Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-07-09
STAUNTON CONVENTION.
MEETING IN WESTMORELANl

of June, 1882, William +. Taliaferro, Esq, was
unanimously called to the Chair, and DR.. Ferdinan-
do Fairfax appointed Secretary.
The object of the meeting having been explained
to be to choose Delegates to the Staunton Conven.
ticn, motion of G.. W. Lewis, ESQ.,, tho Chair
appointed a committee composed of G. w. Lewis,
Lawrence Washington, James Jett s. John Chand-
Ter, Esqrs., to prepare an Address and Resolu-
tions.
Whercupon the committee reported the follow
ing, which were adopted without dissent:
Your commute would have willingly refrained
from the expression of any other opinion than that
immediately connected with the object of the pre-.
sent mccting-they would have been content to
report such resolutions only, express the views
and will carry into effect tho object of our assem-
bling-but they cannot forbcar an appeal, once
more, and again, to tho National Republican party
and to the people generally, of the State of yir-
gna. q
They feel, deeply feel that tho present is crisis
highly momcntous and interesting to our country,
and fraught with the peace, the honor and the hap.
piness' perhaps the safety o. or Union, and the
very existence of our Republican Government.
When they look back to our history for the last
three years, and remember the gross and mutiplicd
abuses of power by President Jackson-when they
consider how, under his Administrations our indie.
pendence has been humblcd at a Foreign Court
and our pride of character nation has been
brought low-when they reflect how the patronage
oil the Executive has been made subserviemt to the
disgracct and corrupt purposes of extending and
strengthening its popularity, and party machinery
has been brought to bear upon the legislation of
our country, and has assaulted the
and purity of the Judiciary-and how party zeal and
party devotion, (thoy may say in reference Jack
son himselt,) how personal zeal and personal dero
tiOn have been erected into the only standards by
which qualifications for office have been measured
when they see and understand how all tho noble
and benchcient ends of free and enlightened Co.
Vermont have been desecrated from their most
wise and useful purposes, to the vile and venal and
nj rtv
they deem 1T duty sacred to themselves, to their
country and to Poserty to exert every fair and ho-
norabic effort to vindicate the wrongs repair the
injustice, and to wipe out the disgrace inflicted up
on us as nation and a people, by this wayward,
weak and wicked Administration They are as
surcd that this can only be done by exercising all
the means in their power, to defeat the reelection
OF the present incumbent of the Presidential Office
our committee might here narrate, in detail. the
cases and the causes which have produced their dis
satisfaction with Andrew Jackson as President
and with his Administration. They might specify
his moral and intellectual incompetency and unfit
ness. They might enumerate the manifold instances
OF his abuse of power, and the gross and palpable
misconccpton ofthe duties and dignity of the Office
he fills. But IT seems to them unnecessary. Even
II 1T were expedient it would occupy more space
than is legitimatcly becoming an Address. This
task has been performed, however, so frequently
and SO ably, and these abuses and errors have beer
set forth in such eloquent and emphatic but not ex
aggeratcd language, by different pens and tongues
on numerous and various occasions, that it renders
any thing more than an allusion to them i'm this
place altogether suPerfluous.
They are sensible that they strong language.
Harsh and undgni6ed phrase, they would willin civ
spare, in speaking ofthe invested with the con
troll and honors of their Government. They depre-
cate all htemperance and violence of expression in
condemning the motives and acts of public or pri-
vate individuals, when it can avoided, consist
emily with the engrossing objects they have in
view.
Wore t,o1I
suffer, they might be silent altogether. Were they
less American in feeling, they might be less sen.
sibie to those wrongs And were they less of free
mon-did they not know that they are descended
OF sres bold independent and virtuous, who water
ed with their blood the tree of liberty, under which
they yet awhile securely rcpose-they might Weld
In passive submission, and without a murmur to
the grievances of which they now complain.
But, they conceive that these times and this
an occasion, when they would be unjust to them
selves and recrcant to the interesting cause thew
espouse, to be measured in the terms they use or
cautious IN the selection of mild and holiday forms
oil speech, to convey their profound Indignation of
the injuries done to them and to their countrv -
Ihey are impressed with the necessity of speaking
out, and speaking fearlessly. Silence at such con-
Juncture would be implied appreciation, and supine
Indifference positive praise.
They beg leave to be understood as expressing
'ne SoDor ana earnest convistion of the truths Of
which they speak Let them not DO called pol;ti
cal hypocondriachs, because they fear the existence
OF lurking and deadly disease in our Countrv
and anticipate the most fatal consequences from it.
Ihey deny the influence Of any such morbid sens
0ll1ty, or mental delusion. We can NO more avoid
the conclusion to which our UNDERSTANDINGS arrive
when operated upon by plain and self.evident
Taths, than we can resist the impression which ex
ternai OBJECTS make upon our vision, when view
ed through clear and unclouded medium
Perhaps to us the National Republicans of Vast
moreld8d much as to any Others il is given to
feel acutely and with lively sensibility, the depra
dation to which we reduced by our present adj
ministration; and particularly by our chief magis
trate. We humbly solicit forgiveness for what we
may here say upon this subject and trust that il
may not seem the empty ebultion of vanity. nor
be set down to the account of an overweenin0 self
Importance. We cannot forbear alluson to feel
Ing5 and recollectIons associated with our county
and our residence. IL is with the liyeest emotions
of pride and pleasure that we remember that onr
county gave birth to three Presidents of The IT,
States. We feel honored and gratifed in the re-
collection that Washington, Madison and Monroe
adorned and dgnifed the presidential ofFice-and
1t is with ineffabe delight, that we remember in
tho example of these great men, that nature
and education and experience, formed them for
the arduous and responsible station to which they
were elevated by the voice Of their grateful and
admiTing couHtrymeD. No DTOcrusfe1u operafion
was necessary to ht the men TO the Office nor the
office to the men. From IL, and the country that
bestowed it, they mutually received and reflected
honor. They illustrated the purity of their lives
the wisdom ut their years, and the integrity Of
their principles, by their acts in the public service
of their country. Their patriotism was as exalted
as their own great minds, and wholly untnctured
with the Prejudlces Of party. Their public mea
sures were the results of calm reflection and ma
ture Judgment, and wero dictated alone bv the
good of their country. Intelligence, moderation
and justice, chastened and guided their ambition:
and their administrations of this Government.
besned with radiance OF wisdom and virtue thai
sheds lustre upon our character and history and
will transmit their names to all future ages as mo
des for the imitation Of wise statesmen and pure
patriots.