Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1840-10-22
ToE rHE rarE rRrss
To fIse s'ofers Of Jefferson.

the present deplofablc and unprecedented emcr-
sency, It Is peculiarly the duty. as well as the
privilege uf every American freeman, however
humble he NAV be, boldly to proclaim the honest
sentiments 81 his hear, IN regard 10 the men and
measures Of this most cofrup, and corrupiinr
Administration. ! am induced 10 ask your a.
icnlion to plain, uuyarnished statement Of an-
Men,icaird facts IN relation to the all-absoTbing
e6n,es,sow pending between the People on The
one hand, and The pariizans Of Power ca the
oihcr-a contest, which, like mighty tempest
sweeping over the face Of the deep. IS every
where around us agiia,iug, uphcayinr. and fling
Ing into foam the whole surface Of socieiv.-
And, although the subject is one which has been
50 frequently and so fully discussed before YOU
Of late, as 10 preclude all expectation on my
part. Of being able 10 tell you any thing in re-
gard To Il Of which you are not already aware
yet may not, without presumption, indulge the
hope that, possibly, shall be able dixie "oll
Noualiiy,") to deepen somewhat the impress
isionS that have been already made upon you by
mich,ier and more sailful hands than. mine,
/ IL IS now no, much more than three short
years since, as you all remember, We we're ~
surcd by high authority and tina, no less than
Gen jackson ia his valedictory Address, that
our country then was in a more Aourishinr con-
di'ion than IT ever hal been a, any period since
The formation Of The Government 81 leave, :"
said he upon Tia, memorable oecasiou-"T hare
hi' great P,sp!s prosperous aud happy" And, IN
deed, there were around Us a, tina, time many
evidences to give assurance Of the fact, that.
comparatively speaking, NC were beth "prosper-
Gus" AMI "haPpy." True, there were some
causes for discoutcni, but Ihey were regarded bv
most persons rs mere passing spots upon the up
rising sun uf our prosperity. Peace smiled upon
our bUrdcts-pieny manlled over our fields,
and hardly n cloud OF danger difficulty, or
doub, dimmej The high Heaven Of our hopes -
Agriculture, commerce. manufactures, all were
aourshing, and all yielded an ample recomren,c
for IN" energies with which they were prosecu-
ted. Honest, harl-handed Industry, IN every de-
parinent OF life, was certain to receive an ate-
quaic reward Cor Us exeriionS. Every where the
labourcr was deemed worthy Of his hire-everv
where throughout the length and breadth @: our
land. lie obtained "ihc wages Of an American
freeman, and not the miserable ri,tance OF Eu-
Iopean scriS aud slaves"
Wen, three years have now clapsed-ani
what, ask, Is our condition nows Can Martin
Van BuGcn now say, whaihls .illusifious prcdc-
ceSsor" said bat three short years ago; Can he
say that We are prosperous; Can he say lha, we
are happy Can he sag that his Adm nistration
has been protective one Can he or can any
OF las friends for him, put their fingers upon a
'sihge act OF his, since his Inauguration, which
has redounded, or which is even likely to re-
Idound 10 ihe interest the welfare, OF the honor
of his country defy them to the task They
cannot do it, On the contrary, the history Of
his Administration Is n history Of repeated
abuses, usurPaiions, injuries and wrongs, "al
hIrins in direct object The Establishment Of an ab.e-
iuie tyranny or,r these Sisie,n TIui, general as
seriions prove nothing; 50 here is the evidence
Of the faci-an authentic recapIulation Of some
Of the prominent acts and measures which have
characterized his Administration. You are
doubtless familiar with them all. Yet, pray
you, read the record once again before you vote.
And tell me. does II not evincc on The part OF
our pseudo DsnoerGiic President "a design 10 re-
dues us under absolute desp0fsm" and prove that
Mr.. Martin Van Buren,, Whoss character Is thus
marked by erery act lrhieh may d.jins frani, IS
unfit 10 BE- hs ruler Of free people
In the first place--he has increased the an
nual expenditures Of the Government from
thirteen 10 ihiriy-nine millions Of dollars! Now.
here IS fair sample OF the eon,iasney and re-
frsnehmsm Of the "paleni Democrats" Of the
present day, who Indignantly hurled the younger
Adams from office, because Of his extravaganza,
and yet support Martin Van Buren,. who is ex-
aciiy three umcs as eNirayaeant as John Quincy
Adams ever was! Is that which was e1trava-
gante twelve years ago, economy now Is tina:
which vas wrong then, right now' Do
men reason differently now from former
hmcsf IL not how, Gin the name Of all the
GodS ~ once" can those persons who sup
ported Gen. Jackson, the reform candidate OF
/ ls2o, refuse their votes TO Gen Harrison. the
reform candidate" Of 1870, call upon thcr,
TO be consistent But TO proceed-In the next
place, he has wasted the ordinary revenues Of
the country, which, under the Administration Of
the other Presidents, were amply sufficient for
all the expenses Of the Government. and ont ~
which, besides defraying those expenses. M,
lhfee immediate predecessors paid Oh more than
eighty millions 81 tie public debit lie has
ifeck.cSsly spent the surplus fund uhieh was on
hand when he came into power. and also that
which has since accrued from sources lndcpcn.
/ dent Of The regular income Of the country, A.
mourning TO some $50 OBJ 600 lie has los,
more o. the peoples money 10 three years, ~
hit acfauitlng agents, Than any former President
ever did IN eight years Besides all Ibis, he has
created national deb, by the issac Of bis
/ "TWasury Noes" which debt, amounting 90
many millions, We the People will be obliged 10
pay when ve shall again Be able 10 do So Not
content win wasting our money -baukrupting
the treasury destroying cur currency. and run
meg Us 10 debt he has endcavofed 20 blast our
credit also, By freely .ns.nuauog .n Gruuty s
Report, that The States had pcuuooed Toe Gene.
Itai Government 90 relieve them of their habiii-
Iuef lie has intcrlcicI With Stale Institutions.
and TamP'ei upon State Rights. He has. con-
Iuafy 10 40 precedent contrary 10 ail ibe prb-
icpies o. justice. contrary 10 the Constitution
ani ihe laws. deprived ihe sovereign State Of
New Jcrscy o. iis lawfully elected Representa-
hgcs m che natioual councils. tie has declared
that ihe Executive p component par q ne
legislative department Ifc has introduced i1 us
a @11IrrasurY scheme. and hat recommended
Iis adoption in COL. American parHffr~ i.--ur.