Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-10-16
LETTER TX.

SIR,-It is believed that no candid man
who peiuses the preceding letters can
view you in any other light during the
year 1912, than as an opponent Of the war
and its friends and as having changed
| fronts" from mercenary and selfish consId-
eratons. after the election OF MIR. Madi-
son, and the triumph of the war party.
A more impudent and unsupported claim
was never made by political juggler,
than that made for you as friend of the
war. Other of your acts will be treated
in more summary, but not less pointed
| manner.
Before entering upon a new scene, let
us take birdseye view Of the state OF par.
ties in New York in 1913 Daniel ID
Fompkins was Governor. lie possessed
the confidence of the general adminlstra
ton. He had sustained the war from lis
commencement. Previous TO 1912 he had
been in the habit of confidential inter
{ course with Mr.. Clinton. They were now
in a great measure, enstranged. After The
defeat Of Mr.. Clinton, as candidate for
the presidency, his popularity was on the
wane. You. sir, had the sagacity 10 per
ceive it. You promptly decided TO make
good your retreat from his camp No
man is more adroit on such an expedition
than MIR. Van Buren,. You knew Cover
nor Tompkins to be creduous and unsus-
pecting. lie knew you 10 be treacherous,
selfish and mercenary. You ministered to
his weaknesses and the Governor through
his friends at Washington, contributed to
indulge your all absorbing passions. The
trials Of Hull and Wilkinson presented AN
opportunity for bestowing upon you mu
niicent largesses and you soon thus
suddenly converted into An advocate OF
the war, supporter of Mr.. Madison, and
jealous defender Of the Virginia school
of politics
IL is only necessary to add, that you are
as wary you insincere You are
water upon events. You seldom act, until
you feel satisfied that your movement will
be with the majority Your system of
politics is proverbial II is non conlmittai |
You were born jesuit and although |
destitute of the education or intelligence
OF one Of their scholars, yet you might prac
ticdfy. be trusted as a competitor with |
their professors. Your policy has been,
frequently, TO float with the majority, in
favor OF measure, while your adherents
were not only opposed to, bnt were assail
ing 1t with great violence. In no instance
OF your life has this characteristic been
more strongly displayed than on the sub
Ject oil canals. All the papers under your
control, or the control Of your adherents,
all those men over whom you were suppo
sed TO have an influence, were sneerlng a
the system traducing its friends, while you
were voting IN iavoi Of thl appropriations.
but always for the smallest sums proposed |
or, IN PLAIN language, you well knew that |
you were considered by the real friends of |
the canal policy, as an Iago in the party,
and that you neither possessed, nor de- |
served TO posses, their esteem or their con.
h1enoe And yet your biographer has the
temerty to assert,
That you were the means Of carving
| through both branches Of the legislature
the memorable act of April. 1917, which |
directed the commencement of the work
l his bill was strenuously opposed in the
Senate, and probably olccd its passage
through that body 10 the active support of
Mr.. Van Buren,, who delivered an able
and eloquent speech in its favor, at the
rery crisis Of its fate"
Now, sir, let us examine the truth of
the above averment. In 1911, board
OF canal commissioners had been estab
lIshed The war prevented their making
any progress A project was set on foot,
IN 1918, TO destroy the contemplated plan
oil internal improvements. You were Oh.
posed to an open and direct attack upor
the system but in favor Of an insidious
e and covert assault. On the 10th of Feb
Y ruary, 1918, resolution was introduced
into the Senate calling upon the commits
e sioners, to report, sc. This was to be
D an entering wedge; the basis for future
;, operati9ns.-i You, sir, voted for the reso
S luton But the friends of the canal poll
: cy, understanding the Interior object, re-
$ Jected the proposition. You were, there
- lore, IN the minority on this question.
$ From this period until the year 1916.
: the subject of internal improvements $50
e lar as legislation was concerned) was per
u m'tted to sleep; but its great champion
o lie WIT Clinton, had not been idle. On
e the 9Th oil March 1916, the board Of com.
le tnlssioners, at the head of which was Mr.
At Clinton, made luminous and satisfactory
is report, as to the feasibility of the project
e. On party questions the house of assembl,
J !; were equally divided, 63 federal and s.
d democratic. On the 18th of April 1916
bill passed the house authorship IN,
Ill commissioners TO commence operations
ar out limiting Their expenditures to $50 900
ID dollars per annum for eight years On
a thls bill the votes were-ayes 81, NAYS Is
os IL was sent 10 the Senate. What wa.
n your course Were you the friend of tn,
ly oiIl' No! You opposed the measure
e ana by small majority accomplished it.
is defeat Nothing was done, during tn,
is session, but authOrlslng the commissioner,
c 70 make surveys, SC. and appropriatne
2o,0OO dollars TO delray the expenses
m such was the character of your FRIENDSHIP
n ior the canal policy, after a board of able
be ana intelligent commissioners had beer
or live years organized.
~ And now, sir, we have arrived at tina
g. period when, according to your biogra
n pher, " the memorable act of 1917 oweo
n It's passage through the Senate to youl
0. support" On the llth of April 1917, a
n resolution from the house, respecting the
1r naWSa6le communication between the
re lakes was sent to the senate. The subject
J. was referred to joint committee A bill
e was reported. authorising the commence.
!. ment Of the canals, and an appropriation