Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-05-09

the dangerous and anti Republican ten
denotes and measures Of the then admin.
istratons, proved in vain. Outrage after
outrage was perpetrated upon the Consti.
tuition; end lawless power emboldened
by impuntY, was every where seeking
new conques;s over the rights OF the
States and the liberty OF the citizen. A
fatal torpor had seized The public sensibl.
ities;-a mortal ethargy bad paralized
the public spirit. The love Of Constiiu-
,ional Liberty seemed for the time extin-
guished. And the despoiism of patty
had unclaimed the judgments and the
hearts OF men.
| II We were called upon TO indicate a
period in this country in which private
and public Liberty were less secure than
/ at any other; in which the worst men and
the worst counsels impressed their inau-
ences upon lis morals and character; in
which all that coulj render a nation hap
| py at home, and respected abroad, was
ruthlessly rampled under foot; in which
the landmarks Of the Constitution were
impiousy thrown down; and the suprs.
macy OF the popular principle nearest be-
ing ex,inguished in slavish submission
to Executive power we should point to
that unhappy interval, which followed
the accession OF General Jackson to
power and terminated with the overthrow
of his successor.
Ii has been well remarked tina; there
is a point of endurance beyond which no
people will carry their submission, and to
this point had the wrongs of our country
eliminated during the administration of
Mr.. Van Buren,. Extravaganza and cor.
rupton, had marked all the departments
Of the Government; swarms oil hungry
and fraudulent ofiiceholders, were prey
ing upon tie treasures, and squanderng
the revenues OF the country. Ignorance,
and depravity had Frustrated all our most
vital and essential interests, and a univer.
sal wide spread embarrassment difi'used
| its lamentations over the land. The pub
lie liberties were threatened by Execu-
tive recommendations whose highest mer-
| il with their author, was that they were
borrowed from the rotten and decaying
monarchies Of Europe. The fixed and
settled policy OF our ancestors,--a policy
established by the fathers of the Repub-
lie, and recommended by the fructifying
experience Of half century was ruthless
ly cast aside to give place to the wild and
visionary theories of Radicals, Specula-
lists, and Agrarians. The public patience
was exhausted, and the hour of retrlbu,ion
al length arrived.
1t is due to you, Sir, TO say, that dur
ing all this period, your eloquent and pat
riotie voice was heard either in the
shades Of private life, or 10 the public
councils of your country inspiring the
bold, cheering The respondent, sustaining
the weak hearted, rebuking tyrrany, LASH
ing official vice and corruption, dissipat.
ing the decisions OF popular prejudice.
and animating your countrymen with that
love of freedom and of constitutional gov.
eminent which led to the great and glo
rious revolution of lS40.
Sir, shall the fruits of this arduous and
protracted struggle for our country be
now wrestod from us? Shall Mr.. Van
Buren, be reinstated in power, and with
him those dangerous principles, and that
destructive policy which have crushed
the interests Of our country, and endan-
gered the permanency OF our institutions.
These are the great and momentous is
sues involved in the approaching Presi.
dental Election.
Sir, upon you do the hopes Of this coun.
try now rest. In every critical emergen.
cy of this republic, for the last thirty
years it has been your singular good for
tune to stand forward as the iilustrious
agent in the hands ofprovIdence to avert
those dangers which lmpended over our
country. Never upon any foimer occa-
sion, have you been called upon to per-
form a more important service Than that
which we believe your country will short,
ly demand ut your hands. To restore
the Government to IFS original simplicity
and purity;-to harmonic the discordant
elements which threaten the stability Of
our lnstltutions;--to elevate the depressed
industry Of the country ito restore us to
all those blessings which as a people we
enjoyed at home, and to that considera.
ton and respect which as nation We at
tracted abrond-these are some Of the
high duties which we fondy cherish the
hope will ere long be required OF you by
the voice Of the American people.
That our anticipatlons of the result Of
tha onnroachinp election NAV he realized