Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-08-21

Fellow Citizens, do not forget that the pro-
test was followed up by a supplementary docu-
ment, endcavoring to explain away its obnox-
ious features. But what care / il the weapon
aimed at my breast be turned aside from its
mark by accident or by repentance; "lt IS the
attempt, and not the deed confounds me"
IL Is not necessary TO trespass further on your
patience. The usurpations Of the Executive,
and the attempt 10 substitute his arbitrary VIII
for the voice Of the people, are, in one word the
causes which have reused me. or General
jackson will not, cannot speak unkladly. !
deeply lament that his laurels have been taTnish-
ed by listening 10 the advice Of false friends. !
would not tear one leaf from his brow. J am
willing that the glory he acquired in ms coun-
try's defence should adorn the brightest page %
the military annals Of our country but AN an
willing that that glory should play upon the Tree
institutions Of our country, like rays o. the sun
on palace Of ice, melting and wasting II away
while IL beauties and iliumines It ! am vii
ling that on the eighth Of January tn brilliant
achievement at New Orleans should b. h Id up
TO the enthusiasm and admiration Of his country,
but ! more willing that the fourth Of
| March, the Constitution should be substituted as
alone worthy Of the homage Of an independent
people.
] arm aware, fellow citizens that for this step
shall be mark for the obloquy Of the party
have left--or rather, | should say the party
who have left me, ! believe that that party
has pure and disiuterestee men in its ranks.
leave among them warm, ardent and sincere
friends. II there be a Jack son man present,
would ask him to ponder these things.
would ask him whether the principles here com
planned Of may not be visited upon his children 8
children. They shrink from the charge of de
sorting the party; but when IS this devotion TO a
party TO ccaseS Are they blindly 10 follow the
steps Of man whose course they may have APP
proved, though they lead to a precipice. If
on the ruins OF the French republic, a splendid
despotism, he should declare himself Consul for
life, will II then not be desertion TO leave hm2-
Or, if in his progress of ambition, he should con-
vert the highest earthly honor-the Presidential
chair-into throne of his power, will it then
cease to be treason TO abandon him? When
then, is the time TO leave him? When YOU be-
lieye his measures calculated to destroy the
Liberties Of the land, are you to wait I'LL his
power is resistlessa
But we have never sworn allegiance to An
drew Jackson; we have sworn allegiance TO the
principles which raised him to power Or il we
have so sworn, al least may be allowed to
insert the proyiso in the oath ofthe proud Arago-
ncsc of the 10th century, in swearing allegiance
to Spanish monarch.-"We, each of whom is
as good as you, and who together are stronger
than you, swear obedience to yon, if you main
tain our rights, if not, not!'' But he has not
our rights, and our allegiance is dis
solved If we have departed from our allegiance,
it is as the Barons of Runymede departed from
theirs, when they forced from the hands of the
reluctant John, the magma charta of England
as IIampden and Sydney and Russell did when
they asserted English liberty on the field and
on the scaffold-as the patriots of the revolu-
lionas Hancock did when the arbitrary mea.
surcs of the British King, and his crowd Of office
holders compelled them to declare him UNIV orthy
TO be the ruler of a free people, and themselves
10 be free and independent
now declare myself free and independent
owe no allegiance but to my country, her con
tituton and her laws. Under the banner on
which that constitution and those laws are in
crbed, | enrol myself and whether in the
'attle soon to be fought between the usurpations
# Executive power, and the principles becoming
american citizens, that banner shall droop in
efeat, or wave in triumph, before my God |
hall feel that have done my duty to my coun-
ry