Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-03-21

r. W a'dii themselves oil the poor
eoh,rivsnce invented for their escape by
.re nicamond Whig; that their address
os io4o does not say what the opinions
~ >, we w is party were as TO Bank or
- "l,h' pat deals entirely in the opinions
oI General HARRISON anc MFR. Van Blu
rem. his would be avoiding one daii
Guilty ~ plunsing into another, aud a
ssa'er-!n homely phrase. jumping. out
.. me iry'ns-pan INTO the fire. Surely
.hey aid not recommend General iiarr.
son Tor the Presidency on grounds which
tney did not themselves approve; nor
could they have abused Mr.Nan Buren, fui
opinions which they really sanctioned. -
certainly they did notunaainonsly 'com-
mend General Harrison t. YOU as a Re
publican in principle aiii practice as
breathing the spirit Of an Old fashioned
Rept6tacaa'-as entertaining opinions
'not made for the .occasion. hit that his
sentiments have Been uniform and al
ways Republican, they did not hold
aim Up as an 'oTtaoaor politician be
cause le essteftained principles and opin
ions Which they themselves disappsoye,
OF condemned. This cannot be. We
are not disposed to nrute to them SO
great political wrong. This cont,i-
vance gill not answer. IN commencing
ten. Harrison tcr principles and opin-
IONS which they said he held, they mist
be understood, no matter from what mo-
tive OF under what sconstraiRt, to have a.
Hopted and approved them. And if So
then they are condemned by their own
showing, and must plead guilty. They
must confess themselves either aeroae-, e.
greglouSly wrong in 1910, or utterly and
entirely wroag in 1914.
Charity would induce US to make eve
~ apology which truth sill sanctIor.-
We are aware Of the extent 10 which po-
liiical fury will blind, and partisan zeal
will mislead, even the wisest and nost
just. But we esteem it not the least O.
sninous sign Of these distempered times,
that high and honorable men can be so
inilamed by the heat Of their political
passions, as to appear even momentarily
TO forget what justly belongs to them
selves, their stations and their country
We would appeal to their own calm re-
elections and deliberate convictions, and
ask, if they DO not perceive the danger,
not only to Us; but 70 themselves and to
all, which is involved in the course to
which they would appear to lend the
sanction OF their names, if that course
should be perseYered in. If, in our pc
iitical contests, The issues which really
divide the parties engaged. are to be
sunk, concealed, misstated or evaded; If,
instead Of sober appeals to the People,
III numbers not too numerous to hear, tn
multuous assemblases are to be conyok-
ed, tco large to be addressed-too excl
ted to undefstand-aao cking the idea Of
MISUNDERSTANDING the thought of
lt-goVernment--an then to be driven |
almost to madness by professions and
revelry and song-do they not perceive
that confusion and anarchy must be the
result-inyolving in inevitable destruc-
tion at once, all Of principle that either
they Or we may hayef all Of interest we !
may cherish, all CT right we may hold
deaf? A party triumph may be SO a
chieyed; but when the contest is over,
they cannot fail to be reminded Of Mr..
Newton's prophetic admonition, and
'may truly exc!aim with Pyrthus, 'one
more such victory and we are undone.'
We can make every allowance too for
the party differences and dissensious
which, though concealed, divided them
in l840-and which though not confessed |
continue, we believe, to divide them
now. In 1889, 40, large portion Of
their party III this State, being opposed |
to Bank, Tariff, and Internal Improve
ments-beng in word State Rights
men, IN favor Of strict construction of |
the Federal Constitution, whether be-
cause they were then majority. or be-
ing minority, were too influential and |
important to be offended, succeeded in
forcing the declaration OF their political
creed upon their party ccadjutors, though |
these conductors were Utterly opposed to
ii, and deyotediy attached to the old
Federal doctrines. This Federal por-
ton then deemed il polite to acquiesce,
ana they did SO in silence, though not, as
is now understood, without much secret
grumbling and discomfort. Willing,
however, 70 obtain power on any TERMS,
they submitted to have their principles
for the time renowned, and eyefrto have
them on some occasions reyiled. Sue.
cess made them at first ierge!ful Of the
means by which IS he'd been uon, aud
they only became fully sensible of their
iully.when heystliscoseres that stbe flu t.
ofall their tolls had turned u ashes Oh
Itheir Ups. Then tiiey denounced as
Traitors, those whosn thej cou!sl not con-
vert into knaves and foulss and Il whom,
hut a short time before, they had surren-
,leresl their conscience and their creed.
we tfust they vii not very soon again
forget the impressive lesson which has
fatelv begr called. BY that same Hector
anil Renresenfatise. so forcibfy Il, their
rerrIlection< that .onest is the best poll
NV, both III public aud III private l'e;'
and lest they sIloussl do g, i Is iaclinlz
l,snt 81, you. fellow citizens, 70 Impress
4 m II, ,l,eir s,,,e ,s,aries with Tie se1i uI
r,.,. weial,3y INSTRUMENTATION
5"1 ~, INV II 1919 and '44, the tables