The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1836-10-14
FROM BURTON CRAIGE, ESQ.

FROM BURTON CRAIGE, ESQ.
Salisbury, September cih, 1896.
Gentlemen Yours of the Both ultmo,
inviting NE, in behalf Of the citizens Of the
county of Orange, TO participate with them
on the Eth inst. IN the celebration OF the
recent triumph OF wing principles IN this
state, reached me few days since. En-
gagements that may not ts broken compel
me to forego the pleasure | should feel in
meeting them at the festive board on that
day. The llih of August was proud day
for North Carolina and no one would be
more gratiied than would in the ceebra
ton OF the victory the wing party that day
achieved. 1t is a source Of qualification 10
me which canno, express, and must be so
TO every whg in North Carolina, that the
descendants OF those who were the first TO
declare their Independence Of foreign foe,
on the | In of August proved their attach
ment to the same principles by declaring
their independence OF domestic one. This
qualification must be greatly heightened by
the reflection that the latter is far more
dangerous foe than the former, because IL
works IN secret; because II stealihlly at.
tempts TO undermine the pedestal upon which
our Liberties rest; while the other boldly
made an assault upon liberty itself. The
one was resisted because il was seen, be
cause no veil was thrown over the daring
outrage upon the rights of man; the other
cannot be so easily resisted, because not so
easily seen. 4 thousand wells have been
thrown over II, and the potency OF name
has prevented the tniId from making any
oi'ampt TO lift them, and expose to an in
lnred people all Inc corrupiions beneath.
That this IS not the creature of the ina
ginatlon tha, such q Toe deos exist: tina,
TINS foe has for years been at work tho,
II has made secret assaults upon our hber-
lies ny attempting TO corrupt aud destroy
the morals OF the community, the great ba.
SIS upon which they sand, none can deny
who have looked with an unpreludiced eve
% the workings Of the miserable central ca.
bal al Washington, who have welded the
destInes Of this great Republic for the last
few years. 1t was against this secret foe,
operating upon the people with their own
money, that We have been cUntendlng, and
II IS over this foe that We have recently so
signaly triumphed. II was not against
Dir. Van Buren,, Johnson and Spaighl, that
we coniended, except so far as they were
The tools-,he instruments with which this
cabal worked; but it was against the cabal
Itself, backed By all the power and patron.
age Of the federal government, that We had
10 contend.
1t matters but little who IS the President
Of the United States, 50 long as this state
Of things exists, and so long as the prlncl.
pies by which our rulers have been govern
ed are 10 the ascendant. The roo, of the
evil lies deeper the body polite is corrupt /;
this corruption must be removed; a more
correct set Of principles mus, be adopted, or
we shall gain bu: little 10 defeating Mr. Van
Buren,. We viii be like The Fox in the IA.
bic of the Fox and Flies we will only drive
away one swarm who are nearly satlaled,
TO be the prey Of more lean and hungry
one. We must 90 further than the mere
defeat Of Mr.. Van Buren,, which though i,
will do much TO bring about a better state
OF things, will not do all. The patronage
OF ,he Executive must he reduced the pub
lie expenditure, which is four fold as much
under this econom4zlng administration as IT
was under Mr.. Jefferson, must be reduced
TO the legitimate wants of the government.
Just III proportion as we look to the federal
government as the only source Of power,
wealth and distinction, in the same proper.
ton must we become a corrupt people. So
long as there ls a market, 80 long as there
are buyers ready to give high prices, those
will b. found, who unwilling to work for
their living, are ready to sell themselves
with all their influence. Degrading as it
is, il is no less true, that this has been the
case since the proclamation Of the Van Blu.
rem party, that 10 The rtctors belonged the
spoits !" and this will continue to be the
case so long as the power to do harm re.
mains 10 the Executive branch Of the 90.
yernment.
Let US not then relax our exertions, but
LEI us pursue our victory, until not only the
state OF North Carolina shall BE- redeemed
from the corruptions Of the principles Of the
spoiis purity" but until the whole crew Of