Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-10-27

Inc moderate uuu CHuli0AS VI OHS gen
Grafton, are succeeded by the more
jealous and bold Of another, and re-
membcred only as tyros, acquainted
and learned but in the rudiments of the
science Of the Rights of Man.-The
last Graduates, in this School OF Philo-
sophie Legislators and enlightened pa
.triots, are those who now direct the
affairs ofthe govcrnment.-1he people
Of this country have no check upon
thus grayitati9g tendency to ultraism,
save " themselves alone-their saliva.
.;oR or destruction 10 in their own
hands. 1t is only by their W zeal
and activity, that the hour Of evil and
ofwoe to the country may beprolonged.
Truly has il been remarked, that "a
people may have the best form Of Co.
vernment, that the wit of man ever de-
vised and yet, from its uncertainty
alone, may in effect, live under the
worst government in the world" Our
government has been rendered inss.
cure, and, it may be, made the worst,
by diverting from their proper opera
ton those principles and powers, which,
forming the basis of our Institutions,
would, otherwise, make it II Of Msl-
ing goodness. Let us look at some of
these first principles.
Undoubtedly in establishing, through.
out all the branches Of the government,
the principle, that the larger number
of citizens should govern in its admin
istration, it was assumed, by the fra.
mers Of our constitution, that the peo.
pie were, and, it was hoped, would con
tinue sufficiently honest and sufficient
ly enlightened to determine, for the
mos part, wisely, through their repre-
sentative bodies, what would or would
not be for the interest of the country.
This hope, we undertake to say, has
not. in latter years, been realized
The conduct of those, who have been
called to preside in the lano and to le-
gislate for the country's veal, has not
been such es TO shows pure and whole
some state OF the public mind-sanc-
toned az that conduct has been, so
strongly, by the people. There is not
that freedom of thought and action,
that uprightness ofprinciple, that share
OF intellectual capacity, in those, who
by the law Of the land, being a MAORI
ty of the people, are its rulers, which
renders this feature ofthc government
happy and successful in its operation.
Whether an able and a virtuous citizen
be elected TO n high Office, depends up
on his being in the ranks Of that force,
formed and acting for party purposes,
which has superior numbers-for it
were .farcical to say that principles
form the criterion by which he is udg-
ed. Ifpropositious, that concern the
prosperity and well-bcing of the whole
country, are offered in our Legislative
Halls, whether they be adopted or not,
depends upon their advancing the ends
which u set of men, called a party,
have marked out to themselves-those
ends, not being the propagation or es-
adjustment OF any wise and we'll con.
sidered system OF national politics, but
being the attainment Of some power or
the elevation of some man upon the
plea, to be sure, that the measures they
advocate are Republican, the men they
support Republicans, when il is plain,
(saye, it may be, to their own dulled
vision) that the contracted, selfish in
terests Of party dircc. their Efforts
Wherever the men in power have had
the majority, their rule has been nei-
Their enlightened or impartial-it has
been the dominion ofa vulgar and an
u~nprinciplcd Democracy.-Such is the
action Of this principle-salutary in
sound, baneiul in ~unsound, times.
Again An uncontrolled Press (oi
which we have spoken. more fully, in a
previous number,) it was thought,
would enable the people to Judge of
men and measures, and, by diffusing in.
formation speedily throughout the coun.
try, secure them against the silent ag-
gressions of rulers. But is it possible,
that a decision-the result Of an exami-
nation of anprejudiced minds, with full
or even sufficient materials upon both
sides Of questions-can be obtained up.
on public affairs? Do not the presses
that support the administration, almost
invariably, adopt and advocate all pro-
posals that come from their superior
officers? Do they present fair state.
ments ofquestions, with the arguments
and views upon all sides1 Most un.
questionably not. That it corrupts, by
its %vulgarity, the pure taste, and at.
tacks, in it's ignorance and folly, all
that is noble and virtuous IN the com.
munity, that it leads men into the gros.
sest errors, by the grossest misreprc-
sensations, are, too, among some of its
great evils. Its editors, for the most
part, are licensed slanderers. Such
IS the beautiful operation ofthis part OF
our system.