Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-06-22
POLITICAL.
from the National kteihsencsr, Jme H.
TIE PROSPECT BEFORE uS.-Nc. |.

TIE PRoSPECI BEfOkE OS.--No. |.
In public affairs no less than in private, it is
inl. from time to time, and especially in intervals
ofcomparutve tranquility and rcposc, to look back
upon the past to reflect upon the present and,
comparing the reality Of things with the hopes and
apprchensons which preceded them, to cN'ract wis.,
dom, if we can, from the teachings of experience
II is good to do all this and thcn far from dcspond
inc or dcspairne because we have not, in our I'M
dcrtakincs, succeeded to om wish (shoud such be
the CASEY it bchoovcs to rally our taltcrng pur
poses, resume our course, and pursue il with re-
ncWed and rc-invigoratcd resolution.
For such a meditation on the past, the present,
and the future, the present moment appears to lis
to be particularly oppor,unc. The happy adjust
mcn-for we will no longer consider ii doubtful
of the dispute between this Government and that
of France, removes the only objection to the treesl
examination of the conduct of the party in power;
whilst the settlement of the Tariff question, and
the consequent peace between the advocates aud
the opponents Of Notification. have Withdrawn for
the present two of the questions which have for
several years past greatly embarrassed and con-
| founded our national politics The absence oi
any such excitement as is untavorahlc TO calm
and candid consideration Of the present state OF the
politics of the country invites us, indeed to con-
temptation, and leaves us in a frame of mind TO
profit by it.
But the recent sitting and proceedings Of the
! Baltimore Convention for nominating candidate
| for President of these United States, in addition
to the Inducements already mentioned, constitute
| AN ERA in the politics Of the country, which we
cannot unless we would incur the reproach of n-
difference or supincncss, suffer to pass without Il
more formal expression OF our views upon il than
we have YET troubled our readers with.
We invite our friends, therefore, such aS SO
minded, to accompany us in brief recurrence To
the past, passing glance at the present State of
parties in our country, and unblcnching survey
of the prospect that lies before us.
The Baltimore Convention, We have said, con-
stituies an era in political history. Thc OBJ
Jet OF that Convention purely of a selfish cha
racter The promotion of the general welfare had
no share i'll its inception, and quite rs little in The
maturity of its designs. 1t was, from the begin
ming 10 the end, "A scheme for the preservation
fpower and the pcrpo,nation of the pril' pies OF
the party by which the Government la, been add
mnistercd for the last few years. As 10 its com
position the Convention was essentially consre-
CATION of office holders, banded together by the
strong instinct Of sclfpreserva,ion aud office hum
tiers, alucd to the quarry by the scent of the game.
Both these classes, which united made up unloub
cdlS the majority of the Convention, were under
the direct influence of selfish motives, in desiring
to carry out into the next dynasty the principles OF
the present. And, evenly those members of the
Convention net so directly interested in its oh
jcct>, thu same design of perpetuaion of power
Sc was distinctly avowed They might cac
of them truly have declared, in the late words OF
leading and conspicuous member of the party, IN
vndication of his preference for the Convention
scheme, that, in all that they said did upon this
subject, their object was TO preserre the pome,
and perpctuate the principles Of the party no~
dominant IN the oountrv.' When we find such
an object broadly avowed, nay, cAultcd in, by a
distinguished leader of the party, as defence IA
gainst lhc nputalion of detection from friend,
we cannot surely be charged with lIli5cralitv in
referring the whole motive and aim Of the Bal
tmore Convention to a deliberate plan for conin-
uinr in the succession to the Presidency the par
" power and the principles OF the present Admin
Istraton.
If, indeed, there had been de ub, of the aim OF
that Convention, the unanlmity with which their
choice fell upon Mr.. VAN BunrN for the Prc,idcn-
cy would have disspatcd it, OF his views in re-
aton to general politics. there could be no doubt.
They stand recorded by his own hand in ineface-
able characters. Prc-cmincnt over all yotaries of
Executive infallibty, he considers the administra-
ton OF General JACKSON as one which will be
looked to, in future time, as gofdtn era IN our
history !" He considers his own name, indeed as
having been mmortalizcd by being in some degree
connected with ii. "To ha,c served under such
a chief, at such a time lha, is, in the Ini, Cab
met and to lave won his confidence and esteem, "
SAYS he in public letter to his friends, as uj-
| fciem glOry ~ Fit was ii that entertaining
aud protesting such sentiments should be prefer
red, over any and all asplrants suspected OF any
scruplcs as 10 the freedom which General JACK
son has used with the spirit of the Constitution,
the purposes to which he has applied the patron
age of the Government placed at his disposal. In
speaking of Mr.. VAN BuREN, the nominated can
didate for the Presidency, it is not purpose to
say any thing, way or the other, in reference
to his personal merits, or his claims upon the coun-
try We consider him, in his present position, as
the Representative Of certain principles, which it
is proposed, by means of his election to the Prcsi-
dcncy, to perpetuatc in the hands Of g the party
now dominant in the country" We propose,
therefore, in the cursory remarks which l.
boat 10 indulge in, to canvass the claim of those
principles, and not of the nominee, to be cnsbri-
ned by the People in their esteem and affections.
We are clad 10 be able to give to the discussion
this npcrsonal character because it will relieve
us from the imputaiion of icing Influenced by any
personal feeling towards Mr.. VAN buren, which,
therefore, need not otherwise perhaps
should, utterly discam.
Assuming, as we have done, that the Baltimore
Conycntion including its nomination for the Pre-
sldcncy. was purely means resoricd to for rivel
ting upon the country the power and principles of
the dominant party, we cannot avoid the inquiry,
at the outset, What the principles, so far as
Il A. 1