Liberty advocate., 1838-07-28

HISt HuLlDcT. III is CHeeTlHB ~ SEC So IIld
ny advocates OF reform springing up il
every section Of the State. If the peopl
only see the corruption and misrule of th'
Administration, it cannot fail TO meet thei
unqualified condemnation.
Much difference Of opinion appears tc
prevail among the Van Burenites in rela,
llon to the course pursued by our Repre-
sentatives, Messrs. PRENTIss and WORD
In the late session of Congress. Some not
being able TO lay hold on any overt act
worthy ofcondemnation, strain their inge-
nuity to find fault with their motives; while
others seem disposed to act candidly and
give credit where it is due. 1t must be a
source Of qualification to our representa-
tves TO know that, in relation to those
measures with which the interests of Mis-
sissippi are intimately connected, their acts
at least have been approved not only by
their political friends but also by large
portion of their opponents The pre-
emption bill, in which a large por-
ton of the citizens of the northern part
ofthc State is deeply interested, has call
ed forth a general expression of opinion
from the press. We take the following
from the Mississippi lntelligencer, publish
ed at Pontotoc, a most devoted partizan of
Van Buren,.
We take pleasure in rendering our thanks
TO Messrs. Prentiss and Word for their man.
ly and efficient support ofthis portion ofthe
policy of Mr.. Van Buren's administration.
We never permitted ourselves to doubt that
they would vote for the bill.-We knew
they had abundant opportunities of ascer-
tanning the true character Of the hardy pi-
oneers Of the West, and that their sense of
justice and of truth forbade the idea oftheir
joining in the heartless libels which we're
thundered in the other end of the capitol a.
gainst so large portion Of their consttu-
ents.
The correspondence before alluded to,
speaks in very Handsome terms of the
speech ofMr. Word, delivered in favor of
the bill. And by the by, from our own
knowledge of that gentleman, we should {
expect much more decided impression to
be made in its favor by his remarks, than
by the frothy defamation of his colleague.
The friends of Mr.. WORD in this section
of the STATE have not had an opportunity to
Judge for themselves Of his talents, and his
opponents have spared no pains to ridicule
and represent him as the mere
automaton Of Mr.. Prentiss. In these days
when the judgments Of men, are so much
trammelled by political prejudice, the vol
untary testimony Of Van Buren, editor
residing in the same village with Mr..
Word, is the strongest evidence that he is
a man above mediocrity.
The Free Trader labors to show that
Messrs. Prentiss and Word were insincere
in their support ofthe pre-emption bill and
by way of showing that their course was
somewhat suspicious, states that they voted
for an amendment offered by Mr.. Briggs Of
Massachusetts,, "which would cucumber
he title of every quarter section, and pro-
luce an endless litigation ruinous to the !
poor settler" and that "aiter the bill had {
been engrossed and read a third time, and '
he question was about being put on its f.
lal passage, Mr.. Prentiss, in opposition to !
he wishes and opportunities of all of its s
friends, moved to recommit it. Not ?
Jingle friend of the bill, Word perhaps ex- '
epted, supported him, because whether !.
lis motion had a good or bad object in n
lew, to make it at that stage was putting "
in jeopardy" The Free Trader fur s.
her states that, "Mr. Prentiss is either at u
Ieart, with Mr. Clay an enemy Of the bill, =
IT else he is most wretched tactician. y
We care not which," We think it highly W
robable that the Free Trader has been o.
nlsiniormed as TO the facts. We have .
cen quite different version of the story, g.
'hich goes to show that our representa- h,