The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-07-03
For the Spirit Of the Age.
TO THE WINGS,


ing, COOL and honest men of the Wing party, in
Vermont.
have been Wing myself, perhaps am so still,
but have come to the conclusion of publicly stating,
that cannot follow that party in all its ALTERATIONS
What is the true position, in which we find the
two great political divisions of the United States
The party now in power have certain SET of prin-
clpIes, which have been clearly defined, and fully
expressed, and openly acted upon, for the last ten
or twelve years. Now, what is the course for us
to pursue, who honestly differ from them, in rea-
ton to the correctness and tendency of those prn-
cpes Candor and common sense would teach
us, to lay our objections before the public to state
our own principles and the reasoning by which we
support them to find IL candidate for the Presiden-
cy, who is cons 'ienousy with us in our political
views, and one who is competent to the responsible
duties of that high station and then let us appeal
to the intelligence and patriotism of the country,
and calmly await the result. All this is straight
forward business But how different has been the
management of the Wings
They meet in national convention and a Scott
with his fresh, untarnished military honors, and a
wide and well earned popularity-a Webster, with
ms vast, profound and all graspng mind-a Clay,
whose long p'li'al experience has fitted him for
any station, are all passed over, ard General IIar-
rlSon, who has been laid aside by the nation for
years, Is the preferred and chosen one. And then
not dclgnns to announce their own sentiments, or
define thsprncipes and policy that would govern
then nominee if elected the llarrisburgh convcn-
ton was dissolved.
In all this, concluded to acquiescc believing
the opmious and political capacities of their candid
ate would get before the public in due time, But,
instead of this, that worthy old man, who never
surrendered to the British was made 10 surrender,
body and mind, to a comnlltcc--a committee who
in their dcspotir rule, have scarcely allowed hin
the privileges accorded to the inmates of an Eastern
llurem.
so what n fall was there, my countrymCn !"
Next came the announcement, that Harrison was
the greatest General of his ag2. This, had. nj
Least, the merit of being news, to his friends, as
well as his enemies, Not that would dispnmge
his military fame. lie served his country well, in
her hour of need but to magnify and cyagcratc
| that service, l. 10 render u ridiculous.
Next was heard among III friends of Harrison,
a tunu,ous noise, like the sound of many waters
This educated and hgh-minded nation were going
TO a log rolling. Log houses, filled with the un-
coulh implements of a Lakewood settlement, were
built and paced upon large wheels surrounded
by white men, in the glrb of Indians, who raised
the war-whoop and made sham attacks upon the
said log cabins, tomahawk in hand. Barrels Of ci-
der with gourd shells attached to them banner
covered with pictures of Harrison, aud pompous
devices and huge balls with Boosting notices,
were borne with huzzas, and shouting, and bacha-
nal songs, through the streets of our cities, aud
towns. All whose sense of propricty reyolted from
such unhcard of methods of cectionecring, were
slignatized as oce-scckers, and the tools of those
in power And to have their chicilHin in keeping
with the coarse yulgariy of the whole proceeding
he was nicknamed "Old Tip" These dsorgan-
iAng and scandalous "saymgs and dongs' might
have been charged upon the ndiscreet zeal of some
reckless mobs had no, the Wing presses, one and
all, given their coun,enance and approval to the
whole.
Now, of truth, this is all foolish, and all wrong
Let us stop where we are, turn square corner
aud begin anew. Is it forming fair estimate of
the Intelligence and good of the straight-ior
ward, honest hearted yeomanry Of Vermont, TO
| L.. "a, ln,r
votes, by such senseless inunllnery! But there l.
yet time for the party to assume an erect attitude
Let them pull dowd their log cabins, and keep their
hard cider and the pictures of il out Of sight. To
see people drinking cider, for the benefit of their
country, is surely, the most grotesque exhibition
Of patriotism, the word ever saw. " hat must the
pous, and the moral part of community think of
us, while we are making ShibboIeth, a MOTTO
and rally ing word of hard ciie'." Ought we
thus, as a party, to give countenance to the lowest
habits of the domestic class'
And why are we harping eternally upon the mil
itary fame of our candidate, aud oyerhauling old
files of partisan pcrs, printed half century ago,
10 find praise of his Gencraship One would be
led TO think the great question before the nation
was, whether Harrison was great or little COM
niandcr at the battle of the Thames Granting he
was s>Iiul and courageous warrior Is that ali
that is required DO we not want to know, what
his principles and capacities, for the Prcsden-
cy, lie, US direct his committee to let him 20
so that he may answer III person, TO these and all
other enquiries. To suppose he needs keepers,
lowers him in the estimation of every reasonable
man. Have we not right to know the political
creed of him who we called upon TO support
, How do the Wings, here in Vermont, know, but
what he is Van Buren, man, and will recommend
the Sab Treasury as his first measured If he can
not manage the elec,ionecrng business of his party
without the aid Of committee ; how can we be-
Iieve him capable of conducting the momentous az
fairs of the nation If he will suffer himself to be
; under dic,a,ion now, have we not reason to fear