Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-05-16
OFF WITH HIS HEAD.

The Democratic Central Commit,e at Richmond
of which General Thomas Richie is the Chair
man, have issued most remarkable Address to
the People of Virginia." the great object Of which
seems TO be to argue Mr. Van Buren, of the track,
while the ostensible object of the Committee pro
fesses to rally the public sentiment of Virginia in
favor of the immediate annexation Of Texas to the
United States. The argument of this Address is
as fmsy as the arfce is shallow and if these gen.
tlemen have not sprung mine on themselves, then
have mistaken very much the mette of Mr..
Van Buren, and his friends Nearly he whole of
this Address is devoted to the Texas question, and
if MIR. Van Buren, is to be aside at all, it must
be upon his issue, if the Committee themselves
are 10 be believed. Towards the close Of the Adj
dress, the Committee say" We do not desire,
much less design, to sink the other great questions
Of Bank, Tariff and Distribution, for the sake
of acquiring Texas, important that acquisition
confessedy is" Why then want to throw Mr..
Van Buren, overheard lis he not anti Bank, anti
Tariff, anti Distribution, and anti every thing else
sha, is advocated by the Whgsi If these great
questions confessedly of more importance than
the acquisition of Texas, why place them in the
back ground, and seek to make new issues, and
bring forward new Candidates. The fact is, the
Loco Foeos have at last walked up to the tue sense
of their position-thoy have been weighed 10 the
bqlance and found wanIing-the results of the Viz
ginia Election have but too clearly placed the hand
writing on tho wall. They have labored, doubled
and twisted in all manners and forms to make the
People swallow Van Buren,, Free Trade, Anti
Distribution, Restoration, and the various other
humbugs which they in their desperation had
brought forth. But they have mistaken the virtue
and intelligence of tho People. They have failed,
utterly and palpably failed to excite in the popular
breast any enthusiasm for the name of Martin Van
Buren, or to approach the judgments Of the Peo-
pie with the worth OF merit of his measures. They
have now tried to get up an excitement about Tex
as, and hope thus to storm and overslaugh the Peo
pie. They plainly the fruitlessness of their as
saults upon the Tariff, and that the principles of
protection to American Industry too deeply
implanted in the breasts of the People to be erad
Gated by the efforts Of Loco Focoism. The recent
vote in Congress has sounded the death knell of
Free Trade and if ever the industry Of the Country
be disturbed again it will be by men who slip into
power in some other garb, as these Texan Demo
Gratis are now trying to do, But these Richmond
Dictators will fnd Virginia virtue little too STERN
and Virginia honor and intelligence little too
bright to be manufactured at their beck and call
The People of Virginia no, yet prepared to act
upon as great sHd momentous questions the
nexaiion Of Texas to the United States with the
haste and indiscreuon of political demagogues, nor
plunge the Nation in war, and fly in the face of
solemn treaties and contracts upon as slight pre-
texts as these Central Committee men would de-
sire. The People are not to be frightened by the
threats of the lone STAR" if she be not content
to await the action and consideration of the People
of these States, let her go, and perhaps before
she gets over her pouts, she win have felt tho sal
utary lessons Of little experience, and learned
that momentous questions in this country no;
acted on without first consulting that great source
OF all power, the sovereign People