Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1837-03-09

globe; and with the diffusion OF intel
lgence. II may well be hoped that the,
will constantly diminish in frequenc,
and violence. The generous patriotism
and sound common sense OF the grea
mass of our fellow citizens. will assur,
edly, in time. produce this result; 70,
. every assumption Of illegal pow Ct
not only wounds the majcsiy Of the
law. but furnishes preiext Cor abridy.
ing the hbertie, OF the people, the lat
ter have the most direct and permanent
interest IN preserving the great land.
mards OF social order. and maintaining,
on all occasions. tho inviolsbility OF
those constitutional and legal provision.
which they themselves have made.
In supposed un6tncss Of our insii.
tutions for those hostile emergencies.
which no country can always avoid.
their friends found fruitful source oi
| apprehension. their enemies OF hone.
While they ioresaw lsss p:omp,ness oi
action than an Governments differently
formed. they overlooked the far more
important consideration. that with u,
war could never be the result Of ind.
vidual or irresponsible will but must
be measure OF redress for iniurie
sustained. voluntarily re.orted 10 bv
those who were to bear the necessary
sacrifice, who would consequently feel
an individual interest in the contest
and whose energy would b, common.
sura,e with the difficulties 20 be en-.
counterei. Actual events have prov
ed their error: the last war, far from
inpairlng, gave new confidence 10 our
Government, and amid recent appre-
tensions o! similar conflict, we saw
that the energies Of our country would
not be wanting in ample season to vim
dictate It's rights. We may not possess.
as we should not desire TO possess. the
extended and ever ready military or
ganization OF other nations: we NAV
occasionally suffer in the outset Tor the
want Of 1t; but. among ourselves, all
doubt upon this great point has ceased
while salutary experience will pre-
vent contrary opinion from Inviting
aggression from abroad.
Certain danger was foretold from the
extension oil our territory. the mul,ipli-
cation OF States, and the increase of
population. Our system was supposed
TO be adapted only TO boundaries com
paratvely narrow. These have been
widened beyond conjecture ; the mem.
bcrs OF our contcderacy are already
doubled; and the numbers OF our peo.
pie are incredibly augmented. The
alleged causes OF danger have long sur
passed anticipation. but none of the
consequences have followed. The
power and influence oi the republic
have risen 10 a height obvious TO all
mankind respect for its authority was
not more apparent at is ancient, than
at its present limits; new and mex
aauSiible sources of general prosperity
have been opened; the effects OF dis
lance have been ayerted by the inven.
iive genius Of our people, developed and
fo'iered by the spiri, Of our institutions:
and the enlarged variety and amount
oil Interests, productions. and pursuits.
have strengthened the chain Of mutual
dependence and formed a circle Of mu-
tual benefits, too apparent ever to be
overlooked.
In justly balancing the powers OF
the Federal and State authorities. diff
cultes nearly insurmountable arose at
the outset and subsequent collisions
were deemed inevitable. Amid these.
1t was scarcely believed possible that
a scheme Of government, so complies
IN construction, could remain uniniur-
ed. From time TO time embarrassnents
have certainly occurred; but how Just
Is the confidence Of future safety i'm
parted by the knowledge that each in
succession has been happily removed.
Overlooking partial and temporary evils
AZ inseParable from the practical opera
ton OF all human institutions. and look.
ing only to the general result, every
patriot has reason TO be satisfied. =
While the Federal Government has
successfully performed its appropriate
functions in relation to foreign affairs.
and concerns evidently national. that
Of every State has remarkably improv-
ed in protecting and developing local
Interests and individual welfare and
II the vibrations OF authority have &C.
casionally tended too much towards
one or the other, it is unquestionably
certain that the ultimate operation OF
the entire system has been TO strength
en- all the existing institutions. and Ia
elevate our whole country in prosperity
/ and renOwn.
The last. perhaps the greatest OF
the prominent tources Of discord and
disaster. supposed to LUX in our politi
cal condition. was the institution OF
domestic slavery. Our forefathers were
deeply impressed with the drlicacy OF
this subject snd they treated it With
forbearsnee so evidently wise, that.
10 spite Of every sinister forebodlhg.
Il never. until the present period. dis
turbed the tranquility Of our, commoG
country Such result i evidence Of
the justice and the patriotism Of their
course; It - evidence not to be misia-
ken. that an adherence 10 It can pre-
vent all embarrassment from this. as
well AZ from every other anticipated