The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-03-08

suve which you have pronounced upon those
raordinary scenes, will now at least, be recog-
dby vast majority Of the American people
However diffieuit may then have been to de-
kwith requisite certainty the political objects
LII which Our opponents waged the contest oflsi0,
zhere can assuredly be noroom for misappre
hension upon that subject The extra session, fol-
Wing Immediately upon its heels, unmasked those
ects too clearly to admit of their being again OBJ
scured misrepresented. An opportunity--and
i is earnestly % be hoped that both parties will con-
curin endeayorng to make it fair ore-will, there
fore, now be presented for the people of the Uni
ted States to make choice between two opposing
systems for the administration of their government,
the influence of one which will, in all probability,
affect the interests of the country for good or evil,
for series ofyears to come.
Nor is this the only, nor even the most impor-
tant aspect in which the renewal of the contest Of
which you have spoken with so much emphasis,
. and in so patriotic aspirit, may well be regarded
Singular as it may seem to those who are not in
situation to judge correctly of the circumstances,
it is nevertheless true, that condemnation by the
people the United States, of many of the means
to which our opponents had recourse in that can
vass, is not less important to the permanent well
fare of our country, and its political Institutions
than the overthrow ofthe principles they labored
to establish. While the effects of the success of
the latter were in measure limited and Temporal
ry, the employment of the former struck at the ve
ry foundation upon which our political edice
was based
1t has hitherto been our pride to live under poit-
ical institutions which are founded upon reason
and virtue, in the establishment of which neither
force nor fraud was employed; and we have cher
ished the belief, that it is only by infleXibe OBJ
servance of the exalted principles which prevailed
at the period of its formation, that government
can be upheld Without more particularly notic-
ing the humiating details to which you alIude in
your communication, can it be pretended that there
could be any expectation of success for such eff
forts, unless founded upon the assumption that the
popular voice was not ''under the guidance ofrea.
son and virtue" or upon the supposition that the
Eora principles of the people to whom those de-
grading appeals were made, might be corrupted by
resort to such practices' The belief that the
of such means contributed to the result of 1910,
must have lowered the character ofour people in
the estimation of mankind; and if so, how much
would their respect for us be diminished, should
tne-eegaRg canvass be conducted as to establish
the impression that the American people are liable
to be always thus imposed upon? Liability to oc-
casiona error is an intirmity from which no indi.
vidual is exempt What right have we, then, to
except that communities should be infaible'-
n. l:a...
al alteration, and confirmed defect of character
Can we expect the people of this country TO main
tain the elevated standing in the eyes of the worlc
which they have hitherto enjoyed, if after thu
lapse of years, and the fullest opportunity, for re
Election, they suffer themselves TO be a second tint
operated upon by appliances, from the use Of whicl
Hsxery friend to free government must turn witt
zion and disgust
y, gentlemen, in my judy
lslportance which the pro
destined to give to those @
rs will he brought INTO vie'
On, of greater magnitude than an
ver been involved in our poIica
a compared with which, all persona
interests dwndle into in-iguicance
"a, gentlemen, very re pectully,
Your friend and obedent rvant,
NJ. VAN BUREN
Hon. james Ross Snowden, President.
Asa Dimock, Henry Buehler, Trad Wilson, Joh
B. Sterigere, George Nagle JOSEPH Bailey, Ma,
well McCaslin, Isaac G. Mckinley, u. Logan
John j. McCahen, Henry w. Smith Daniel n
Lane John Heiner, David Bdrnett-Vice Pres
dents
F. W. Hughes, Elisha Goodrich, VIM.
Coleman, Levi L. Tate, John S. Carter, JAIME
G. Sample-Secretaries.