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

groes in Virginia are not only liable to
taxation, but are every year constant
ly taxed. Are you willing they shall
therefore vote? Are you willing to
give your countenancc to man who
has SO vile an opinion of the elective
franchise, and would SO degrade the
privileges of citizenship
Immediately on the accession Of
General Jackson TO the presidency, Mr.
Van Buren, entered his confidential SER
vice as his Secretary Of State, with a
deserved reputation for versatility of
political character and for dexterlty in
| the management of intngues and par
ties, made perfect by his long practice
in the New York school-but without
being supposed TO possess any very ell
evated quality OF head or heart. You
remember, fellow-citizens, the troop of
noble and iIlustrious friends, true
friends Of the president, but more of
their country, by which General jack
son was then surrounded. You have
not forgotten tho scenes new to this
country, ofscandalous intrigue and Vi
olent outrage which succeeded. You
have not forgotten how these distin-
guished men, ornaments Of thor age
and country, were from time to time
driven off by disgust, or expelled with
insult or contumely from the public
councils. You remember by what CO.
vert and not yet explained arts, amino
sity against the second officer in the CO.
vernment was enklndled in the mind of
the president, and famed until it broke
forth into blaze by which his own
honor was scorched and blackened.-
During all this time Mr.. Van Buren,
stood behind the president, daily rising
in his favor. You may conjecture by
, what arts he fourished, while all,
whose crime it was to be obnoxious TO
him, fell. You may deem it not un.
charitable to imagine that he was not
wholly unconcerned in fabricating the
plots and stimulating the resentments
which never failed to take direction
most favorable toh his interests. 1t seems
to have occurred to his own mind,
! (the only mind conscious ofhis motives)
Witnessing the route and overthrow of
all that stood in his way, that he might
at last be suspected of having helped
to raise the storms which brought him
such advantages, and before the public
opinion had time to darken over him,
he retired from your eyes and your
suspicious to the English court.
lie was not permitted to remain there
The representatives of the States in
Congress, with noble self-devotion
which posterity will requite if this ge-
neration shall not, refused their con.
sent to his appointment as minister to
court, before which, as Secretary
of State, he dsgraced himself and de-
graded his country, by exposing our
domestic divisions, disavowing former
acts of our government, seeking to
concliate the favor of a foreign prince
10 his party, for party ends, and exhib-
ting the novel ond humiliating specta-
Gle OF an American statesman begging
as an act of grace to his party, what
was either due to his country, and
should have so demanded, or what was
not due at all and he should therefore
have scorned to ask even in his coun-
try's name.
lie returned, and craving to the
feet OF the president with those memora-
bic words in his mouth which express
the deepest prostration of fawning SER
Witty, he found protection and fresh
honor, from the executive favor. From
that time you have seen him sitting un-
der the ample shade of the president,
rejecting with the obsequous fidelity
of certain repti!- s, the varying coIors
of the tree which shelters him, feeding
on it and dispensing it, and securely
relying on its rough and sturdy arms
to shield him from the stones.
Fellow-citizens, we have dared to
speak of Mr.. Van Buren, interms which
should owe all their harshness and bit.
terness, if any they have, to truth
We have not the presumption to sup.
pose that our opinions will operate up
on yourjudgmont. We desire nothing
more than to awaken your recollection,
to stimulate your enquiries, to induce
you with calm, yet unhnching and
determined spirit, 10 examine him for
yourselves, and accept or reject his
prottered services at your pleasure.
Look back upon the history of Mr..
Van Buren,. Ask yourselves, by what
principles he has been governed what
course OF public policy he has pursued?
Ask yourselves, if there is a single
great political principle, if there is any
settled course ofpublic policy, to which
he has steadlastly adhered? Nay, put
that question to his own partisans -
and unless youwiIl be content with such
answers as fill the ear-but mark the