Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1836-09-29
ron THE srAuNroN SPECTATOR

I GREAT REACTION IN AUGUSTA!
Z" Coming ccenls cast their shadows before"
Messrs. Ed,ors-From recent survey
OF political parties in Augusta, | noticed IA
very great change in favor of Martin Van
! Buren. This reaction in the very hot bed of
the opposition, consider an suspicious o.
men. The county of Augusta has always
been looked TO as the strong hold of Federal>
ism; and from It's central position well CAL
culated 10 d;iluse the leaven of Federalism
| throughout the State. Important political
changes in so strong hold cannot but be
locked upon ~ the presage of great politi
cal revolution IN our county. These changes
came upon us suddenly and unexpectedly,
anI at the very time the Wings were flushed
with The hope OF speedy victory over the
| Democrats OF the county. These mutations
are attributable in great measure To the ci
forts made by the Wings 10 obtain from some
four or five individuals their signatures TO
| certain pieces written by them, purpOrting
Ia be renuncidtiCns OF Van Bureuism; and
also to the tremendous efforts made by the
Whig Presses all over the Union 10 induce
the belief IN the protestant community that
Van Buren is Il Roman Catholic What, are
we To be told in this enlightened age Ot the
world, that our Liberties are in danger from
the rapid strides OF Popory? Where is the
danger: w here is the vulnerable point, gen
llGmcn Wings? You seem 10 think the elt-
walton of Van Buren To the presidency will
be the entering tcedge 10 Popery. What do
you predicate SO mcnslrouS a notion upon
Ii is certainly nothing but the cmnnatior OF
dislempered brain-Why do you apseal TO
the worst passions that ranLle in the human
breast? do you no: know that that appeal, il
responded to, would cover Columbia's happy
land with the habiliments of sorrow Gen
tlemen, you are advocating principle that
does not accord with The principles which
gave rise TO the revolutionary struggle. he
liberal professionals view such efforts as anti
repubiican--a stab at the Liberties Of the
! people.-The liberty OF conscience should
never be invaded.-lt is the privilege OF
cry man To worship God according to the die
tates of his own conscience. To disturb this
settled principle in order 10 effect 4 political
object, is traught with the most baleiul con-
sequences Look al Europe when the reli
gi0us prejudices of the Protesianis and Cath
o!cS were excited and brought into play
. Do you want to see the awfuly terriy ing
scenes acted here, which were acted in their
communities? Or is il only intended as a po
] Utica! trick TO expire with the election You
may rest assured that such CouIse, il per
I sisted in, will bring down upon your heads
! the eXecrationS OF an Indignant people. You
/ seem to be century behind the age. Moth
ing which savOrs OF tyranny will be tolerat-
| ed here Martin Van Buren, is too deeply
rooted in the republican doctrines 10 couute-
nance principles so iiiiheral.-H You begin 10
| see your error You have reached height
in urging the charge of Popery from which
you find it difficult task 10 let yourselves
down You seem 10 be feeling for the most
feasible way 10 reach the ground upon " HIGH
/ you originally stood. All! gentlemen, you
are in a strait. You never can come back
! but abruptly-You may throw dust in the
eyes Of the people but il will never he sui-
/ hcently dense 10 cover your retreat, Come
out honestly and acknowledge the trick; for
the good people of Augusta see through the
whole matter-They are rot TO be moved by
such appeals One OF the gentlemen whose
name was put TO piece which appeared In
The Spectator short time ago, renouncing
Van Burenism, says he never wrote il, nor
! did he know who did but that il was hand
ed to him by Wing with request that he
would sign it, which he did, no. knowing lis
purporl cor bearing! And as it respects his
| knowledge of Mr.. Woodbury. and his Cir
cular, he declares that he did not know that
there was such man in existence And as
10 the Circular, he did not know what il was.
or what it meant! This gentleman's rcnun-
citation was hailed by the Editor Of The BoS-
ton Atlas as portentous sign, attrbu!ng
his remuneration TO the Circular, when he
had never heard =! NJ. Woodbury. or the
Circular. The Editor spoke OF the honest
indignation with which the charge OF Van
BurenisT was repealed and that MIR. Wood
bury Inight nOtU despair OF the Republic !
lie had for his caption, Portehtous Signs. ,
Yes, It was a portentous sign; and tie thing
typitied by il begins to develop itself in a
visible detection in the ranks Of the Wings.
That Augusta will throw off the yoke of
Wing bondage, and take stand on The side
OF repubicanism, is my candid beiief--A
conversation | had lew days ago with some
of the gentlemen who have left The Wings,
satisfied me that they were convinced that
republican simplicity and republican cquali-
I ty dwell! not under their roof They seem
ed to think, that in the event OF the Wings
coming into power, The poor and meritoriaus
citizen could never calculate upon a partici-
patton in governmental affairs; thai Zoe ar
s!ocracy OF birth and ,realM wGuM ell all
high places and that they wonld be viewed
as mere &C hewers of wood and drawers of
water" which would he to them worse
bondage than is endured by the Russian
Serls A DEMOCRAT.
Gel. JoHN KELLER, the Senator from