Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-02-23

Wr. Cr;aEg's Address.

Tothe citizens Of the Congressional Dis
fr,ct composed IF 1he counties Of augusta
! h"cSor'dgs, Bo!etou't, -Alcshuny, Mont-
gomeru, AID Floyd
| FELLOW CITIZENS: ] was not al NIL
unwilling Ia have substituted, al the close OF
my present term nf service, tie quiet scenes
OF private, for The broil and excitement of 30
ii,Ical life; but many of my fellow ,ciizens
IN different parts Of the district, having ex-
pressed desire that | should be again Cam
d'iale Tor seat in Congress, ! telt that
was too strongly obligated 10 them past
avors 10 he justitind in opposing any predi.
leclions ofmine TO their wishes. therefore
gave authority 10 my friends TO announce me
as a Candidate. In this position i, is fit that
should give you some account OF the pclli.
Cal condition OF oar country and | proceed
now, untraInnc!lcd by any rreconceived me-
thod, TO make such remarks and suggest ions
as may occur TO my mind, aud seem adapt,
| ell TO the occasion.
Our people still continue 10 be, as thew
long have been, divided into two active and
Jealous political parties the one sustaining
the administration, the other opposing il, and,
apparently, making every effort in their
power 10 overthrow il. Since "ihe reign
otterror," az il was called, about the time of
hr. Jefferson s election, the opposilion eeem
never to have been more unwearied in their
attempts, or more reckless OF the mems to
he employ ed, than they have been since the
commencement Of Gen. Jack sons admins
tration. They have allowed this venerable
paIrio, no respite He is 10 be the hated OBJ
Ject OF their persecution to the very close OF
his political life. Though hut few days of
political power remain 10 him, his enemies
are still relentless
S"sooner WAS General Jackson presented
10 The nierican people as candidate for the
Presidency, than his enemies, in all the az G
OF prophetic my siery, began 10 prognoslicate
iuluie storms and disasters nor have they
ceased "to cry out, day nor night" so long
as they could arrest the attention of a single
ear, that the desolalion of war, and the cur
scs OF tyranny and oppression, were TO he the
consequences Of the blind inds, retion of the
people in electing him. But what, in fact L,
has been the result? The time over which
the seit-assumed prophe, then attempted to
cast the shadow OF his own dark spirit, is no
longer iuture-no longer gloom TO be pen
etrated by supernatural vision. II is now eX-
perience, not vague conjecture and what is
1t: Where now are the monsters which, at
the commencement his administration, we
were told crowded our path as il stretched
before US INTO the x,,lored future! Mere
spectres-they have vanished, one by one,
as touched ny The approaching light, and, in
| The retrospect, we only smile al the effect
produced on our childish fears, by the polti-
Cal necToTnancers of those days. The same
Sung Is TO he sung in regard to the succeed
ing administration. 1t is, indeed, already
begun, although that administration is not
yet in existence. No, few of the opposi-
ton newspapers have declared, in advance
uncompromising hostility 10 MIR. Van Buren,
and his administration and what is still
more remarkable, and, in my belief. much
mere Ia he regretted, is, that similar senti-
ments have been avowed on the floor of Con
sress II is said Mr. Van Buren, has come
in 10y the wrong door, and is, therefore, not
entitled to the support Of the free and indie.
pendent, citizens flour country. Now. how
Ia the fact /? He has come in at that very
door OF which the people themselves carry
The key. They have opened il and bid him
enter; and is this all unlawful entry q
tessPass Certainly not in the estimation
OF Inc republican party, whatever il may be
IN The estimation Of the other. Ii is little
singular that party, many of whom avow ed
II to lie their object TO devoIve the election
on The House oi Representatives, 10 defeat
The election of Mr.. Van Buren, by the peo-
pie, should NOW be so very nice in their re,
gard for popular rights they could have
defeated the popular vote altogether, and
long with il, MIR. Van Buren,, all would
have been well. Blu, having failed in that
they denounce hin, as usurper. Isuppose
because he did not get every vote, for he ha,
heen elected by decisive constitutional ma.
jorities, in n majority Of the States.
Ii the President and bis administration are
10 he battered down, without any reference
10 their merits or dement's, but merely 10 ap-
pease the asperties Of party morbidness, We
are in the mos, imminent danger Of anarchy
and revolution. There can be no Govern
ment without an Executive head, and iba
people who shall join IN demolishing this
branch OF our Government, will lie guilty oil
The 'oiiy, nay, madness, OF subveriing their
own liberties. My creed is, that after a
Presiden, has been duly elected, according
10 The forms of the Constitution il is the duty
OF every cI'iZes 10 sustain him in his honest
efforts TO advance the public welfare but
no further. His measures, when good
should he approved and supported when
bad, they should be condemned and put dow n
BY this rule | inreded TO have been govern
ed, f Judge White or Gen. Harrison bat
been elected instead Of b1r Van Buren,, " hc
was my choice.
| Political parties are useful in O Govern
ment IKE ours, so long az their passions ar,
kept under temperate restraints; bu, wher
they are permitted to be so heated as to make
The love OF country secondary TO party victo
ry, they become TOO often the hafbineers o
all The ills 10 which man is heir, in the ab
sencc Of regular government. would no
extinguish parties, but would earnestly op
peal TO every citizen 10 be guarded agains
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