Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-01-29
Iron TnN sPgcTAroK.l
TO UNUS f PLURIBUs.


My Dear Cousin Our illustrious Lnas Pop
uI~um has handed me your epis,le, and dictated
= reply. You are right in your conjecture--he
10 our kinsman. The Populorum fan,iiy are
widespread and closely a,,ached.AThey are
THE PEOPLE.
Unus Pluribus has right to speak as one Of
the many, ina community where the interests Of
each are protected by all. Our friend and kns-
man greets you as one of the family, which, il is
his wish to unite more closely In feeling and &C.
uon. Is
Populorum, Populis, Populos and Populi are
plural names regularly formed in the Roman
vernacular from the singular PoPulus, and often
ent aspects or relations of.our family. recur-
renee TO all Latin authors, who have spoken of
as, will abundanily testify this. Unus is parti-
tive in each Of our names,-in yours, and his,
and mine. In your name it is one of many-al-
though sometimes used by the body polite to de-
note the aggregate of units, as in own ma
sional escutcheon, "E Piuribus Un.n,"-one
formed out OF many.
Unus Popul is of the People. AS Popu-
lus is a noun Of multitude, it properly, though
in the singular form, follows The partitive, which
requires the geni.ve plural. This noun of null
titude is used, in the Latin, both in the singular
and plural form, and in similar sense in both
numbers, especially by the Poets. The cri,i-
cism, therefore, of which you speak, must have
come from foreigner.
If authority is wanting for the use of tho plu-
raj Of Populus in the sense now indicated, refer
TO Virgil-Eneid VIII. 325 line-where Popu-
los is used for the subjects of particular ruler
in one nation. Also to Horace, las: ode of the
third Book, where in Apuia the native country
Of the Poet, "Daunus agrestum regnavit popu-
lorum."-Et passim.
The view is absurd which seeks for substan-
tive noun cognate with the genitive governed
You may say, Una musa musarum. But what
q PODuli- Or nf
Populus Populorum! 1t is nonsense. Liter
ally Unus populi is Of the people. Unus
Populorum is the same, unless it be regarded as
an Intensive, embracing more inclusive de-
mocracy. This is the political passion Of our
friend Unus Populorum. lie is Democrat in
the proper sense of that term-not radical, but
judiciously conservative; holds to the right and
the ability of the people to govern themselves
but to govern by laws, made and sustained, sub
mi;ed 10, honored and enforced by themselves.
Give yourself, therefore, no uneasiness about
that "sneer.' The records o. our ancestry are
the history of the human race. These are our
monuments, more durable than marble, more
faithful than the Pyramids; for they are equi-
voques, doubtful chronclers of even their own
epochs. We have always been powerful fam
ny. Kings have done us homage. Tyranls
have always been made 10 feel our power. We
extorted the Magma Charta from King John, and
resisted successfully the expressions of George
the third. We founded and now bear rule i'm this
Republic, command its armies, control its re-
sources, feed its Treasury. The contemplated
war with Great Britain cannot be consummated,
nor It's objects prosecuted, without US. The
President is employed, at this very moment, in
consulting u.s. We shall speak out at the proper
time.
linus Populorum is well aware of his position,
and of the interests he represents. He has met
too many ''sneers'' not to know how 10 take
them. He can tell where the shoe pinches,
who is hit. Let him alone for that. He is an
old chap-none of your green horns-a great
traveller, accustomed to opposition, and although
sometimes little saucy, yet sngularly just and
impartial in his infections on offenders. If any
affect to doubt his ''coat of arms" they may
learn in due time that he not only has heart TO
feel, but head to devise, and hand to execute,
heeito tread down oppressors, and little active
capital too, 20 compete with shavers and protect
The honest poor
Your faithful cousin,
-: UNUS POPULI.