Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-05-09
SPECTATOR.
To the Voters of Augus,a COUNTY.


FELLow-CIrizENs: On the Fourth
Thursday in May, you will be called on
TO exercise your high aud sovereign
right, OF saying who shall represent you
In the councils of the nation.-The OBJ.
Ject OF this short address, is, to ask you
whether you will exercise that right
hope you will.-and that you will re-
present yourselves, the only persons who
ought to be represented ;-treemen.--
From you all power is legitimately de.
rived, and you entrust it to your dele
gates, who are bound. as of right they
should be. to do y our bidding, when not
contrary TO written law.-Wili you en-
trust it to unfaithful aud incompetent
hands To canting hypocrites, who
say one thing and do another? All the
offices in your gift. are now vacant, and
there will be candidates to supply these
vacancies.-The one most worthy of
notice, and to which l purpose calling
your attention, is the seat in Congress
the grand inquest of the nation, which
should be composed of the talent of the
country, of men who will not knuckle
at the ioo:stool of power, and obey the
"emperoI's nod ;'-but, of those who
VIII act for you. and for the country
the object, and for which interest it is
convened together, and for which pur-
pose the office was created.-How stands
the case ?--Is the interest Of the country
consulted, or is it party interest, that
hydra.hcaded monster which stands in
the way of all fair Legislation. Revert
to the history OF the country fos the last
lew years, and say which interest has
been advanced.-Every one must admit
that its affairs are in ruinous condition.
What has been the cause of this result
Has it been fair and honorable legisla>
ton ?-What has been the cause of the
immense fraud and peculation in some
oil the receiving officers OF the Govern
ment The answer is obvious: it is
because the Offices were entrusted to I'M
worthy and incompetent hands to those
who were The tools of power and the
base sycophants Of party entrusted too,
to men who laid claim TO all the virtue,
all the patriotism and democracy of the
land, but who showed by their acts, how
devotedly they were attached to their
country and her free institutions, vet
still more conclusiveiy how much more
depotediy they were attached 10 party.
and how utterly regardless they were of
all high professions to honour and hon,
esty.--lf favourite measure be oppos>
ed, its opposer is hunted down and de-
cried as unworthy of trust, however
honest and capable he may be.--Look
at the case Of the Virginia Senator, W nose
misfortune it is to oppose prominent
measure Of this administration.-Wh
is the consequence? Heis declared I'M
mt to trust. recreant to his party and
for this offence, for the performance of
his duty, he is ex-communicated the
ban OF prescription has gone forth he
Is read out Of the political church suf-
Tered political martyTdom, and denied
the rites of sepulture.-Every rejecting
mind must abhor and detest such iDtol-
Grant zeal, as unbecoming the spirit OF
our free institutions. and destructive to
the cause of civil liberty.-Allow this
to prevail, the talent OF the country will
be driven in disgust from the councils oil
the nation its business committed to an
official horde, whose only object is self.
aggrandizement, and the day is rot re-
mote when the future traveller as he
journeys along, may inscribe upon the
pillars of some noble structure, there. ,vas
republic. Come, then. felIow>cti-
zens, to the POLLS come one, come all :;
give one day to the service OF your coun>
try, whose aid it SO much needs it may
save it from ruin, and secure tn you the
enjoyment OF ease and happiness under
our present glorious and free constitu.
ton. BRUTUS.