Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-09-24
DreIarauon OF sUhlg prmetpIes
BUNKER HILL DECLARATION.
sArrENpKR 10, la40.

aud thc purposes which they seek to promote.
Feeling The force OF this obligation, more than
fifty thousand Of the free electors Of the New Eng.
land States, honoted also by the presence Of like
free electors itom nearly every Other State 10 the
union, having assembled Bunker HIiil on this
10Th day Of September, 1910, proceed 10 set fo,lh
DECLARATION OF their principles and ol the
occasion and objects Of their meeting.
In the first place, we declare our unalierable al
tachment TO that public liberty, The purchase OF SO
much bleed and treasure in the acquisition Of which
the fc.d whereon we stand obtained early and inn.
pefishable renoen. Bunker Hill is no, spot on
which we shall forget the principles oil our Fathers,
or soiier any thing TO quench within our own boz
SONS the love VI freedom which we have inherited
from them.
lie the next place, we declare our warm and
hearty devotion TO the Constitution Of the country
and TO that Union of the States which it has hnppi.
" eemented, and long and prosperously pro-
served We call ourselves by no local Names we
recognise no geographical divisions, while we give
utteraneo to our sentiments on high constitutional
and political subjects. We are Americans, citizens
OF the United States, knowing no other country,
and desiring to be distinguished bv no other appel
lation. We believe the Constitution, while admin.
istered wisely and in its proper spirit, to be capa-
Bile OF protecting all parts OF the country securing
all interests, Pefpetuating National Brotherhood
among all the States. We believe that To fon,ent
Of opposite interests between one part OF the coun-
Try and another, and thus 20 disseminate feelings
OF dstrusf, and alienation, while il IN contemp.u-
Jus disregard Of the counsels of the great Father OF
his country, is bal form, in which irregular am
btlon, destitute of all true patriotism, and love OF
power, reckless Of the means OF its qualification,
EXHIBIT their unsubdued and burning desire
We believe, 100, tha, purity spirit, however, nat.
ural on unavoidable il may be, IN free Republics,
YET when u gains such ascendancy in mems
minds. as leaas them TO substitute party for coun.
try, to seek 10 ends but party ends, appreciation
but party approximation, aud 10 fear no feproach or
contumeiy, So that there DE party dis
not only alloys the true enjoyment Of such nstitu.
tons, but weakens, every day, the foundations on
which they stand
We in favor OF the liberty Of speech and of
the press; we friends of free discussion; we
espouse the causeof popular education we believe
in man capacity fof sei-govornment; we desire
TO see the freest and widest discrimination OF knowl-
edge, and Of truth and we believe, especially, in
the benign influence Of religious feeling and moral
instruction, on the social Us well as on the indvid-
! uai happiness Of man.
Holding these general sentiments and opinions,
we have come together To declare that under the
present administration OF the General Government,
course OF measures has been adopted and pursu-
cd IN eur Judgments, disSstrous TO the best inter-
esis OF tho country threatening the accumulation
OF still greater evils utterly hostile TO the tue spir-
II OF the Constitution and the principles Of civil
Liberty and calling upon all men Of honest purpose,
disinlefesed patriotism, and unbiased intelligence
to put forth their utmost constitutional eaolts in
der TO effect q change.
Gen Andrew jackson was elected President of
the United States, and took the ouths and hs seat
on the 4th Of March. 1899; and we readily admit,
that under his administration certain portions Of
The public Affairs were conducted with ability
But we have 10 lament that be no proof ~ ainst
tho nsinuatons and Influences Of evil councillors, pr
perhaps, against his own passions, when moved
and excited. Hence, in one most important branch
OF the public interest, in that essential part Of com.
mercal regulation which respects the money, the
currency, the circulation, and the internal exchan.
ges of the country. accidental occurrences acting
on bis characteristic love Of rule, and uneasiness
under opposition, led him TO depart from all that
was expected from him, end enter upon mea-
sures which plugged both him and the country in
greater and greater difficulties at every STEP 80
that, in this respect, his whole course Of admins
traton was but series Of Inflated experiments
and OF projects, framed in disregard of prudence
and precedent, and bursting in rapid succession
the final explosion taking place few months after
his retirement from office.
| Gen. jackson not elected with any desire or
expectations on the part Of any Of bis supporters,
! that he would interfere with the currency Of The
country. We affirm this as the truth Of history
IL Is incapable OF reiutaUn denial. Ii is as GER
tain as that the American Revolution was not I'M
efaken 10 destroy tue rights of property or over
throw the obligation of morals.
| But unhappy, he became involved In a contfo-
veisy with the then existing Bauk of the United
States. lie manifested desifc, how originating
or by whom inspired, is immateral 10 exercise a
political influence over TINT institution, and to cnu.e
that Institution to exercise in turn political inlu-
ence over the community. Published documents
prove tins, as plainly they prove any other act
OF bis administration In this desire be was resist.
cd, thwarted and finally defeated. But what he
! could not govern, he supposed he could destroy
and the event showed that he did not oserrate his
popularity and his power. lie pursued the Bank
TO the death, and achieved his triumph by the Veto
OF 1882. The accustomed means Of maintaining
sound and uniform currency, for the use of the
whole country, having been thus trampled down
and destroyed, recourse had to these new
modes OF experimental administration, to which we
have already adverted, and which terminated so
disastronsiy, both for the reputation Of his admin
straiion, and for the welfare Of the country.
! But Gen. Jackson did not deny his constitutional
obligations, nor seek TO escape from their force
lie never proiessedly abandoned all the
general currency. His whole conduct elbows that
he admitted. thronshoui, the duty of the General
Government TO maintain supervision over the cur
rency OF the country, both metallic and paper, for
me gehefai good and use OF tie peoplei and be
congratulated both himself and the nation. that by
the measures adopted by him. the currency and the
exchanges Of the country were placed on better
footing than they ever had been under the opera
ton OF Bank of the United States. This conf
dence ~ ms own experiments. know proved
most illusoty But the frequency with which he
repeated this and similar declarations establishes
incentes'ably his own Of the duty Of the Go
vernment.
In all the measures of Gea Jackson upon the
currency, the present Chief Magistrate is known to
have concurred. Like him. he was opposed TO The
Bank OF the United States; like him, he was in
favor OF the State Deposi'e Banks; aud like him,
ne insisted that, by the aid of such Banks the Ad-
minsiralion had accomplished all thar could BE- de-
sired on the great subjects Of the currency and the
exchange.