Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-02-16


never did much for themselves after all I;
the Roman Virtue" was generally the
last resort with them. He is safe if he fol-
lows the people; he may lead them il he
be careful, to select only foolish and wick
cd courses there might be some risk OF
their refusing TO follow, il he went honest
lily before them. He has learned the les
son OF Epicte,us, that il is not always good
to be over. yirluous. He is at last dem
agogue.
Become demagogue, his game 10 at
FIRST, anduntl he has become their fayorite,
to obey the people Ito reflect in his repre-
sentative capacity, their whms and their
tyranny but, as soon as, by dattering
them as inlallible, and by bllndly obey.
ing them, he has made himself strong
enough, he may begin to insiIgate them 10
folIies and wicked humourso OF his own org
ination. AT first be follows like dog al
the heels OF his masters, fawning when.
ever he can catch their notice; alter
wards. embroidered by little patting, ne
1 yoes forward to rouse the vermln Tor tnem.
| Ia the end, this origination OF folIes and
worse things, which the demagogue un-
der,ook, to win the popular favor, be-
comes necessary part ofhis duties. Tie
must keep the people well supplied with
them, or they desert or turn and destroy
him. Half their master-hali their slave
he is in the condition of the necroman-
Ger who kept the demons, over whom he
had attained an uncertain sort of power,
from rending him only SO long as he gave
them work to do. remember tho tasks
which an old wizard is said to have given
to these demons he put them to blight.
ing harvests and the irultage OF orchards
and TO making ropes of sand. There is not
a very great difference between this en-
ployment Of The devils of the wizard and
that 10 which the demagogue instgates
the people. Where they are not wan,on
or destructive, they are busy OF ropes of
sand.
What chance have we of good legisla-
ton in such condition of things? II
would be strange if we saw any thing but
what we do see. In legislative assem-
bles, where men of intelligence, selected
to take counsel and act for the people, are
no better than osiers bending to the popu-
lar will, or false lights leading the people
in zig gag courses, into dangerous moras.
SEES, it would be foolish TO look for wise
or wholesome measures. How can we
expect grave councils, a just and liberal
conduct Of government, wise and stable
legislation, where the slightest caprice of
the originating IN their own
light minds or suggested by some crafty
Politicians eagerly watched for and o.
beyed, as something sacred and nviolable!
With every weakness and vice OF hn-
man nature fostered, aud aggl awaited, and
put into active exercise amongst them by
Demagoguism, no wonder the people are
now stranded, PROSTATE, ruined. They
have destroyed their currency, destroyed
their credit, overwhelmed themselves with
pecunlary ruin at home, and won for
themselves abroad, not golden opinions.
but contempt and dctestation. This was
all a natural consequence enough. Drm-
agoguism famed the not unnatural envy
with which the masses regard the posses
sion of wealth by the few, INTO n raging
hatred. Individuals, thank God, could
not well be reached by direct means, but
the wealthy and useful corporations of
the country were victims and so the
people destroyed their currency. 1t is a
disposition OF human nature TO DO restless
under burthens, and to be anxious to be
rid OF them in the easiest and readlest
manner; Demagogulsm ostered thus dis
position into an actual reputation OF
debts. Currency and credit, went, and
The good opinion Of good men, forfeited
by dishonesty, went also.
What is to be the end Of these things;
Formerly there was something Ike popu-
lar virtue when is il to be seen actively
at work again We used to see some
such thing as popular intelllsrnce-when
are the deiuslve mists to break away from
M Old men remember time when the
enlightenment and the virtues OF private
citizens were looked up to and revered IN
spite ofcertaln accidents of position and
wealth-when the wise and good men
dispersed about in communities, were the
honored teachers, and the examples, OF all
within the sphere OF their usefulness, and
gave a tone OF intelligence, and of virtue,
10 all about them when are these good
men 10 reoccupy their seats which the
demagogues have usarped from theml
In an oriental description Of the place
Of final torture, King Solomon is portray
ed as lying upon bed Of awful pain and
listening to the roar of cataract; the
Imagination of his fate, is, that he will not
be transferred from the place of his tor
lures TO a condition Of happiness, until the
cararact, which no lost spirit ever saw a.
bate drop of lis volume, ceases to flow.
The hope gifts cessation and Of his escape
to happiness is scarcely hope at ALT
is despair only little relieved. With
scarcely greater amount Of hope than
the fable gives TO the heart of the Jewish
King, can we look To cessation ot that
food Of popular fily and wrong which is
now tuIbid and raging around us. And
il is our inevitable lot-our Jate-to lie ON
the bed of our sutierings, until such a
cessation.
RELIEF MEASURES learn that
the Farmers Of Virginia have taken
new impulse the present season, in plant.
ing as much ground as they can possibly
tend, and making manure and putting il