Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-06-12
THE POOR MANS PARTY.

The Democratic party lay claim to being the
peculiar friends of the Poor Manor, we may
say, indeed, to being the Poor Mans Party
This is theme which was even descan,ed upon
by certain of their orators during the late Pres-
Dental canvass but it was more COMMONLY
used by their bush.whackers who did the work OF
the Party slyly and in dark corners. The usual
mode of approaching those whom they thus
sought 10 delude, we told was to accost them
somewhat in this wise, "Why surely you are a
Democrat, or you ought to be Denocrat"-
Should the reason be asked, the ready answer
was, "fou are Poor Mn; you can have no
sympathy or interest in common with the Wings
They are .Aristocrafs they look down upon you /;
and certainly you will not vote against YOUR
GLASS;" Thus while they professed to hold the
sought to divide them by horizontal line
making all atoDe certain mark Wigs, and all
dcio,0 that mark Democrats!
Now, to say nothing of Its untruth as regards
the Two parties, what degrading and mischiev-
Gus doctrine is this to be taught to American
Freemenl Who that did not feel there was
something in himself which must forever sepa-
rate him from the respectable and worthy, could
listen to it with patience, or regard it as any
thing else than insult! Whatever might be the
depressing circumstances of fortune by which he
was surrounded, how could any man of proper
feeling lie brought to recognize and act upon
such principle! How could he consent, thus
gratuitously, to take Upon himself badge of in
feriority2 But if he might for himself, how
could he dare to barter away the glorious birth
right and neslimable privileges of his children
Would ne embrace the foul, polluting sentiment
and teach it unto them! "Ve are of the Poo,
Mans Party-we are of different class from the
Whigs"! Would he thus utterly annhilate eve.
ry noble aspiration of their souls! Would he
slife every manly feeling in their bosoms?-
Would he say to them 81 am poor and depressed
you can have other inheritance - and teach
| them to form their characters and mould theil
destinies by views and feelings so gto9ellng and
unworthy' If so, we say to him, that he
finds no sanction for it either in the conduct Of
the counses OF the Great Wing party Of the
Country. They act upon such principle--they
teach no such doctrine. They say TO the poores
and humbest in the land, Look up! Behold
your glorious nheri,ancei Here none are born
ready booted and spurred, to ride upon the back:
Of the People Here, there no fixed pri
vileged classes In society," Here all are equal
Every child of the Republic is left free to carve
out for himself his own destiny. Industry, In
teiligence and Worth, are the only patents of ou
Nobility; and the path to honor and distinction
lies as direct from the door Of the cottage az
from the proudest mansion in the land y
These are the Principles Of the Whigs-anc
the measures of Public Policy which they advo
cate are all in exact accordance with them
Hence II is, that they seek to throw around thu
INDUSTRY Of the Country the Protection which
it needs, against the ruinous competition of thu
overgrown capital and serf-like labor of the OLE
Woodland hence it is they are for securing
sound and ample CuRREScY, that the rewards o
labor may be rendered adequate and certain-il
opposition to the Free Trade principles, (absurd
ly so called,) and the oppressive and grinding
Sub.Trcasury, Low-Wages System, Of their op
ponen;s.