South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-03-21
ADDRESS
OF the Massachusetts Conventioa
To the People Of the u. States.

OF the MdSS0c huSettS Convention.
To the People of the U. States.
FELLOW CITIZENS
The Wings Of Massachusetts present
for your suffrages, for the high office Of
President Of the U. States, the name of
DANIEL WEBsTER-a name known
and honored wherever the voice of con-
stlutional liberty has been heard.
That he is a citizen of our own an
cient Commonwealth, cannot be to US
personally matter of indifference !;
but it has had no influence in our Sc.
lection of him as a candidate. That
circumstance has, on the contrary, re.
tarded the nomination, which, but for
that, would long since have burst spon-
taneously from the People Of Massa-
chusetts. We have selected him be.
cause we beisve him to be peculiarly
indicated by the character Of the times
as the man to lead the friends of the
Constitution in their great struggle a.
gainst the power of patronage and cor
ruption. The living principle of the
Wing party is love and reverence for
the Constitution and the great ques.
ton before the Nation, let others dis
guise it as they will, is, whether that
sacred charter OF political freedom shall
be overborne by personal influence and
ambition.
In this great crisis-on this great
question, which involves net only our
own, but, perhaps, the Liberties of the
world, we call on all the friends oflib-
erty throughout the land TO discard per-
sonal preferences, to surrender local
attachments, 10 bury all miner differ.
ences, and to join with US in one great
effort to bear up the falling banner Of
the Constitution. We go for the CAUSE,
not fol the MAN end If another
could have been found in the remotest
corner ofthe country who could sustain
that standard of our liberties with
firmer hand, who could bring TO its de.
fence sounder head, a purer heart,
more prudent conduct, or wider ex-
perience in public affairs, we should
have been the first to rally under his
name, and foremost among US for that
man would 60 DANIEL WEBSTER him
self. But as we would not sacrifice
the cause to the man, though of our
own choice, so neither can We sacrifice
it to the mere choice of others. We
feel that it is great trust in our hands;
we feel that 10 the People of This coun.
try is committed the keeping of the
principles of constitutional liberty;
tina, here, where it's light fist broke
forth, it is to be sustained against the
powers of political darkness, or to sink
without hope OF revival. While in
other landsit has TO contend with pow
er, which calls itself conservative and
legitimate, it must struggle here with
| more insidious enemies corrup-
ton aud with RIGHTEOUSNESS that takes
the name of liberty. There it may be
crushed for time by foreign force
but if it falls here, it dies a suicidal
death, from which there is no resurrec-
ton.
Conscious of the magnitude of the
trust, we have looked impartialIy thro'
the country for the man TO whom we
could most conscientiously delegate its
highest responsibilities. We have in.
quired who has stood longest, who has
stood highest, who has stood firmest
for the Constitution, and for the Con-
stitulion alone : To whom has that
been the polar star, from which his eye
has never wandered, from which his
course has never veeredf Through
clouds and darkness, ,ohese vigilance
has never lost, and whose judgment
has never mistaken its ligh,l Others
have had other duties to perform, and
they have discharged them manfully.
To him has fallen, by that opportunity
which Providence presents to men
called to great works, the task of de.
Tending the Constitution. 1t is not for
US to say that, under the same circum-
stances, Others would not have done it
as well but it has been assigned to
him, & none could have done it better.
He has stood for the Constitution,
not when, nor because, it was threat
ened from any one quarter. He has
repealed with one hand the encroach-
ments of the central power, while with
the other he has called back those who
would have wandered too far from its
influence. He has sustained the Elk.
ecutive in its constitutional efforts with
the same vigor and promptness with
which he has thrust it aside from its I'M
warranted preiensions. Others have