Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-05-27

cured, and sonr lame elevated 10 q neigDt winch
would have but single competitor 10 the estifna-
ton Of Posterity. In bestoving the palm OF merit
tbs world has become wiser than formerly. The
successful warrior no longer regarded as entitled
to the first place in the temple Of fame. Talents
Of this kind have become TOO common, and TOO oiseh
used for mischieycHs purposes, TO be regat"cu ~
they once we're. In this enlightened age, the mere
hero of the field and the successful ieaaer OF ar
mics may, for the moment attract attention. Dst
Il will be such "a IS bestowed upon the passing
meteor. whose blaze is no longer remembered, when
il il no longer seen. To be esteemed eatEentfy
great. y is necessary 10 be eminenfLy good. The
qualities of the hero and general must be devoted
10 the advantage Of mankind, before he will be
permitted 10 assume The title Of their bentsctor
and the station which he will hold in their regard
and affection will depend not upon the number and
the splendor OF his victories, but upon the results
and the use lie may make Of the influence he ac-
quires from them"
If this letter were the Only evidence
extant, It is sufficient not merely to show
the republican principles of General Hair
rison, but also 10 establish his literary
merits on elevated ground, and to sub.
stantiate the statement Of Edward Ever
cit that " he was ripe scholar"
Ga his return from Colombia, General
Harrison again retired to his farm al North
Bend, where he resided attending to the
avocations OF husbandman, and acting
as clerk of the court Of Hamilton county,
until, by the voice Of his countrymen, he
was called TO the Chief Magistracy of the
nation. . He wen; into Office by an I'M
mense majority of the popular vote, aud
nineteen Of the twenty, six States of the
Union cast their sufirages for him. He
was not permitted long 10 enjoy his new
houurs. Yet, brief as was the space al
lotied him, it is bright spot in the histo-
ry of the Republic. Posteri.y will refer
TO it with delight and appreciation, as con.
temporaries look upon it with unbounded
admiration. Thousands of freemen as
sembled at the Metropolis on the 4th of
March, lS4l, to witness the inauguration
Of the President of their choice 1t was
a grand and imposing pageant Such as
none but airee people could submit =
From the eastern Portco of .the magnifi-
cent Capitol of the nation, surrounded by
Senators and Representatives in Congress,
the Judges Of the Supreme Court, Foreign
Ministers and other dignitares, beneath
the folds OF the stars and the stripes, the
banner Of liberty, in the presence of the
military, and in hearing of vast multi
tude OF his fellow-ctizens, General Harr.
son pronounced his Inaugural Address, in
which he proclaimed the principles that
would guide him as the Chief Magistrate
of the United States. That was proud
day for America The Genius of Lib.
erty chronicled il as one of the most au-
spicious that has dawned upon her lavo-
rite land
The inaugural Address Of President
Harrison will have permanent Judgment
in the recolectons and affection of the
people of the United States. In its style
it is calm, perspicuous, argumentatve,
and dignifed, free from vulgar illusions
or partisan cant in its spirit it is patriotic
American 1t looks TO the whole coun-
try, and breathes an anxious solicltude for
the welfare Of every part OF II In It's
doctrines it is sound, moved in the orbit
traced by the Constitution, and is just
such an address as ought to emanate from
an American statesman.
1t would not be becoming the solemn
occasion nor the place TO introduce here
topics of political controversy. Our OBJ
ect is to present the character of the late
Pre- sident, connected as it now is with the
melancholy occurrence we all depore,
as great national calamity. But we
may say Of the Inaugural \ ddress, with
out transcending the limits we have pre-
scrbed, that if to regard the Constitution
as the supreme law of the land, the char
ter of our rights and liberties the people
as the only legitimate source OF govern.
ment and of power, as the soveregns, and
public officers their mere agents; if to lay
it down as the right Of the people to ex-
press their opinions upon oil subjects con.
troled only by conscience and statutes
of their own making if the determination
to confine the action Of the Chief Magls-
trate to the strict limits of the Constitu-
ton, denying that the Executive is part
OF the Legislative power; restricting the
veto, the most anti.democratic feature Of
that sacred instrument, to the objects evil
IDENTIFY intended by its trainers, and TO pre-
vent intrigue and corruption by the Pre-
sident in securing his reelection, urging
the proprety of limiting his eligibility for
that Office to one term only, resolved to
furnish the example himself; if TO con-
tend that the rights of the States should
be preserved unimpaired by the General
Government, that the patronage of the
Chief Magistrate be regulated by a sound
and patriotic discretion, not interfering
with or corrup.Ing the elective fran
chise, that public officers he kept to their
duty, held to strict accountability, and
NOT allowed to become active political
partisans if the maxim that the purse
and the sword should be kept separate in
Republics as necessary 10 their stability,
that the revenues Of the country should
remain where the Constitution places
them, under the control Of Congress, not
subject to the will Of the President, by
the arbitrary exercise of the power of
appointment to and removal from office !;
if to maintain the liberty Of the press, ask
ing of it freely to discuss and indepen-
IDENTIFY to canvass the measures of the
government il TO deprecate the iorma-
ton Of an Executive party in Congress,
declaring it to be improper for such in.
fluence to be brought to bear upon the
deliberations of the National Legislature,