Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1836-11-03

his Journey will not take upon me to
affirm but this much is notorious TO
all America, that fastening back to
New York, he gave the signal to his
train bands, and Immediately, from the
Atlantic to the Lakes, they broke
forth in one simultaneous burst of
dealening abuse of Mr.. Adams and
his friends, which continued without
abatement to the day of the election,
and has not ceased to the present
hour. But mark the sequel. Gene
raj Jackson triumphed, and Mr.. Van
Buren, was made Secretary Of State.
Here let me pause. The perfect
organization of this faction-wheel-
ing to the right or the left, or resting
| upon their arms, or charging in solid
column, at the word of command, is
of itself a subject of no little novelty
in nation of peaceful republicans,
and might afford matter for grave re-
Election, were not the mind irresistibly
impelled beyond it, to the still greater
problem, by what means, and through
what persuasives, was this wonderful
organization effected? That it was
vast conspiracy, formed and cons
certed, for the sole purpose of taking
into its own keeping the offices and
salaries of the government, great and
small, and excluding by the mere pow
CIR of combination, all other citizens
from the hope or prospect of partici
patton in them that the conspirators
recognized no peculiar principles of
policy, no maxims of government, no
rules of right or wrong but held
themselves free to profess, as occasion
might require, just such principles,
maxims and rules, as mi ght, from
time TO time, best suit the objects Of
the party-that these articles of COM
pact were distinctly understood and "a
greed upon before hand-and that eve
ry man had given to them his full con-
sent and approbation-are facts of
which no rational mind can doubt.
But the mystery of the phenomenon
is still unexplained. Thepoint which
puzzles me is, how SO many freemen,
| spread over so wide space, proud of
that equality which they had been
taught to regard as their inestimable
birth right, could be approached
with the immoral and debasing propo-
sal, to seize upon the offices, the pow
er, and the money of the State, and by
combining the distribution of the plum
der to their own body, virtually ex-
clude every other freeman from those
covenanted privileges, for the enjoy
ment of which his fathers fought and
blcd, as well as their own? And when
thus approached, how could they be
persuaded, corrupted and case-har-
dened against all the natural sugges-
tons of conscience, patriotism and
| honor,
But the worst aspect of the case,
was the open, the avowed, the shame
less eftrontery with which they pro-
claimed their turpitude. The contest
was one which, In the firm belief oil
the great mass of the American people,
involved principlestha were vital, and
upon the triumph of which was to de-
pend the purity, if not the very exis-
tence of our most cherished institu-
tons. Party feeling had already
reached degree of deep, intense, un-
sparing bitterness, altogether unexam-
pied in our annals. The elements OF
! social discord were in fearful commo-
ton, and the storm ragged with equal
violence throughout the land. No
honest man could maintain his equili-
brium. Men reproached each other
en- the highway, and wrangled in the
streets. Not so the confederation of
Mr.. Van Buren, they remained the
while as unmoved as the seven sleep
ers. When challenged to give their
opinion, they shook their heads and
were silent, as if the words they heard
were uttered in some unknown tongue.
And thus they remained, until the
word from their leader, came upon
their ears like the whistle of Rhode
rick Dhu, when they sprang into the
midst of the contest, and from that
moment all other voices were drown
ed in the dealening vehemence of their
clamorous zeal. What astonishes me
is, that they were not scorned, despis-
ed and secuted, by the whole Union
in one proud burst Of national indig-
nation. 1t was the boldest and foul
ocf cybibitiot, oc avo1vod vapoIitv oDf