Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1836-07-28

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pie, and commencing its operations un
der the most auSpicious circumstances
they have seen tins government ad
ministered under the guidance of the
father OF his country, and a succession
of illustrious patriots in the spirit il
which 1t was framed, as a sacred trust
created not for the benefit Of the rulers
but Of the people. They have witness.
ed a great nation, under its genial in.
fluences, with rapidity unparalleled
in the history OF mankind, advancing
from the condition Of obscure colonie,
into the very front rank Of the nation,
of the earth, its flag unfurled in every
sea, and its name respected and honor.
ed throughout the world. and they had
INDUCED the behalf that favourable
solution TO the great problem as l.. the
capacity Of man for self government,
had at length been attained. But in
the midst Of these slluring visions, and
animating hopes. circumstances have
occurred, to fill their minds with the
mos: gloomy foreboding of evil. With.
in the last few years. they have seen
the purity and simplicity of the early
days Of the republic not merely disre-
garded, but almost openly derided.-
They have seen the first principle OF
the constitution completely inverted. s.
those powers and prerogatives which
were conferred on the government as
sacred trusts to be administered strict.
y and exclusively for the benefit of the
public. boldly claimed and exercised as
the property ofthe chief executive off,
Ger. Those Offices which were neces-
sarily created for the purpose of facili-
tating the correct administration OF pub
lie affairs, and which should never be
desired for the sake of emolument, are
now proclaimed to be the legitimate
sPoIls Of victory, and the champions oil
the political arena are stimulated to in
creased ferocity in their assaults upon
their opponents by the alluring per-
spective Of official promotion, with no.
minal duties and extravagant salaries.
The manly independence Of public
sentiment, which was once the boas,
of the republic, and at the same time
the secret guaranty OF the correct ad-
mlnistraton Of the government, has
been succeeded by slavish subservien-
cy to the powers that be, and that free
dom of discussion, and universal feeling
Of federation. which was once the glory
of our institutions, has given place to
an arbitrary political inquisI,ion, which
denounces and Furnishes with the rack
and the screws, all who dare to differ
from the established standard Of ortho-
doxy, as revealed through the columns
ofthe official gazette. They have seen
the treasure of the people seized upon
without the warrant Of law, and en-
ployed for the purpose Of arraying an
immense chain Of moneyed corpora
tons on the side Of the government,
and against the Liberties of the people;
and finally, in a government which
processes TO be founded on the principle
that the people are capable of self-go-
vernment, and competent to elect their
own officers, they have seen the Pre-
sident of the United States, in opposi-
ton to both these fundamental doc
trines, openly debating to the people
who shall be his successor in office,
procuring his nomination by self-con-
stituted convention, and bringing all
the power and patronage of the govern
ment into requisltion for the purpose OF
efecting his favorite object. These
are a few, and but a few, ofthe circum-
stances which have excited in the
minds Of the most confident feelings OF
apprehension and alarm as TO the per-
manence of our civil institutions. Can
we undertake TO say that these fears are
not we'll founded Let a reference to
few prominent events Of the last ses-
sion OF Congress answer the question.
We have seen the Congress of the T.
nited States, unmindful Of the high pur-
poses for which it was instituted, as the
guardian Of the treasure, and the rights
and the liberties Of the people, prosti-
tuting itself TO the vilest purposes OF
party. We have seen the dominant
party legislating for electioneering pur-
poses alone, and treating every sub
jet exclusively with reference TO the
effect which 1t was calculated TO pro.
duoe on iiS particular interest; we have
seen public interest sacrificed. and all
the decencieI Of social intercourse out
ragged by the evaporation Of party ex-
element. and the Hall, intended for
calm deliberaiion and candid discus
sion. converted into a scene Of constant
vituperalion and almost Of personal yio-
lenCe.
Upon the eve. too. Of the presiden
tial election. we have seen the cxpcn-
ditures Of the government which when
under former adn inisiraiion they bad
amounted 10 thirteen millions ~ dot
lars. were denounced by the present
dominant party ~ eNtravaeant. sud
denly increased 10 Forty Millions ol
Dollars Al these circumstance por.
tend approaching evil History admo.
nisbes ne that they are the invanable
conoomItants Of a decline 10 public mo-
rails. and reason should teach US that
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