Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-11-03
For hs Gazette.
SPIRIT OF THE TIMEs.-No. 4.
"The taunting fuger point q secrn,
Al rics and folly, fools and knauss
H must be done or ne be sIaues."

embarked in the cause of the Faction,
that rules the land, let a few calm sug-
gestions be offered.-Can we have er.
red, in ~portraying, as we have hereto
fore done, the features of the admins
tration party-in ascribing 10 them, as
their prominent characteristics, a viru.
lent hostility to their opponents, an un.
f1inching adherence to their own men,
and an unhesitating and Jealous sup.
port of all plans and propositions, de-
termined upon and prepared, by inter
ested and ambitious men, for the appro.
baton of their deluded followers? Can
we have erred, in denying that they
have been governed by a holy regard
for the great principles of Truth ana
Rightly pure, disiaterested zeal Tor
the welfare of their country ana the
preservation Of IFS liberties! Can we
have erred, in deeming that there exists
in this land a Political Union, (and that
such a Union is theirs ,%)resembling that,
where aMen meet together in multi.
tudes, agree upon secret schemes and
put them in operation secretly; where
all Individual Liberty and all Tndipidu.
al Responsibility, without which no man
can be good or wise, or strong or hap
py, is merged and melted down and
mingled up(ifthrough fear, lad enough,
If w~iihnglD, still worSe) into the great
mass Of ordered and digested opinion?"
As one evidence of the correctness
of this view, consider, for a moment,
that Martin Van Buren, may be chosen
President Of The United States! What
do the People know Of him? Has he
taken a definite, decided course upon
the great questions that have agitatcd
the,,country?-Ifhis policy has not been
non committal, if he has not worshipped
himself, but his country, and, ifhe pos
sesses high powers of mind, achy is not
his whole political career marked by
noble intellectual efforts? Can we
point &c any such, upon the many con-
tested and debated points Of Govern
ment and Laws! Nmay be, he has 4
high order of intellect-yet, whore, we
ask, is the proof! And admit, for n
moment, that he possesses great mental
ability, anil that there have been tri.
unphant exhibitions oft, do the mass
who support him, know the fact TIFF
his policy has been non. commihal. are
the qualities ofthe heart that could die
tate such a course-for it implies that
which is the root Of much that is base
in man, seJfshnesS-such as should
adorn a President ofthe United States +!
That such has been his policy, is at
tested by almost every act of his life.
Take the last instance of his duplicity.
In answer TO nm enquiry, whether or
not it was his opinion that Congress
possessed the power of emancipating
the Slaves in the District Of Columbia,
he says, With the lights now before
me, should not feel myself safe in de.
nying hat Congress does possess this
power" Is this plain, open, manly,
straight. forward! In recurring to this
letter of Mr.. Van Buren's, and his ma.
ny other evasive replies TO questions,
that have been %propounded to him, we
have, often been forcibly reminded ola
scene in the Novel of Old Mortality
which we beg leave, for the sake of
illustration, here 10 transcribe .-Cud-
die Headrigg is brought before the
Privy Council, charged with having
borne arms against the Government
and the following is his examination
"Were you in the battle Of Boutwell,
Brigg?" was the first question which
was Numbered in his years. Cuddie
meditated a denial, buthad sense enough
upon reflection, to discover that the
truth would be too strong for him so
he replied, with true Caledonian indi.
~rcctness of response, "IW no sag, but
1t may be possible that / might hae been
there"
Answer directly, you knave-yes
or NOT"
"It's no. for me to contradict your
Lordships Grace's honor, "said Cuddie.
"Once more, sir, were you there
yes or MOI" said the Duke impationtly.
"Dear Sir" again replied Cuddie.
show can n mind preceesely where
they hae been a the days o. their lile?"
"Speak out, you scoundrel," said
Gen. Dalzell, "do you think We can
stand here all day, turning and dodg.
ing with you, like grey-hounds after a
hare Z"
"Aweel them" said Cuddie, "slnce
naethlng else will please you, write
down, that / cannot deny but that / uGs
there"
Such being Mr.. Van Buren's position
before the American People, we find
him, nevertheless, warmly approved
and zealously supported This is the
evidence, TO which we referred, of the
degraded, the abandoned condition of
the party in power. Such men are n
fit associates for Frcemen.
You may have hitherto supposed,
thai the PARTY. for whose interests Won