The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-10-08


chuse,,s, stated TO me while pulling an oar
with each hand, and with the sleeves OF his
red shirt rolled up above his elbows, against
the arguments, the theories and practices ct
the Administration and all lis friends IN or
GU, of Congress, and take the verdict of the
country, and Of the civilized world, whether
he has no, the best side of the question.
Since have adyer,ed TO this conversation
gentlemen, allow me 10 say that this neigh
Dor Of mine is a man Of fifty, one Of several
sons of poor man; that by his labor he
has obtained some lew acres, bis own unin
cumbered freehold, has comfortable dwell.
ing, aud plenty of the poor mans blessings.
OF these, | have known SIX, decently clad,
each with the book, the slate and the map,
proper TO its age, oil going at The same time
daily TO eujoy the blessing OF that great
glory Of New England, the common free
school. Who can contemplate this, and
thousands of other cases like II, not as pic
lures, but as common facts, withou, feeling
how much our free institutions, and the poll
CIV hitherto pursued, have done for the CON
fort and happiness OF the mass oil our citl
zens : Where in Europe, where m any
par, OF the world out Of our country, shall
We find labor thus rewarded, and the gener
al condition Of the people so good No
where. No where Away, then, with the
injustice aud folly Of reducing the costs OF
productions With us 10 the common standard
of the world. Away, then, OF once and
forever, with the miserable policy winch
would briug the condition Of a laborer N
the United States, to that Of laborer IN
Russia or Sweden, in France or Germany,
10 Italy or Corsica. Instead Of following
these examples, lei US held up our own which
all nalious may well envy, and which, IN
happily, in NEST parts OF the earth II Is
easier TO envy than 10 initiate.
But il is The cry and effort Of the times
10 stimulate ttosa who are called poor,
agans, lhuse who are called rich; and ye,
among those who argue this cry aud seek
to profit by it, there is betrayed sometimes
an occasional sEeer at whatever savors Of
humble life. Witness The rOproach against
o candidate nov before the people for their
highest honors, that a Leg Cabin, with
plenty of Hard CIDER, is good enoogh for
him.
Ii appears 10 some persons, that great
deal too much is made OF the Log CABIN.
No man Of sense supposes, certainly, that
having lived IN Log Cabin Is any further
proof OF qualification for the Presidency,
than as il creates presumption, thin any
one who from humble condition, or under
unfavorable circumstances, has been una
bic TO attract considerable degree Of pub
lie attention, is possessed OF reputable quail
ties, moral and intellectual.
Blu, it is to be remembered, that this mat
ter of the Log Cabin originated, not with
the friends Of the Wing candidate, 10, with
his enemies. Soon after his nomination at
Harrisburg, a writer for one Of the leading
administration papers spoke Of his {" Log
Cabin" and bis use Of I" hard cider, By way
Of sheer and rcproach. As might have
been expected, for pretenders are generally
false, this iaunt at humble lie proceeded
from the party winch claims Cor Itself the
character Of the pufest democracy. The
whole party appeared to ENJOY IT, or at least
they countenanced it, by silent acqwes
cence for do cot koow that 10 this day,
any eminent individual, or any Leading news
papers, attached to the Administration, has
rebuked this scornlul leerIng at the suppos
ed humble condition or circumstances IN life,
past or present, Of worthy man and war
worn soldier. Bot II touched a tender point
in the public feeling. Il naturally reused
Indignation. What was intended as re.
I proach was immediately seized on, as merit.
BE it so--be It SO, vas the Install burst
Of the public voice. Let him be the Log
CABIN Candidate. What you say IN scoru,
VIC will shout with oil our lungs; from this
day, we have our cry Of rally, and NO shall
see whether he, Who has dwell, IN one Of the
rude abades Of the West, may not become
/ the best house in the country
A Il this is natural, aud springs from sour.
ces Of jus, feeling. Other things, gentle.
men, have had q similar origin. We oil
know tina, the term Wing" was bestowed
in derison, two hundred years ago, on those
! "tIS "tiC AtlRbs,tlt wv iDiiL " itbblA1 dDb
our national air of Yankee Doodle was corn
posed by British officers, in ridicue Of the
American troops. Yet ere long, the last
Of the British Armies laid down lis nrms at
+ York, while this same air was PLAYING ~
the ears Of officers and men. Gentlemen,
I /, is ouly shallow minded preteuders, ubo
either make distinguished origin matter Of
I personal merit, or obscure origin mailer oil
personal reproach Taunt and scoliing a,
( the humble condition Of early life, affect no.
body IN this country, bu, those who are
( foolish enough to indulge 10 them, and they
are sufficiently punished BY public rebukc.
A man who IS not ashamed OF himself, need
no, be ashamed Of his early condition.
Geuile'nea,ss did not happen 10 mo to be
born, but my eldest brothers and sisters
we're born IN q log cabin, raised amid the
snow drils Of New Hampshire, at a pc
Rod so early, as that when tho smoke first
rose from lis rude chimney, and cured over
the frozen bills, there was no similar cyi
dence Of a white mans habtlation between
1t, and the settlements on the rivers Of Can
ada. Its remains still exist. ! make To II