Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-10-15

gran<iize the Presidential Office. and n enc
tam 1t IN its aggrandizement; to rebnke An
abolish the detestable and detested max;m
mat 1.-THE spoils of the vanquished belong =
tne victors;" to restore the representative
Oh the People and the States to their ms
uominion In our councils; and to counteyac
the I'M tendency of the Government to a simpl,
Elective Monarchy: these great objects con.
sulIte ruling motive of our opposition TO tn,
! te-eiection OF President Van Buren,. and o
our preference OF Gen. Harrison. IF tha
n"pPy cnange OF Administration shall be cf
iec'ed which we now confidently hone and
expect, we trust and believe that while all tbs
unprlncipled and servile men who are now
enjoying and abusing public office, and all IN
make way for whom faithful and capable off,
GERS have been removed without f.ult or inn
putatlon OF fault. will be dismissed from the
places they dishonor, every honest and COM
Petent pubic servant without regard to par
~ distinctions, will be retained i'm the public
service. pN''o
There IS only one other point, intimately
connected with those we have already presen.
ted to the consideration of our felow-citizens.
to which. for the present, we desire to cali
their attention. To curb and arrest the ten.
dency of the Federal Government to the con.
centration of all power in the Executive
mead, no eSpedient has been suggested SO
likely to be efficient as the restriction Of the
presidency to single term of office. The ex-
ample OF Washington suficed to restrict the
once to two terms; and if he had followed
the dictates OF his own wisdom, uncontrolled
by the circumstances in which he was placed,
ne would have accomplished what Harrison
is solemnly pledged to accomplish by his ex-
ample, the restriction of it to one term.
IL is not mere chanue of man k,, -,.l
tai reform, that we desire and aim at.
II what VIC have said upon the topics to
whlch we have adverted, be founded i'm rea-
son, this alone ought to be decisive with orr
oroiher republicans of all parties. We re-
Train from any consideration of MANY other
grave objections to the political character and
conduct of President Van Buren,, to the mis-
chievous policy of his Administration, to his
faults OF commission and omission; because
the bare enumeration ofthem would swell this
address beyond all moderate bounds; and be-
cause they have been already SO discussed.
In every part of this wide extended empire
mat argument might fatigue the public mind
nut could not enlighten. Neither shall we
oesioW any notice here, on the false and alb
sufo charges which have been alleged against
zen, harrison, or the malignant calumnies
that have been fabricated to blacken his char.
ahnSa
which have been poured in torrents upon him.
Tor II the voice of history and of truth and
Jasuce has not been deemed wholly unwor-
thy OF hearing, those charges and those
SANDERS do not now require refutation.
Inc purposes tn which this address has
oeen confined, have excluded any remark on
the subject of the Vice Presidency. Nor On
that subject, should we have deemed il ne
Gessary TO say but word to the people of
Virginia: they have to choose between John
Tyler and Richard NJ. Johnson.
The Address was read by Mr.. Leigh, and
adopted by acclamation.1
MIR. WEBSTER's SPEECH
The President then rose and introduced to
the Convention, Mr.. WEBSTER, who was
received amidst the most tumuItums cbesr-
ing above which rose in every quarter the
most inspiring cries of'Welcome: welcome ;,
Slleaee having been in a few minutes re-
stored, 'o-
MI. WEBSTER rose and addressed the Con-
vention as follows:
PrSn'ans: The wisdom of our fathers has
established ior us Constitution of Govern
Ilcht' wmch enables me to appear here to.
anu 70 aaafess you as my feLio,U-cifizens,
Scneering') and half century of experience
common
est, how conducive to our common renovn
and glory, is that Constitution by which we
have been united. l desire to pay due honor
to those illustrious men who made us--tbe
children OF those who fell at Bunker Hill and
orktown-menbers of the same political
'amiIy, tied together by the same common
utstihy' and awaiting together the same
common prosperity or common adversely in
all time to come. 1t is the extraordinary ma.
ture OF the times, united with long cher
ished desire to visit Virginia, which has no.
casioned me the pleasure l enjoy of being II
the midst of you all to-day. i have com,
more Tor the purpose Of seeing and of bearine
you than of speaking to you myself. hav5
come to mlngle myself among YOU; to lister
10 me words OF your wise and patriotic men
mat may AID my own patriotic feeling, b,
communication with the chivalrous spirits q
'''ls ancient Dominion. (Cbeers.) But in
as'hucn as there are, or may be, some cues
lions OF national policy or of constitutions
powell OH winch you and l differ, there arr
some aIhiaoie persons who are so very con
eiuerdte ot your reputation and of my rem
tatlon, as to signify that thew esteem i,
great breach of propriety for me. that w,
should Invite me to come here. or ,bat
should come among you. cloud laupb,..
ana cheering, mingled with cries of wei
come, welcome.'') Let us hope that thes
amisoie persons will allay their own fears.
II there be any question or questions o,
which which you and differ in opinion, those oucs
lons are not to be the topics of discussion
To-Day. NO! We are not quite soft enough
Ioi such an operation as that. daughter.
we are battling together in the face of
colnmon enemy--we are armed to the teeth
putting forth as many hands as Briareus, AM
with each hand dealing him all the blows "
can-and does he imagine that at such mo
ment We shall be carrying on our family con