Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-07-12
THE PRESIDENTIAL CANVASS

THE PRESIDENTIAL CANVASS
The presidential canvass is now about to omen
IL the con,eS! were between tho whiqs and the real
sound democracy of the country it might be less
matter which should succeed. Both parties ,ro
conservative m their character. Neither is anbi
uous oil conquest Peace is alike the desire of each.
Inc constitution is as sacred in the eyes of the one
as OF the other Both regard virtue and intelgenc.
IN The people as the great safeguards of their liner
W prosperity and happiness With virtue and in
'elilgence In the ascendant, each has entire conf
oence IN the ability Of the people to govern them
selves. Should vice and ignorance predomin,,.
'ney are alike aware that liberty and happiness
must perish. They are equally Jealous of the one
man power on the hand and of the power of
the mob on the other. Indeed there would seem
TO be but two practical questions about which thew
diiler These questions are the tariff and internal
improvements by the general government. On the
SUBJECT oil the tariff the difference is by no means 80
great as Is generally supposed. Extreme men are
comparatively rare either SIDE The moderate
portion of the wing party desire just so much duty
to bo laid on foreign goods as would enable the do
inestic, not to exclude. but fairly to compete with
the foreign Misunderstanding rate, of course. 10
decrease in proportion to the increase of skill and
means of production in our own country. Farther
man this even Mr.. Clay, the great father Of the
protective system, never wished to push that poll
cy And it is believed that such tariff as this s
Just what the great majority Of the true democracy
(aterm, by the way, which might fairly embrace
large majority Of the wings as properly as of their
brethren who more exclusively apply it to them
selves) would prefer Nor do thew differ more
widely on the subject Of internal improvement
Bat there is in truth third par,y-a mongrel par
y--a many headed monster, which, though now
acting with it, is diverse from the true democra
cy as night is from day--infnitely more diverse
than are the democracy from the wings. 1t is the
rapid rise Of this third party which makes the pre-
sent the most momentous canvass in which on,
country has ever been engaged 1t has no political.
and 1t IS to be feared, very little moral principle.
except among the honest ignorant, too MANY Of
whom have been deuded into its ranks. II mich,
be difficult as well tedious TO enumerate all the
classes which this party embraces, and dcscrip-
ton OF only few of them is necessary to show how
much it is to be feared First then, there is that
class denomnatng themselves the progressive de-
nocracy. These would carry out their visionary
schemes OF advancement without regard to the CON
stituton or laws. In the excess of their benevo
lonce they would carry liberty and equality into
foreign countries, even by the sword at whatever
expense of blood and treasure to their own-cuttino
of hal pf tIoi, al;
order 10 make the other half unwilling captives to
freedom and happiness. Another class is composed
OF such (and unfortunately they are nurnerous) as
coniound liberty with equali,y-that impossible
thing which never has existed on earth, and in
Heaven exists only in the Holy Trinity A third
and by far the most dangerous, because highly in
teIIgen', extremely active and utterly unscrupu-
ious class, are properly denominaed the spols men.
Their sole principle Of action is selfshness. that
monster mother Of evil TO whom humanity owes all /
lis woes Intensely selfish, they seek present graf
ihcatlon, no matter at what sacrifice to the liberty
hohoF or prosperity of the country and even in dis
regard OF the fate of their own posterity. thus in
volved. Other dangerous INGREDIENTS of this third
party might 10 specified, but enough have been men
TONED TO show how balefu must be its influence if (
armed with power; and this is the great evil that
all good men should strive against in the presen,
canvass. If, associated with this party. the true
democracy could always, as heretofore. take the
lead, tho danger would be less, but this can never
again be; In that connection, tho sceptre has de-
parted from them forever. Among other evidences
that this third and fearfuy increasing party already
out-numbers the democracy, the course pursued and
the opinions expressed by Cen Casy are very sip-
nlilcant' lie has evidently identified himself with
1t and mainly relies upon it for success. Connect
ed with 1t, the true democracy canno, ratiopallv
hope to exercise any wholesome influence. and
may and most probably will, be made to p,rticpate
~ deeds from which they would now shrink with
horror and disgust--decds subyersyo Of the coosd.
tuition union, honor, liberty, prosperity and moral
Iiy Of our beloved country.
VIRGINIA UNivERsITY.-About 140 diplomas
were granted at the late commencement Of the JT
,hawl. IL