Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-09-18

" oetnE conilned TO a few gentlemen O
the south and west The press, too, tina
great light OF human hberty--that iavalu
able boon TO civilized man-that, like ev
cry other dear and valued blessing, nigh
be, and had been corrupted. The govern
ment had power over the press, and i
had used il without scruple. And wha
would be the result or all this. Allowin,
the President his VETO power. the powe
oil removal and appointment. the keepin.
OF the Public Treasures from the time o
their collection I'LL the passing Of an an
preparation bill by Congress, the admins
tration Of the Post Office; add 10 all thes,
means Of influencing public opinion, Tho
influence which he naturally possessed AZ
the Chief Magistrate Of the country, and
let him tMr. w. ask If there was mol
reason for the Senate 10 raise an alarm
that public liberty was in danger. IL they
had raised false cry, there was no harm,
done, they had risked their own honor.
character, and reputation in the course
they had adopted, and if, when they said
there was danger, there was no danger,
let the consequences fall on them. They
were individuals--public men to day, and
TO morrow mingling in the ranks of their
fellow citizens; ID, therefore, he repeated,
they had spread a causeless alarm be the
result visited upon their own heads. But
IL they saw, or thought they saw, Erecu.
tive power advancing with rapid strides to
despo,ism --tramplng upon the laws and
Constitution OF the country, and threaten
ing destruction to the dearly bought free
dom bequeathed to them by their IA
flara-i fh.v a tkss al kal =.
aloud. what would they have been but
traltors--slaves themselves, and fit instru-
ments to make slaves of others. II was
with regret that he adyerted to another
circumstance-to the extraordinary phe-
nomena Of popular branch OF the legis-
laturc, the immediate representative Of
the people, yielding to, nav. supporting.
the encroachments Of Executive ambition.
What did not this prove in relation to the
power Of party and the idolatry for man
with which human nature was sometimes
afflicted. No consciousness that they were
disobeying their constituents had been able
to divert them from supporting Executive
usurpation. Only on the ground Of party
was their conduct attempted 10 be JUST
fed. One man had been receiving direc
tons from his constituents and refusing to
obey them, because he did not find ma
jority Of the names of those who had voted
for him at his election appended to the in
structions which had been sent 20 him.
When his respectable constituents came
to him by thousands. his answer was, {" |
do not see majority Of the names Of my
party"
II was cheering thought, continued Mr.
W., on AN occasion like this, to be able 10
hope that period was coming when the
people would take the management Of
their affairs into their own hands. Liber-
ty was no longer in danger in this coun.
try when the danger was perceived. He
hoped the people would examine for them.
selves; for one he asked nothing else. He
wished not TO force upon them any dog
mas or catechisms of his own, but he felt
il his duty to beseech those whose servant
he was, to look into the conduct of gov
eminent and decide for themselves. lie
and his colleague were transient and would
speedily pass away, leaving nothing be-
hind them but the remembrance OF the
good or evil they had done. In moment
Of danger, however, such as they believed
this to be. there was one course in which
they could not err, and that was, IN calling
upon the people TO arouse themselves--to
look round them, and if there was danger.
TO ,cork ont their O,oa saluation. He need
not tell them that, in his judgment, the
present was time for reflection, for wise
and firm resolutions, and for determined
action. They could not rescue the coun-
try, could not raise the country above par
ty, could not raise up the peoples party,
without vigorous action. He formed but
a poor perception Of the present crisis,
who did not perceive the necessity Of
union among those who had the same
purpose to accomplish. He MIR. w. knew
that there were many subordinate points
to be considered; but IL those points did
not concern and touch the consiltutlon,
let them remain for toe present unheeded.
IL they found the ship among breakers,
surrounded with black rocks, which threat
ened her with ruin and destruction, was
il not their duty to forget for a time all
minor matters and perform ships duty!
IL was in vain to talk of crisis, to enlarge
upon the danger Of the country, If they
would not go to the country's deiiverance.
They were entirely IN their own power IN
this matter, and he hoped that the neces-
sary exertions would be used.
He wished to say a word to the young
Wings of Salem. There we're those IN
the present assembly who were Wings 10
rs; who were Wings at Bunker's Hid on
the glorious 18th Of June; who were call
ed from their beds by the fire OF the first
platoon on the 10Th Of April. But they
were few in number There were those
present, too, who remembered the dlificul-
ties which were contended with at the com.
mencement of this Government. Those
also were few. Some there were also who
had had something to do with the govern
ment of the present day. But these were
all passing to their forefathers. 1t IS to
&e youthful Wings, said Mr.. Webster,
the legitimate possessors of the fair and
glorious inheritance bequeathed to US by
our ancestors; it is to them we look to
maintain in IFS purity, and transmit 'nvio,
late that Inheritance TO posterIty.. And
hat is it-this rich and glorious inheri-
tanceP- the purchase of so much toll and
so much blood--that has come down te
US from the great men Of past genera
tons and which will now commend t.
II ~ Al ~nf