Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-01-28
Che ea,ette.
MIR. RIYES.

MIR. RIVES.
The Richmond Wing publishes anin,eresiing
correspondence between portion Of the dele
CATION appointed by the Wings Of Bedford to
the Convention which is soon to assemble for
the purpose Of selecting a candidate for that
Congressional District, and the Hon. WIN c.
RrvEs. We copy the excellent letter of that
distinguished gentleman, and regret to learn
from il that he IS constrained by private cir
cumstances to decline being a candidate.
LETTER FROM WIN. c. RIvEs.
CASTLE HIT. 4th January, lS47.
! Gentlemen: had the honor to receive. yes
ierday, your communication Of the 29th ulti-
mo, in which, as portion Of the Delegation
appointed by the Wings Of Bedford 10 the Con
vention about to be assembled for the purpose
I of nominating a candidate for this Congress
sional District, you desire 10 be Informed if |
/ would consent to become a candidate, should
my name appear to be an object offayor 10 the
| Convention.
! | am most deeply sensible of the honor
done me by this application, proceeding from
gentlemen of well known standing, IN remote
! part of the District, where my personal ac-
quantance is very limited, and whose high IN
| teligence and patriotism are sufficiently aites-
ted by the large and enlightened views ofpub-
| lie affairs, with which they have been pleased
! 10 accompany the flattering expression OF their
wishes and sentiments IN regard so myself
| Underthese circumstances, itwould be source
of sincere satisfaction 10 me If | could find II
consistent with other duties, and feelings,
which, am sure, you will respect, TO yield
to the call you have made upon me. But at
ter near thirty years Of my life devoted to the
public service in one capacity or another, you
will. persuade myself, not deem it unreason-
able that now cherish an ardent desire for
I retirement, the obligations to which, indeed.
at this time are doubly enforced by important
fiduciary trusts in which the interests OF 9TH
ers are concerned, as well as by the duties |
owe TO my own family, | am, moreover,
well pleased, that there are younger and "bet-
Ter soldiers" in the District less obnoxious TO
! the party resentments which long connection
with public life too frequently begets, who
would be able to conduct the canvass with far
better prospects of easy and certain success.
NV view of the interests Of the public cause,
then, no less than the urgent claims OF private
duty and feeling, impel me TO request most
respectfully, but at the same time most earnest
ly and decidedly, that ] may not be considered
one OF the honored number out of whom the
| Convention will make thei. selection of can
didate for the Fifth Congressional District.
have had my share of the honors and strug-
giles of public life {; and ! shall ever cherish a
feeling Of deep and afiectionate gratitude TO the
voters of this my native District for the gener-
Gus and steadfast support | have received al
their hands. Mine, now, be the humber but
not less pleasing Office, as one of the people, to
give my jealous support to those whose SUI
perior merits and the public confidence shall
bring forward, in their turn, to perform their
tour of honorable service, and to receive its ap
propriate rewards.
| agree with you, gentlemen, entirely in
the views you so forcibly express of the pres
ent grave and disastrous position of public at
fairs. Never has there been a period in the
progress of our institutions appealing more
solemnly to the reflective patriotism Of the
country. feel all the obligations it imposes
upon every good citizen and my voice though
! In a private station, shall not be wanting IN
arousing the common vigilance for the com
mon safety. We have seen blind spirit OF
party rage, urged on by the Executive inshga-
ton, in single session Of Congress, levellIng
to the ground long established and well tried
systems of national policy, co equal with the
constitution and identified with the vital inter
ests of the national prosperity. The tariff Of
1912, though proved BY the best OF all tests
Its actual operation. TO have been highly salu-
tarv and pantmeasure was ruthlessly sac
rifced 10 appease the spirit ofparty vengeance
because il was one Of the measures OF a Wing
Congress and on the other hand, the same fell
spirit wilfully restored to the Statue Book the
odious Sub Treasury, which had been mos
sipnally condemned and rejected by the delib
crate sense of the nation, because Wing
! Congress happened TO he the instrument Of
executing the national Judgment upon II.
The same perverse spirit, IN lis heedlessness
or its blindness, has been as ready TO spof
with the external peace, as with The doinestlc
interests and prosperity OF the nation. w
were saved by the iirmness and wisdom OF the
Senate from destructive war with England,
into which the headlong and shortsighted
couusels of the President were fast hurrying
us, only 10 be plunged by his unscrupulous
assumption of power, against the Plalnesl
mandates Of the Constitution, into bloody, ex
psnsiye. unseemly and embarrassing war with
the Republic of Mexico. That the war with
Mexico was brought on by the single act oil
the President in ordering the hostile advance
of the army into territory claimed by Mexi-
co, and Of which she held and had continually
held the actual jurisdiction, is proposition
100 Clearly eSldDISlltu ny ieSN'
to adm il of discussion. He himself implicitly
confesses it by the studious and elaborate dis
play OF alleged causes ofwar against Mexico
set forth in his late message, which parlakes
far more of the character Of a manifesto to JUS
tify what he had done, than of an annual COM
munication on the state Of the nation TO the
two Houses of Congress. Suppose ell this
long list of grievances and complaints TO be
well founded, although Congress had slept
over them. (and Mr.. Polk roundly takes them
to task for having done SOY to whom did il be-
long, under our Republican System. TO adopt
the last resort of nations for their redress-to
the President or to Congress The Constitu
/ ton itself answers Congress shall have pow
err 10 declare war. From what source, then,
ADORE the Constitution, did Mr.. Polk derive
his authority 10 make war upon Mexico
There is but one answer-his own will.
I In the presence of so fragrant and danger
Gus an usurpation OF nonarchlcal prerogauve
under our limited Constitution. the free people
OF America must have degenerated sadly, in
deed, from their sires, if they should permit
themselves TO be gagged by any Executive pro
camation ola new code OF constructive trea-
son from openly and boldly expressing their
opinions upon the origin, conduct and tenden-