Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-12-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE


sage Of President Van Bnren. Although il may
seem TO readers that our editogial columns
might be better filed, We cannot restrain the sx-
preston Of few Of the thoughts that have been
suggested by il. The contrast between this docu.
rnent and the Messages Of President Jackson cam
not fail to strike every reader who remembers the
bold, confident, hectoring, and dognaticaI style
which marked The productions Of the old Roman.
The tone of the paper before Us, is evidently tame
and subdued, evincing The feet that It's puthor IL
covering under the repeated stern .rebukes which
have recently been awarded By the people TO him
and his measures.
We once heard a supporter Of President Jack
praisug him in ex,raveg ant terms for his de-
termined and logged adherence to schemes Of p,l-
ICY in spite q HE opinion and wishes Of the peo-
pie, and Of the ruinous effect Of the measures He
,oberly asked if he had not rather see the
country go to the devil than that the President
should abandon his course of policy and aeknowl
edge his crror9 Certainly was the reply, ''and
Jackson is the very tho would see the coun-
try 90 to the devil before be would show the white
feather."
Now we hold this sentiment to be cminently
characteristic of the spirit that induced the supper
ters Of Gen Jackson to abandon all their own ideas
OF Government peiicy and to follow him blind
fold through career, unparalleled in the history
of civilized nations, for its wsywardness and mbe-
cility. Bot Mr.. Van Buren, knows very we'll that
he stands upon different footing with the people.
He has been warned by the elections which have
i
taken place since the commencement of his admin
istration that his name is not, in ITSELF tower of
strength, that his measures arc to be Judged upon
their merits-ana ,hat he is to be held accountable
for their effect upon the country. He knows that
he is not followed as hs predecessor was by hood
winked adherents, who would see the cosntry ego
to the d--' rather than bis glory should be eclp-
sed, but that if his friend of the eleven foot should
call for his own, he and his fortunes would be sur
rendered, and the institutions saved, under which
the country has advanced her present prosperous
and elevated position. 81 afst s
From these considerations arises the difficulty of
following in the footsteps of hts lustrious prede-
cessor," and those who know him bes;, we'll know
that in bis heart he deplores the obligation which
he cannot throw off to attempt To carry out the
mad projects If his former patron and MASTER
When be declared to the New York Committee
in the spring Of 1857, that there was no necessity
for assembling Congress before the regular consii.
tutional period---and when in the short space of
little more than fortnight he acknowledgedils
necessity, and did the very thing that so recently
he had refused TO do; the people saw that Andrew
Jackson was not at the helm; but that the Govern
ment was in the hands Of pigmy-a coward poll
tician, who cramped by conflicting promises
and pledges. In the vain effort to redeem these
pledges. he has since fallen. covered with confusion
and defeat and all cherished national insti,u-
tions have tottered and staggered until rescued
by that sober second thought which, while it has
saved the country, has placed upon him an indeh-
bic stamp of condemnation.
In addition to its total want ofihat manly inde4
pendence which should characteriz, such a docr1
ment, we regard the late Message as highly otiec4
tionabe. Its arguments are false and sophistica-
and its facts if not false upon their face are eviden
ly set forth in a manner and with view to deceive 4
and delude The late endorsements are attribu- y
ted TO " ercessire issues Of Bank paper to Md
Unforeseen 'eithdroscal Of foreign CAPITAL, to he
'necitabfe deraa cement arising from NE distri5u}
tom Of tie sarPlas revenue among he States, and
10 The heary sapenses cf tie Florida ,carn Id
the same paragraph, iii announced that con6dences
has been restored by the curtalmen of Bank issues
by eurbing the adventurous and sanguine spirit %
speculation" and by other means, for which thess
President modestly assigns TO himself most of tbs
credit-while by inference and insinuation the Co
vernmens is acquitted ofall blame. and the respon.
Sbiliiy thrown upon the Banks, the Foreigners, thS
Indians, and the advocates of a distribution Of lid
surplus, u
Now where rests the blame for the excessive is.
sues OF Bank paper Is it TO be forgotten that Il
Government wrested the public treasure from tn
United States Bank, and scattered il amid hords
oil chosen depositores-and cnjoined upon then
to leni 1t freely for general commercial and trading
purPoSes-thds inviting the Banks to flood tts
ntry with their issues--and inviting speculaors
to make the most of the state of things thus prod$
ccd. Was not the foreign capital driven from tht
country, by the mischievous intermeddling Of III
Government with the currency, Which impsired tla
security of all capital Was not the Distribution
the surplus revenue FIRST recommended by General
Jacksonl Has not the lndau war in Florida COSY
the country unnecessary millions of money in conf
sequence OF the imbecile management Of the Wac
Department. And were not these evils foreseet
and predicted Was not the Government warnc
by Wing statesmen, and by the Wing press througbt
out the land that these the legitimate fuI't
OF the policy which it recommended ~
The evils which the country has sustained Il
attributable, originally, to the corruption and M
management of the Government, and the fact eans
not be longer concealed The President need II