t is noe, when common
sense is not driven from her seat--when ar
tllIcial exeItment produced by skiIiu manage
ment may be presumed to have undergone a
suspension OF lis power. that the friends Of
the lllastrious individual alluded TO. have dee
med it fitting and proper TO come forth and
appear for support to all those who are friend
~ y The course of measures that he is so
well known to advocate.
Fellow Citizcns-I consider the approach
| ing to be one OF greater Importance than any
hat ac p -.
country On it may depend the continuance
OF the constitution. II is a long time since
have taken part in the public concerns
have been. for series OF years, a prescribed
man; and because ! would not yield tn the
e'irtation of party-because would not go
10 Iammany Hall, and bow down TO the gel
den calf. aud worship it: have been con
sidered and treated as q stranger IN The fupd
Of Dy fathers have refused and disdained
to sacrifice my principles for political ed :.
vaocemcnt | love the constitution OF my
country, and all the Offices on arth shall not
induce me to abandon it, Had been nflu-
eneed by other considerations, no impede
ments were in the way Of march The path
was open before Ire. Ii was easily found. 1t
was well beaten. | have seen hundreds ira
vel It who were formerly as warm Fedcralists
os ever was had nothing TO do but to
march boldly 70 Tammany Hall, openly en-
list under the hammer Of the Regency. re.
Houuce my principles, denoance my former
friends and associates. and | should have
been mirse ulously transformed Unto an orr
sina democrat dyed in the wool = by be-
Ing lailhess to former principles ami former
friends, should have proved mysclf worthy
10 he entrusted by new ones.
1 Bat have adhered 10 those principles Of
public policy which ia my conscience believ-
ed to be right, and now deem it a matter
B.. oil no ordinary ic!icitation TO address my fei-
4 iow-citizens upon subjects Of deep interests
TO their welfare.
The history Of this Republic is deeply in
| teiesting to the friends of liberty throughout
the world, and full OF instruction to Amer
cans themselves. Or revolution was pecii-
liar IN It's nature. and IN the circumstances
that attended it. II did not originate from
ny actual state of suffering in the colonies.
Our fathers did not pledge their lives, their
fortunes and their sacred honor. for the re-
lief OF positive sufferings, hut Of anticipated
/ tyranny Ii was adherence to principle, not
the inflict'on Of grievance, that inpced them
60 arms. Ii was because the British Parlia-
ment eiained TO tax them without their con-
! sent, they appealed to force Ter vidlsa,ion
Of their rights. They saw, and they saw
rightly, that they resisted al all, they must
! resist al the outset. They perceived that in
proportion as they yielded, the enemies Of
/ their tights would advance, and that at each
/ successive advance it would become NOR" and
| more difficult To repel They therefore tosl
! an early stand. They dared much--they suf
tered mueh-- they molly fought-and they as
nobl1prevaied
After their triumph had been completed,
| and hc enemy had receded from our shores,
! il was found that for want of an efficient go.
verifnent, without which no people can be
happy, no liberty secure, the revolution was
in danger Of being curse instead ef a hess
| ing 10 US; the States had been kept together
| in war by sense OF common danger and
| common suffering, there was great reason TO
/ fear that their local conflicting interestswould
! array them against each other. To pieserve
| the union, and TO guard against the irnpen
ding evils of the times, The constitution was
/ formed Under il the Union has been pre-
served, the liberties of the country secured,
the national faith redeemed, the national
honor maintained, and our country has ex
hbited an instance OF private aud public
prosperity unexamplcd in the annals of the
| world.
From this brief view Of our political histo-
nv, let Americans learn these two important
truths
l. That people determined to live free,
can never be vanquished; and
| 0 That tn nrssrrve our liberty and indie