Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-11-12
From the same.


The Presidential contest being now ended, the
chief staple Of editorial dsqusitions is likely be
taken away from political journals There is no
further occasion for articles set forth Gen. HAIR
RfsoE's claims upon the confidence and regard OF
the American people u urge the necessity of
change Of policy; to show that the Adninistfa-
ton Of Mr. Vas BUREs has been, 10 all its leading
measures, hostile the interests Of the county
the solemn decision Of the people has been already
so conclusivey pronounced upon these questions,
that there is no longer any room for discussion.
The excitement Of party feeling has been high
many things have been said and some things have
been done, which, it taken indications Of the per.
/ maneGt character Of the times would give cause Of
serious alarm TO the friends Of free institutions Bot
the consideration remains that the heated eHerves
csnce Of popular canvass soon passes ewa5--that
1 it is the eluson Of temporary feelings excited be-
yond the nsnai temperature Of calm discretiDA-and
that the extremes Of passion oreztrasagance which
give the ultra aspect TO the excitement, come
/ from few only, and are not syuPathized with by
I the great mass on either side.
There i, ore result which viii follow from the
! intense agitation into which the public mind has
been thrown during the CANVASS We allude TO the
Investigation Of Prine5pieS. So many controvrrted
doctrines have been discussed, so many ideas
pertaining o ogr Constitution and government have
been started and even acted within he last elye
years, that settlement Of the questionable points
must be made, aud before long--in oroer lhat some
definite understanding shall be had touching the
real character OF our political system.
! The most important Of these relate to the nature
and extent Of the Executive power. Gen. JACK
sons claim the right Of interpreting the Consi.
tuition and Of executing the laws according as he
understood them--the true relations subsisting be-
tween subordinate officer Of The government and
the authority which appointed him, whether the
functions Of the said subordinate are but the extern
.ions Of the superior power acting thereby, whe
| ther the duties of each not marked out by the
Constii asion and the laws which both Eespon
sible-these important matters for considera-
ton, and must be speedily determined in way
or the other Again, the doctrine has been advan-
ced, that the President is the representative of the
! hole people, and, such, the Inference is drawn
that he embodies in himself the sovereignty of the
constituent body so long as he represents the same
But we need not specify further particulars
The last twelve years hive been fruitful in the way
of generating and developing strange ideas of con
stltutiona construction. The time for reflection is
I now at hand. IT, country has exhibited, since
the election of Gen. Jackson, the singular phenom
enon, as it would appear at fast sight Of an extern
sios Of democratic tendencies to the verge Of
sgraranisrn, and at the time steady and pro-
gressiye increase Of the Executive power of the Co
vernment Two principles, usually adverse TO one
another, have thus grown and strengthened concur
reny and in harmony. We are willing TO look
however, upon the election OF Gen. Harrison, as an
evidence of he fact that there il mighty conser-
vative power in the greatbody of the people, strong
enough to check and control both tendeaces-if the
two not in this case, as is probable, and the
sane in essence.