Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-04-03
MR.. RIVEs.


Mr.. RIvES.
This gentleman has lately issued an address to
shs people Of Virginia, in which he gives q clear
and lucid expression Of his opinions Of the leedipg
measure Of the Administration, and Of The conduct
Of those who Of late have so bitterly ussailed him
for his recent course. The manner Of tho attack
upon him BY his former friends, is thus described
by Mr.. X. All who have had access to any Of the
Administration prints within the last few months,
will admit the truth Of his description.
Ever since | have felt II my duty 10 tbs country
under the solemn convictions OF my understanding,
TO oppose q favorite measure Of tbs Administration
which | believed and still believe to bo r aught with
abe gravest dangers to the public liberty and hap
p'ness, | have been the object OF deep political re-
sentiment, and occasionally of fierce and bitter de.
nunciation. But within the last three or 4 ur
months, the storm OF Remuneration hos gathered
new force, and been directed with uDsparing fury
against mo During that period, the Robespierre.
an Press at Washington, under the Immediate con-
troll Of the Administration, has daily exerted oil its
dinbolical resosrces Of falsehood aud defamation To
blaeken my character, sssail my motives, and mis-
represent my conduct. X has culled from its yo-
~cabulary Of abuse all its most hacknied terms Of
political vituperation, such AS Feder0ist, Rene
Sade, D~esertsr, Traitor, and by attaching them
TO my name, has sought to make it the object Of
general odium and feprobstion. AT the same time,
the partisans Of the administration Of every grad,.
Ia and out OF Congress, have been taught that thew
could render no homage more acceptable to power.
than to discharge, each one, his poisoned shaft At
me. The whoc pack, the liiia dog. and ali
Tray, Blanche, and Sweetheart nav, ali been Ia,
loose and banked on 10 this general hun, of ohio.
guy against me. Aad last though no, least, the
most ancient and powerful Press OF our own State.
lately Sgreeing with me too, in my condemnation OF
the leading and test MEASURE of the Administers.
tion, but determined, at oil hazards to sink or
swim with the msn OF it, after many situations of
art thou IN health my brother accompanying the
point oftts dagger, has, AT length. openly proclsi-
med the cdr-cry Of its party, in the coming elee-
tons, TO be R,ves, o, no Riv.s.' The whole pow.
~ and influence Of the Executive are III Va conbi-
ned to pursue mo, it would seem to { otal annihiia-
ttoA.
The cause which has brought down upon his head
ell the abuse Mr.. r. has received, il summnril,
stated in the following paragraph. He could not,
and would mot lend his aid aud coun.enance to mes-
sures which gave to the President the absolute con
troll Of the country's Treasury, because reason and
common sense taught him that BY 80 doing he was
rendering that officer much more po~ erful than the
Constitution ever contemplated, by placing at his
will and pleasure, to a very great extent, the pros
perity of the county, and by placing in his hands
the means by which he could Weld an irresistibIe
influence in every department OF its Government.
The proposition to put the whole revenue of
the country under the absolute control of Tho Err
seus'pe, by committing it to a host of agents APP
pointed by and dependent upon him, is essentially
a question Of public liberty 1t WA so regarded
by the late Administration, when through il. official
organ tthe Globe, The same scheme in 1885 wa.
denounced rs traught with the most alarming dan
ger by s~nlarging Executive poper and putting
In his hand the means of corruption'-as transfer.
ring the public money directly into the palm, of
E1eeaf'oe agents, the friends and psr,izan. Of the
President, instead ofkesping it ON deposite in Bank,
whence 1T caunot be drawn for Other than public
purposes, without certain detection and thus 'es.
posing It to be plundercd by u hundred hands.
where one cannot now reach ~ A sch, me thus
characterized, and characterized with irresistible.
truth, is every thing that is dangerous, demorall.
ring, anti-republican; and while | retain these con.
victions OF its Character. | should bs a traitor In
my country, (fsr worse than being a traitor to pv
party, Us | am accused of bsing,) i'll could give it.
directly OF Indirectly, the slightest support And
yet for refusing to make the declaration that | will
= sink or swim with an Administration which ba.
thrice openly urged, and still continues, to urre.
this scheme upon the country, (wilness the Pre.i.
dents last annual Message to CongressN ,Itbo.,h
it has been FIVE several times, in ON. sbsn or ano.
Their, rejected by the Representatives Of he peoplc.
m, name is hung up In the tables of prescription, !
and | am pursued with The discriminating ery of
party venges nee.