Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-09-08

would be death to tneiT nOpeS-ioI sHCy
we'll know that the cow-itch would not
sooner fall to the ground, deprived OF
the oak which its vile arms cling to,
than would their parasite tumble If the
favor of the president were Withdrawn
from his support. So unremlttlng has
been the zeal of the president TO secure
the succession Of his favorite, that for
six years the whole immense power
and patronage Of his Office, except so
much as has been devoted to the graft.
fcation of his private and peculiar.pas-
sions, has been exerted for the benefit
of the Cesar designatuS. What foe of
Mr.. Van Buren, has been retained in
any Office Of trust or profit, if pre-
text for his removal could be found P
What appointment to any such Office
has been made, except among his friends
and followers? What measure of pub
lie policy has not taken more or less
its stamp and color from his ruling pas
sionl The choice Of the president has
been declared, and the subsidized press
OF the government, an engine OF tre-
menduous power, the officers and a.
gents Of the government, and all who
shall desire to become such, mighty
and well disciplined hest, with the pre-
sident himself at their head, "aupport-
ing, cheering, anmating all, !" backed
by the public treasures Of land and mo-
ncy, which il is made merit to sauan-
der, have been and are straining every
nerve Of open and secret influence to
influence you to confirm tho choice.
Fellow citizens, is this dic,ation or is
it notp Is this leaving the elective
franchise free, and excluding the inter-
ference ofthe federal officers thereIrom?
Is there man Of you who does not see,
and feel, and know, that if he desires
to elect any other than Mr.. Van Blu.
rem to the Presidency, he will have TO
struggle against the whole strength
and influence Of the government ex-
erted to tho utmost? We trust you are
not so far sunk in apathy and seryility
as not to heed this planned and dellbe-
rate scheme to forestal, and blind and
defeat the freedom of your choice, or
or needing it, not to rise indignant and
spurn the impudent attempt.
You are not to be hood wink ed-no
man who does not wish to deceive him
self, is to be deluded for an instant, by
the shallow plot at Baltimore, TO con.
vert the dictation Of the president, into
the recommendation Of the people,
The origin and history of that conven.
ton are we'll known to you. Itself a
mockery, it is fit only for the derislon
and contempt which has every where
overwhelmed it. You know well that
it was not you, that it was not the peo-
pie who devised or perpetrated it.
They were gultless of all share in the
grave and impotent deluslon. A con-
vention of delegates without constitu-
ents, got up by office. holders and de-
magogues to anoint the favorite of the
president, as the chosen one ofthe peo-
pie; 1t can be compared to nothing
else but tho troops Of the palace
confirming in the name of the peo-
pie the emperor's designation of his
successor. And while we hope that
its effect will be to disgust many of
those who inconsiderately lent their
aid TO it, we shall be content if the can
dldate there nominated shall receive
only the votes Of those who were there
represented. More cannot with any
show of decency be claimed.
Fellow. citizens, the character Of a
government depends not more, nay less
infinitely less--upon the form of its
constitution, than upon the practice un-
der it--upon tho manner in which it is
actually carried on. The forms of
Roman republicanism were with scru.
pulous care observed in the worst ages
of Roman despotism. During the five
administrations of your government, il
was an established practice recommend
ed by the most obvious and cogent rea-
sons, for the president to abstain from
all participation in the choice of his
successor, and not only to withhold the
use of his power and patronage in ia
vor Of any candidate, but to suppress
the utterance of his own private wishes
and opinions. That practice, violated
in some instances by the younger Ad>
ans, you determined to restore. You
elected Gen. Jackson to restore it, and
he pledged himself to do so. If you
permit the present effort to be success
full, of welding all the great influence
of his personal favor, aud the immense
resources of his Office to secure the APP
pointment Of his lavorlte to the success.
sion, what will you do but utterly alb
rogate the old practice and .stablish the
new2 That done, what is to hinder a
future president from serving third
or fourth, or any number Of termsl-
There is nothing but practice Of the
government. The constitution does
not forbid il, and practices you change