Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-07-21

People of Nlrelni,. presented tho follow inc report,
which was unanimously adopted by the Convrn-
ton, and ordered To be entered on tho proceed
ings.
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF NlR-
GINA.
! 4 Convention Of Delegates from various parts
OF Virginia, having assembled in stanton ON the
ith inst. for the purpose OF adopting such measures
as, in tleIr opinion, were hest calculated 10 prp-
mote the election Gen. Nm. II. Harrison Of Ohio
10 the Presidency OF the United States, feeling
OF respect tor the universal usage OF the country
ON such occasions, no less ,han u thorough con,ic-
ton OF It's intrinsic ptopriet,. has ln,u, ed them 10
adoptan address To the people of Nualio, eNprc>-
,vr ol the sentiments by which their conduct as
/ been influenced.
/ There candid observer of the course oi
public affairs tor the last twelve years, who
Is not constrained IL acknowledge, that its tcndcn
cv has been uniformly downward> and with We
locy, at every stage Of It's progress, accelerated
/ The reflection painful 10 the heart Of eNer>
patriot, but II is not therefore the less tue, aud
| there are many per,oos, aud those not men gwen
/ To dependency unmanly fears, vino have been
induced thereby 10 entertain doubts 10 the
b,Iitv of our glorious institutions. Thcv have seen
a Constitution, founded IN the most perfect wis
dom aud >ittue framed with the most ScrupUoa>
regard 10 the lights ol every class Of society, IL
domed by the unbllssed snlrages OF u free people,
| aud commencing lis operations under the most
suspicious circumstances they have seen tins
government administered under the guidance Of
the father Of s country, and succession of illus
rious patriots IN the spirll IN which II was framed,
rs sacred tH,f, created not for the benefit ol the
rui,rs but of the peoptc. They hlvc witnessed Il
great nation, under il, graiM Influences, with
lldlv Unparalleled IN the history of mankind,
adv the pt nIS
into the very front rank OF the nations OF the rdth
It's dag unurled IN every ,ca, and It's name re-
| SpcCtcd and honored throughout the world, and
they had INDUCED the belief that u favorable Sc
| luton Of the great problem rs to the capacity ot
man for self government, had Al length been at
tanned. But IN the mid,t Of these alluriOg VISIONS,
and animatlng hopes, circumstances have occur
| red, tu I'll their minds with til" most gloomy
! Gorcboding of evil. Mnh,n the last few years,
they have seen the purity aud simplicity oi The
early days of the republic not merely disposarded
bat almost openly dctllcd. They have seen the
! first principles ofthe constitution completely M
vrrtcd, aud those powers and prcrogdtNcs winch
were conferred GA the government n, sacred trusts
to be- administered strictly and exclusively tnr the
benefit of the public, boldly claimed aud cNerc>ed
as the property Of lhe chief executive Officer
! Those offices which necessarily created Tor
the pm posr, OF Ia, haln9 the correct adminislla-
tlUu ui 1uhe allitrs, dud winch Nlunultt be
desired for the sake III cmoIumcnt, are NOW pro
claimed Ia be the legitimate spoil, Of victory, and
tho champions OF the political arena are srmiul
ted to increased teroeIty IN their assaults upon
their opponents by the alurug perspective ot
official promotions, with nominal duties and ~
travagant ,larles. The manly Independence oil
public sentiment, which was once the boast of the
republic, and at the time the surost guaranty
of the correct adm llsirallon at tn" government,
! has been succeeded by Slavi,h ,uhscitir Ia
the powers that be aud lhai freedom oidiscussit,n
| and universal feeling of iolrration which was once
the glory of our institutions, has given place 10
arbitrary political lnqnl>on, which denonnccs
and Furnishes with the rack and the screws, all
who dare 10 differ from the established standard oil
orthodo ~ as revealed through the columns Of the
official gazette. They have seen the treasure o
the pcopl" seized upon without the warrant OF law,
and employed for the purpose ot arraying an i'm,
mcnsc Chain OF monied eorporatio ON the side OF
the government, and against the liberties of The p.o
pie; and finally, IN II government which processes
To be founded the principle that the poo
plo are capable oil selt-eoyrrnmcnt, and competent
TO elect their own officers, they have seen the
President of the United States, in opposition 10
both these fundamental doctrines, openly debating
to the people who shall be his successor in Office
! procuring his nomination hV a Srll-cOnstiiuied
| convention, and bringing all the power and pat
ronagc Of the government INTO rcqulSIlion i"r the
! purpose OF cflecting his t;Vorllc object. These
arc II few, and but lew, OF the circumstances
which have excited, in the minds oirhc most conf
dent, feelings of apprehension aud alarm 10 the
! prrmancnce of our civil institutions. Can We un-
dcrtakc to say thai these fears not well found
! ed : Let a reference TO IA few prominent events
OF the last session OF Congress the question:
We have seen the Congress of the United States
unmindfnI OF the high purposes for which ii
instituted, as the guardian of the treasure and the
rights and the liberties of the people, prostinling
itself TO the vcs purposes OF party. We have
seen the domln mt party lcgislarlng for election
ccring purposes alone, aud treating every subject
exclusively with reference To the cfiec, which II
was calculated to produce its particular inter
cStS we have public interests sacrificed, and
all the dccences of social intercourse outraged by
The evaporation of party excitement, and the
Hall, intended for calm dclibcra,ion and candid
discussion, converted into "A scene of constant vtn
peration and almost Of personal violence.
Upon the eve, too of the presidential election,
we have seen the expenditures of the government,
which, when under former administration they
had amounted To thirteen millions OF dollars, were
denounced by the present dominant party as eX
Itravagant, suddenly increased to Forty Millions Of
Dollars! All these circumstances poriend APP
preaching evil. History admonshcs as that they
are the invariable coucomitantssof DECLINE IN pub
lie morals, and reason should teach US that they
are the sure precursors OF dcSp0lsm.
In this aspect of public affairs, it becomes the
Iitty ,I mn