Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-12-04
Ebe gazette
rrARTrMsauHc, DEC. q, aasa.


The engrossing object or the partizans Of Van
Buren in Virginia, atthis time, is the exclusion
Of Leigh from the Senate Of ihe Union. BY cx-
erting Incredible diligence and using ali sorts Of
means, an imposing array Of signatures has bees
obtained ID certain counties Of the state, to pa
psrs, which arc to be palmcd upon the LcgisIa-
ture as an authentic expression Of the popular
viii. just On the eve Of the meeting Of the Lee
gisiatare, the Enquirer comes forward 10 instruct
the Senators and Delegates ia their duty. They
are to receive, at the peril Of their souls, or
/ OF what 10 the estimation of the Enquirer, per-
haps, IS still more precious their places and
their PopulaFfty--ihc aforesaid papers with the
signatures appended, authentic and author
itaiive expression ofthe will Of the people in yir
sinja, as TO the unGtncss OF Mr.. Leigh for the
Senate the United States. The fitness Of the
candidate who may be brought forward by the
Van BureDitcs, viii follow as a matter Of course,
and this little AFFAIR Of appointing Senator ha-
wing been settled TO the satisfaction Of the party
the Legislature will entitled to the venal
praises Of the Enquirer.
The Enquirer seems TO admit the po.si5ilifu
that ia some small counties fem individuals mas
have been "cornercd when drunk" and thus in
induced to sign by undue influence over their
minds. Why his very common trick of un-
scrapulous politicians should be confined 70
small counties, the Enquirer does not inform us
II would seem TO BE- equally practicable in iarg c
ones But is there mode Of vitiaiiug the re-
suit besides taking advantage Of man in his
cups,
Is il not easy TO resort 10 false issuc-that
capital maneaYie Of The Van Buren, tactics? A
a voter on ths western side Of the Blue Ridge,
for instance, may be told that Watkins Leigh
thinks him no better than az niger" The
statement is false, but if il obtains the mans
signature, the end is answered. Another, who
in tile honest sincerity Of ignorance, is hostile 10
the Bank Of the United States, NAV BE- told
without exceeding the present ay erage audacity
Of lying, that Mr.. Leigh is in favor of the Uni.
ed States Bank. Without further enquiry he
claps down lis name, or makes the sign of the
eross-ignorant Of the fact that Dir. Leigh has
been opposed to that Institution on constitutional
grounds for more than twenty years Almost
every one must have observed how very easy il
is for any body to obtain signatures TO any pa.
per that does not involve the payment Of money.
Nevertheless the Enquirer tells us in reference
TO this sort Of thing, that the representative sha
no right to object TO the manner of insi,1cting.
provided that majority of the legal voters have
signed the paper" With all due dcfsrcnc, to
w ri nj La
ready to admit, but who is not yet a l.. L. D.
admitting that the agent is bound by the instrrc-
tons Of his principal, we still contend that he
may enquire whether the alleged instructions
be genuine or net, and ifhe deem them false and
counterfeit, he may not only obact, bat he is
bound, utterly to disregard them. We have no
doubt that many ofthe persons whose names are
affixed to those nondescript papers, knew well
enough what they were about. They were
doubtless, earnestly DESTROYS Of getting rid Of Mr
Leish-not because he was in favor of Bank
or the Bank, but because he was regarded as
formidable opponent Of the present admnis,ra-
tion-strong in the senatc-popular in Virginia
in the way of Mr., Rivcs-abovc all, in the way
Of MIR, Van Buren-a thorn in the flesh OF the
greatest and bsst'-a let "a hindrance-an
imped'ment to BE- removed sn put OFT CT the
way. Bat Mr. Leigh's course in the Senate, &
| his opinions on the subject Of the Bank were
known at the time the present House of Dele.
egates was elected. his conduct in the Sen
ate had been the subject Of strong and general
dissatisiacton-if anything like majority of the
people of Virginia had felt the wish to get rid of
him, then was the time to dispose of him in
manner liable to no cavil or execution Eve, If
subsequent period he might have been brought
before the people in public meetings in the sevc-
raj counties. convened by public notice, and had
an open trial, such Virginia, who dearly loves
TAR play, and is not partial to bush fighting.
would not have objected to. But that did moi
suit kndcrhook. He dislikes the touch of tbc
bright bayonet, prefers the Indian style, s. takes
a. tree. The scalp of every unluclsy wight who
Is shot down from these lurking places, is to count
one. : Nous rerronS" as sir Oracle saws. we
shall see how much attention the Legislature
will pay TO the Eaquircr's calculations.
We are informed by the Enquirer that the sen
emies OF free principles in Europe have atched
|
world, and hopes by our fatal experiment. 10
prop up the lettering fragments Of aristocracv -
There is no doubt that the experimc MT of free
popular government in this country is of a very
decisive character. II is also certain that some
ct the trucst, wisest, firmest friends of the rrin
ciples it IS intended practically to illustrate and
confirm are more staggered by recent results,
than they ever were before but, with the En-.
qifcfS leave the experiment is still in progress
ii is not yet fatal. in spite Of all the efforts of
himself and his party, the entire form and some
thing OF the spirit of a free government is still
lei'-and on the native soil of Washington, the
Madisons, a d the Marshals, the Leiehs and
inc Jo2nsons-clear heads and dauntless hearts
stli remain to battle for the rest.
but the Enquirer tells US that these same en-
oinles OF free government in Europe "have
haiied with ecstacy the cries of down with The
1