Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-10-24
p O u 7 n 7 o A u o
From the National Intelligencer.
II ii + p r ES ID T. N CY

The scrutiny in which we have been en-
gagged, of late, has led us to retrace The his
tory of the reign Of Locofocoism, in connex-
ion with the part borne in it by one of the
candidates for The Presidency. In the course
OF this examination we have seen that the can
dda'e referred to, displaying scarcely any
other merit as public man than that of in
dustry, exhibited plablity 20 the will of ms
great political Chief which turned all his in
nustry TO the support Of those measures that
brought the country to the brink of ruin. from
which it was only rescued four years ago by
the awakened sense and energy of free peo-
pie. All the advantages which would have
fiowed from this reaction of public opinion
were not, indeed, realized, for reasons which
there is no need here to dwell upon. But
the downward career Of the wheels of Gov
eminent was at least arrested and placed in a
state OF suspense; which suspense is to be
terminated, happily or otherwise, by the re-
suit Of the pending National election
we are vlslbly at the crisis Of public fate,
that must now suddenly he either much bet
ter or greatly worse. PaIpably TO every eye,
we have arrived at that point at which either,
by final effort OF wise popular will. the spir-
1t OF recklessness and ruin must be finally
checked, or must now be let loose 10 what
ever havoc it will. The country has already
endured too much not to require that no fur
Their injury shall be inflicted. 1t is question
no longer of bearing, as temporary public
plague, the humors and the excuses of sim
gle chieitain's disastrous popularity for his
system of mixed violence and license threat
ems to pass into something regular and per-
mament. IT is not d;ieslion of submitting
anew to his wild s'experiments' upon what
none but tyrants and lunatcs try experiments
upon--a whole Peoples wealth and prosper
lily. What seemed in linn but personal hui
mors and excuses has turned to fixed
scheme of wiluI usurpation the tumutuarv
spirit which he excIted has become method
ic resort tc studied confusion, as the surest
means Of sway 10 an artlu power, that pro.
fits by the law when that suits il, and BY its
overthrow when that is convenient In fine
''the experiments" pushed 10 their event, are
no longer to be looked on as such, but mus
now, when again about TO be tried upon The
land yet sore with the wounds Of the ole
ones, be regarded as nothing but a know
ard medtaied warfare upon public prosperity
and, we may add, upon the rights of propert;
also.
1t is for the People to determine at the ap
preaching election whether they will voiun
tary subject themselves to renewal Of thost
measures under which they have already suf
fered so severely, or place their affairs il
hands TO which they may with safety and Sc
curly be trusted
Let us attempt to delineate the character o
the man whom we desire 10 see at this iunc
ture called to the Chief Magistracy Of on
country. Behold The portrait Of
A REAL STATESMAN
To have stood through an ordinary genera
ton Of men-through repeated generations o
the common poIiticlan--f0r tIifd of a centu
ry, from the first manhood Of a brilliant pub
lie success, through all the honors Of an elo
quence almost unrivalled, and all the ascen
dency of abilities continually felt 10 be of tht
highest order, up TO that Gullness Of fame ant
OF age when the future can bring no turtle
temptation, can add but plan to the past
so to have stood through every huctuation o