Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-11-03
THE ELECTION.


Before another week rolls aw ay, and our hum.
BILE sheet is again laid before our kind patrons,
the fate of the principles, which we have strug-
glcd to sustain, will have been decided. 1t ought
to alarm every patriot in the land, to remark
how little the people seem 10 consider as involv-
cd in the election just at hand. The mass of
one party, and a larger proportion of the other,
appear anxious for victory as a matter gratifying
TO their pride.-The rejecting patriot sees more
than this. He has seen the purity Of the elect
i've franchise utterly destroyed, wherever the
weight Of government patronage was sufficient to
destroy u-He has seen an administration that
came into office, promising to retrench the 60
vernment expenditures, calling for millions more
to sustain the than had ever been asked before.
He has seen the President of the Nation de-
grade his high office, by becoming a partisan
for the election of his unreasonable has seen
almoste every department Of the government cor
ruptly ministering TO the proaigacy of the Exc
cutiye and in addition TO the vengeance of
who have held the reins of government, he has
seen the wrath OF a misguided people, break
over the head of every man, who has withdrawn
"S ~"ftN'h hShh IA par . III disgust anu aUDOT-
renee at their recklessness oftheir couuiry's glo.
ry. But We have not time or room now, to pre-.
sent a catalogue Of the enormities Of the admin.
~istration for the last eight years. The people
are called upon, by the election Of Martin Van
Buren,, TO sanction the doings of the past-and
the patriot who loves his country's Institutions,
trembles as he contemplates the danger which
hangs over them. He cannot shut his eyes up.
on the fact that the fate of American Liberty,
and the very existence of the Constitution may
be involved in the struggle.
Another consideration that gives vast import.
ance 10 this election, is the fact that the Go.
vernment candidate, if he shall succeed, must
succeed by the aid of a party that has never had
distinct existence in any previous struggle-Me
government party, the moving power of which
consists of an army Of office holders, numbering
almost an hundred thousand, and political pres
ses, hired and pensioued from the public crib,
10 blast the character and reputation of every
prominent opponent, and to cover and white. |
wash the sins of their masters.
What use has been made of the millions of
money expended by this administration more
than have ever been asked for, by any that have
preceded it! The answer Is in the breast of
every intelligent man in the nation, who is not
wilfully blind to the history of the government
for the past eight years.-li has gone to subsi.
dize the political press, throughout the whole
country-to create and endow offices for hungry
expectants-to employ political emissaries under
name OF government officers. What has the
Opposition TO array against the force thus organ,
ised! The VIRTUE and INTELLIGENCE of the
People, arc their only reliance-and
grant they may constitute q shield to our
beloved country.
II Martin Van Buren, shall be elected, how
many, will the throng of pensioned p~olitical
number at the close of his admins
How many additional millions Of a grow
ing surplus revenue, will he appropriate TO the
'ause OF his appointed successor ?-Or will he
not rather run for a second, third, fourth term.
'rostituting the immense revenues from the pub
&c lands aud the tariff duties, to strengthen his
lands for every successive struggle? Who thai
his unhallowed thirst for power, can be.
ieye that he will ever, willingly, surrender the
ems OF government? Aud where will be the
that can wrest it from him, after he shall 1
AVE had the revenues of the government in his
lands' for one two, or three Presidential terms? c
To believe that these things may be, and will S
'e- we have only 10 consider what has been. II