Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-04-14
To he Editor Of the Slaunton Spectator.

SiR:-in your paper Of the 7th inst. among
other things, you say of me, "Mr. Patteson, it is
known, has renounced his Whiggery, and recent
ly protested the so-caled democratic faith,"-
and thus you become the voluntary endorser and
prosecutor of the charge which mainly induced
me to become candidate. deny the charge,
and hold you to proof defy you to shew the
time place, or designate the subject, which
"renounced my Whiggery"
In like manner 1 defy you to shew that have
only 'reeenfiy professed the so-called Democrat
ic faith" l aver that from my earliest youth
professed the so-called Democratic faith and in
public life Of near 90 years ahoays acted on it.
deny ipso Jacfo that ever renounced what
never protested, i. e. Whiggery.-! hold precise
ly the same opinions on all political subjects now
that ever did. If you caa make good your
charge against ine of having changed my politics,
(for tina. is the phrase in which il Is ringing
through the country,) wish no man to vote for
me. But il you cannot, as know you cannot,
then hold you bound by the chivalry and honor
which characterize you as a gentleman to enter
mol. pros. and allow my pretensions to seat in
The House of Delegates to be tried by the good
old Jeifersonian test sis he honest, is he capa-
bleP' Will he fairly and fearlessly represent
majority of his constituents! or in the event of
his being unable conscientiousy to do so in all
things, will he resign! l am an out and out adj
vocate fer the right Of instruction, and duty of
obedience.
know, sir, for ! hear il daily from unquestion-
able sources, while am at home planting corn,
&c. there arc certain old Federalists, ,cho call
Themselves Wings, blabbing it through the county
like Fdr-6re, (Fox-fre, you know is not true fre)
that have turned loco-foco. know not what "a
loco ioco is-but if il is any thing like a Demo-
cratic State Rights Republican, then am full
blooded one. know as little what modern
Wing is! IL it is a blue-light, black-cockade
Federalist, then am not an inch Wing. While
on the contrary, if it be composed of the materi-
ais which made Wing from 'T6 to 'SI--then 1
am every inch Wing.
In word, names have particular charms or
terrors tor me. You must know, sir, that these
old Feds never held fellowship with mc-that
they never considered me Wing. There was
class of Federalists who were Wings and pat
riots, but these were Of the " ashngton and
Marshall school. There were Federalists of
later date who were Wings; these were opposed
To the declaration Of war in 1912, but war being
declared they stood by their country. Such
Wings as these, if now alive, would sustain their
government, instead of dishonorng it in the eyes
of the woodland especially in those Of the
emies of our institutions. Their patriotism would
prompt them to get the Government and people
out Of difficulty and debt-and then scuffle for
the ms and outs. They ,vouM not like some So
called Wings of the present day, after eevating
ID gentleman (even by chance) to the Presidency,
and failing TO be able to him, attempt to dis
gentleman. 1 have known John Tyler long and
intimately, and know him for high-minded,
honorable Virginia gentleman.
Some such Wings would now serve me in the
same way-very willing to use me while
they thought me profitable to their purposes-but
to PROSTATE me if won't PROSTATE and abandon
my principles and party. GU fly at your mast
head the motto, "a support of the present admin
istration as far as its measures may be Whig."
mail to mine ga support of this any admin
istration so far as its measures may be Democratic
RepubIican"-and therefore in my opinion the
more Wing.
You and were in the Legislature together; YOU
voted Congress power over slavery in the Dis.
trct, &c.-l against it. Were you Wing then
You once claimed to be Democratic Republican,
il mistake not. When did you renounce it, and
profess so-called Whiggeiya What are the pol.
itics of your favori:e canddatess You will per-
haps answer, they are Wings. Very well, but
what is Wing? The great Defoe says-eThe
word Wing is Scotch the use of it began when
the Western men, called Cameronians, took arms
frequently for their religion. Wing was word
used in those parts for kind of liquor the west
ern Highlandmen used to drink" A celebrated
Wing Journal, viz. the Edinburgh Review, vol.
81, Will show the state of parties at the next
great period Of Whiggism, liza, and how little
justice there is in the pretensions Of the Wings,
TO liberal and popular views of Government
Among other strong things it says, "The strength
of the Wings lay in the great arstocracy, in the
corporations, and in the trading and monied inter-
ests." What is Wing! DO tell me, and
greatly oblige your friend and ,Douid be servant,
ID. w. PATERSON.