Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-03-07
MIR. MENTIONS LETTER.

MIR. MENTIONS LETTER.
tits truth, confirmed by the expert
ence OF all past ages, that however ex
tenslveiy error may reign. or fraud b
practiced, immutabe Tmh must finall
triumph. The sober second thought
must prove efficient in making 'wrong
prlnclPles-though artfully conceale,
beneath the sarnished cloak of dissimu
lation-manifest themselves to the pub
lie eye And it is passing strange tina
any man, or any party, seeking popula
favor, should attempt a conceament 0
their real character, or bring false issues
before the people, with the fact before
them, taught by examples and confirmed
by experience, that t,uth acaH out. Ye
such is the blind infatuation that propels
ambitious man onward to the consumma.
ton of his mad schemes, that he stops
not to think, nor seems to be sensible oil
his situation. until he reaps the whirl.
wind of popular Indignation.
There is perhaps not to be found in
all past political history, more striking
verifcation of this fact, than is afforded
in the history of the federal party III this
country-and especially at the last pre-
sldential election. In those portions of
the country where the measures Of that
party were peculiarly odous in The eyes
OF the people-as, for instance in Virgin
Ia, the old mother of states and of states
men-they repddiated their principles and
brought false issues before the people,
This fact is virtually admitted by Mr.
Newton in his letter. Hear what he says
to his wing brethren in this state:
con reviewing the events of the last four
years no impartial observer can fail to per-
ceive that the disasters which have befallen
the Wing party, and cast a blight over the
prosperity of the country, have resulted, in
great measure, from the want Of candor and
frmness in avowing and maintaining our prir-
ciples, especially in Virginia. We common
ced the canvass of 1910 under most discour-
aging circumstances. The Wings proper
were i'll small minority throughout the I'm
ion-a party had been formed out of the dis
corylant elements then in opposition to the
Administration of Mr.. Van Buren,. Our ca
gerness for success induced us to extend our
nets, SO as to embrace birds of every feather.
We not only asked no questions of those who
offered themselves as allies for the war; but
our own Convention at Richmond actually re
pudiated the leading principles and measures
a.. a.aI he
campaign discordant mass, some fighting for
principle and some for freedom, and animated
by but one common principle, that of opposi-
ton to the administration of Mr.. Van Buren,.
We had long and arduous contest, and a.
ehieyed what we supposed to be glorious
triumph But what advantages have we rea-
ped from our labois The fruits OF all our
tolls have turned to ashes on our lips. and we
may truly exclaim with Pyrrhus, zone more
such victory and we are undone.' The treas
cherry of the present Executive and OF some
of his prominent allies, derived countenance
and support from the Wing Address of $40;
and impartial history may find it difficult TO
determine whether the Convention is most to
be censured its indscreton in putting forth
such an Address, or those very scrupulous
politicians for availing themselves Of it as a
pretext for abandoning their party
Mr.. N. further says to his brethren
the late wing convention at Richmond
in view of the responsibilities of the ap-
preaching canvass, as follows:
sLet me allure the Convention not to re-
peat the errors Of 1910, which have been the
fruitful source of all our woes. Let them
remember that honesty is the best policy.
both in public and in private lfe.'
The above language needs no COM
ment or explanation to show its plain
and obvious import Its meaning is sus-
ceptible of no other Interpretation, than
that the wings studiously eyaded their
rinciples-Bank, Tariff. &C. and tried
to make the people believe that it was
not because they determined to carry then
measures, that they entered the contest,
but because the good Of the country de-
manded the expulsion Of the republican
party from power. The charge OF cor
r,ntion. mismanagement, and many 9TH
or accusations, were in the mouth oi ev-
ery Wing orator, and were hcIalded forth
in the columns OF every whig newspaper.
oo,e,s infamous speech. purporting to
show that the presidents house was ex-
,rayagantly furnished, at the expense Of
the PEOPLE, and that such would not be
,he case if the federal party should get
into nower. was circulated throughout
az ,enr,h and breadth of the county,
MI, nav Mr.. Nestcn, revertipg to