Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-04-14

4 oo"ouess therc have been many-may be discov
GREG w areview Tiny public service to the coun
ny, can win mistaken confidence appcal L
'hat Divine arbicr for the truth Of The declaration
mat nave been influenced by no impure purpose
no personal mo'ive-have sought no personal ap
grandizement; but that in all my public acts
nave had sole and single eye. and warm an,
devo'ed heart, directed aud dedicated TO what i,
III! "es' Judgment ibeleved TO be the true inter
esis oil my country.
During that long period howevor b,,cro, q.
cap'd the fate of other public men, nor failed &c
incur censnre and detraciion Of the bitteres s,os
unreien'ing, and most malignant character: and
ihou.''i not ,i""yc insensibie TO the pain il was
meant ~ 'nii'e,, nave borne it in general with
composnre, and without disturbance here. rpo;,,
ING TO his breast. waiting as have done. In ncr
lect ana undoub,ing confidence, for the ultimate
triumph ofJustice and of truth, and i'm the entire
persuasion that time would, in the end, settle all
things as they should be, and that whatever wrono
OF 'nJnsuce might experience at the hands OF
man, lie TO whom all hearts are omen and FIJI, y
known, would in the end, by the insrrutnbIo J;:,
pensations OF Ills providence rectify all error
redress all wrong, and cause ample Justice TO be
done.
But have not meanwhile been unsustaincd.
everywhere throughout the extent of this great
continent have had cordial wnrmhe,r,ed and
devoted friends, who have known me and Justly
appreciated my motives. To them, if languaoe
were susceptible OF fully expressing nv acknowl-
edSments, would now offer them as all the re-
turn nave now to make for their genuine disin-
terested, and perseveriug fidelity and devoted at
'achiheht' Dut II iai in suitable language to
express my gratitude to them for all the Kindness
they have shown me--what shall ! say-what can
say al all commensurate with those feelings of
gratitude which owe TO the State whose humble
representative and servant i have been i'm this
Chamber Here Mr.. CTS feeling appeared to
oveIpower nun, and he proceeded with deep sem
sibility and with difficult utterauce.]
lemigraed from Virginia to the State Of Ken.
lucky now nearly forty-fve years ago; went as
ah orphan VINO had not yet attained the age of
maJorliy-who had never recognized "A fathers
smile nor felt his caresses --poor--pcpnylcss-
without the favor Of the great-with an imperfect
ana inadequate educa,on, limited to the ordinary
business and common pursuits of life but scarce
NAG set my loot upon her generous soil when
was selzed and embraced with parental fondness,
caressed as though had been a favorie child,
ana patronlZed with liberal and uubounded NUM-
hcence' From that period the highest honors of
the Stale have been freely bestowed upon me
ana aiterward, I'm the darkest hour Of calumny
ana detracton, when seemed to be forsakcn by
all the rest o. the world, she threw her broad and
iiApenetrable shield around me, and bearing me
up aioit In her courageous arms, repealed the poi
Sonea shafts that were aimed at my destruction,
a-,~ ~i',t,o"Sca s,ooA-
and uniounded assault.
But tho ingenuity of my assaants is never OK
hausted and 1t seems have subjected myself to
d new ePithet /; which do not know whether it
Should be taken in honor dcrogaton | am
heid up to the country dictator" dicta-
tor! The idea of dictatorship is drawn from
roman institutions and at the time the Office
was created the person who welded the tremend- |
Gus weight of authority il conferred concentrated
IN MS own person an absolute power over the |
llves and property OF all his fellow citizens; he |
could raise armies; he could build and man ma
Vies; he could levy taxes at will. and raise any |
amount OF revenue he might choose to demand |
and life and death rested on his fiat. III had
beena dictator, as an, said to have BEEN where |
Is the power with which was clothed! Had |
any army any navy. any revenue any pat |
fonage In word, any power whatever! If / !
mad been dictator, think that even those who |
have the most freely applied to me the anpella- |
Hon must be compelled to make two admissions !
frSt, that my dictatorship has been distinguished |
by no cruel executions. stained by no blood, nor |
Soiied by any act OF dishonor and, i'm the second
place, think they must own (though do not |
exactly know what date my commission of dicta- !
Tor bears imagine, however, it must have com
nenced with the extra SESSION. that if did usurp
Inc power OF Dictator at least voluntarily sur
1t within shorter period than was aiiot-
led Tor the duration OF The dictatorship Of the Ro-
man Commonwealth.
Vi to have sought, at the extra session and at
NE present, by the corporation of my friends, to
0"iiJ out t!e great measures Intended by The pop
liar majority OF 1910, and 10 have desired that
they should all have been adopted and executed (;
II 10 have anXicusly desired to see dsordered |
currency regulated and restored and irregular ex-
changes equallzed and adjusted il to have la !
bored to repenIsh the empty Golfers Of the Treas
ury by suitable duties If to have endeavored TO !
extend relief to the unfortunate bankrupts Of
the country, who had been ruined in great mea- |
sure by the erroneous policy, as we believed, Of
ms Government II to seek to limit, circum- |
scribe, and restrain Executive authority il TO |
Ietrench unnecessary expenditure and abolish use
less Offices and institutions ; if, whilst the pub !
lie honor Is preserved uniarnished by supplying
revenue adequate to meet the national engage
ments, incidental protection be afforded To the
national Industry; if to entertain an ardent sole
i!ude to redeem every pledge and execute every
promise fairly made by my political friends with
d view TO the acquisition Of power from the hands
OF an honest and confiding People if these OBJ
jects constitute man DicTAToR, why, then,
suppose must be content to bear, although |
SIT only share with my friends, the odiuuI or the
honor OF the epithet, as it may be considered On
the one hand or the other.
lhatIny nature is warm, my temper ardent, my
disposition, especially in relation 10 the public
service, enthusiastic, | am fully ready to own !;
and those who suppose that have been assuming
the dictatorship have only mistaken for arrogance
or consumption that iervent ardor and devotion
which Is natural to my constitution, which may
have displayed with too little regard 10 cold, cal
cuiatlpg, and cautious prudence, in sustaining and
zeaious'y supporting important national measures
oil PoIicy which have presented and proposed
during long and arduous career Of service in
the pubic councils of my country, especially dur
ing The last eleven years ] have held seat in the
Il