Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1837-10-04


of the democratic candidate for Governor, o
leave respectfully to submit the following
ADDRESS.
To the democratic citizens Of Michigan:
FELLow-C ITIzENs--The undersigned,
your fellow-citizens of the metropolis, deem
it due to you, and TO themselves, to ad-
dress you on the subject of the approach
| ing election. From the course of ungen.
erous denunciation pursued by the oppo-
nents of Gov. Mason--leaving the usual
path of political discussion and official in
quiry, and adopting the scheme of misrep-
resentation and sander-the immediate
neighbors Of the Republican candidate, who
know the falsehood and injustice, of the
charges urged against him, arc culled up
on by an imperious sense of duty, 10 repel
them, by laying before you an unvarnish-
ed statement of facts.
1t is to be lamented by every lover of
social order, that the exercise of the elec-
tive franchise, in country where it is so
free to all, whether rich or poor, should be
accompanied by unhaowed attempts, reck-
lessly to sacrifice private reputation. Such
conduct, however, has frequently marked
and distinguished the political warfare
waged by the aristocracy. Foolishly ia
king the flattering JUNCTION TO their souls"
that they were born to rule" and that
their acquired or inherited wealth entitled
them especially to the appellation of the
well.born" and of being exclusively re-
spectacle, they elevate for common obser-
walton their standard of moral rectitude, to
which, their opponents are required to con.
form, but which they themselves have no
power to initiate. Like finger boards at
cross roads, they point and pirate virtue
and decency, and fitness and piety, but re-
main stationary in the moral inability to
obey their own behests.
But this system Of calumny is not new
in the history Of our political contests
The author of the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence, he, who stood foremost in his native
State, and in the councils of the nation, in
the glorious work of overturning the feu-
dial encroachments upon the inalienable
rights of man he who drafted the law of
Virginia equalizng among children the
right ofinheritance when presented to the
consideration of the American people as q
candidate for the Chief Magstracy, and
| during his administration, received meas
ures overflowingy full Of party abuse
His domestic iresde was ruthlessly inva-
ded. Infamous doggerels were dedicated
to scandalize his name and render him OBJ
noxious to public prejudice. Invention
was prolific in falsehood. He was called
" coward" "traitor"" an infdel," and in
the pay of France" Not content with
these general denunciations, plausible tales
were spread before the people, calculated
TO lead the credulous and unsuspecting to
believe that Mr.. Jefferson had cowardly
deserted his post in the revolutionary war,
and was so treacherous and mercenary as
to sell himself and his country for French
gold. Such was party calumny thirty
years ago.
The same foul spirit seems still TO be a.
broad. In aspiring to Office, the infamy OF
the means is disregarded. 1t is within the
recollection of all, how the venerable hero
of New ORLEANS was traduced as muir.
derer, and even the grave where reposed
the ashes of his wife, sacriligiously torn
open, in order to crafty tigers rapacity
for the destruction of reputation.
With such political partizans, experience
appears 10 exercise but little influence
In the frenzy of hate, they forget past dc
feat, and the manifest inulility of falsehoot
and sander TO promote their designs; they
overlook the fact that the American PEG
pie are too intelligent to be led astray from
principle by such political reasoning
Charges as false, as vile, and as dishonor
able, as those published against Thomas
Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, are nov
circulated throughout the state agains
Stevens Il. Mason. He is charged witt
being drunkard, robber Of The public, Z
very Barrabus, traitor 10 the interests Q
Michigan, and acith distributing money q
the polls, in order to influence and corrur
the free elections Of The people.
All these accusations, separately an
J collectively, we, as neighbors of Governo
Mason, unhestatingly pronounce as ma
, liciously false, and ,oithont The shadop Of I
r foundation. They are known to all il
f this city as such. No proof, howeve
weak, can be offered to sustain the allega
{ ton of either. But his foes expect the ex
ercse of credulous faith, where his so
cial habits and general intercourse are un
known. They rely upon the snow-ba
7 characteristic increase of SANDER, and tho
the greater the distance over which tn
; falschood spreads, the moro implicit the be
: lief, and the moro exaggerated the story
4 Let the antdote follow the poison. w
, seek to di abuse the public mind, and, foal
lessly assert that the moral department {
: Mr.. Mason, as citizen and neighbor,
unquestionably bcyond all reproach.-
e Rgidly temperate in his habits, uprgh
0 honest and frank in all his intercourse, h
G sets an example to those who denounc
J. him, which would be well for society the
would more closely follow.
We would entreat your attention, fellow
$ citizens, to two of the charges, whicl
!. through the medium of the public pres
/ have gravely assumed the implication
g official misconduct. We allude TO thos
6 which Charge
It First. That Gov. Mason was traiic
n to the honor and interests of Michigan,
:. relation to that portion Of the peninsula
/. granted by act OF Congress to noighbo
II ing State; and
il Secondly. That he used his official II
!. flucnce at recent election, and distribu
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