Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-09-03
For THE INDICATOR.
The s!Spectator.'

THAT man may understand an honor, it is
sometimes niece ssary, nodestly to irsinuate, that
you do him one so, at least, the Spectator seems
to think, and in its case, correctly. | should
never have duly appreciated the Spectators led
torial dionity.' had it not, out OF the abundance
of its heart informed U.S. in its first line, of the
'.hieh estimate" in which it is held at home !;
and fear that even now, the respect Which
entertain for it, great as IT IS must fall lar shof
of its own valuation. | shall not expect tn
Spectator again to devlate from Its Zine OF SAFE
precedents," or, to Use It's own words, ITO 1eel
under obligations hereafter, to depart from its
rule by noticing anonymous productions" Let
its tteTpressice silence muse my praise"
The Spectator feels highly compimented at
nv being so seldom pleased with its course. |
cannot honestly deprive it OF the satisfaction 1t
derives from this source. | leave 1t to ENJOY the
tribute already rendered to its worth. Should
90 farther, as might do, and express my alb
horrence of the course it is pursuing on the CUES
ton of Slave territory, it would, doubtless be
still more gratiied, but decline contributing SO
much to its innocent pleasures.
How was discovered to be "a rampant DEM
ocrat" l can scarcely conceive. My communi-
cation, it is true clearly indicated the opinions
of its writer upon all great questions of federal
politics, and candor may possibly be considered
by the Spectator as mark of ultraism or, per-
hars, because my article gave evidence of some
little warmth OF feeling upon question which
should make a Southern '!sone cry out,0 the
Spectator regards me as "a rampant Democrat"
If this be so, am content tor feel we'll assur-
ed that to be rampant in such cause is a more
respectable extreme, to say he:least OF it, than
the crouchant attitude assumed by the Spectator
Without giving farther attention to the lesser
filings of the Spectator will now address myself
q, Il Of fn
which am indebted for the distinguished honor
OF the Spectators notioe-and. in consequence
of which, it presumes the pubic will conclude
have assumed "a very inappropriate signature"
This insinuation, that have been guilty of will
full misrepresentation, and the effort thereby
made to excite prejudice, are as discreditable as
they are ungenerous | will remind the Spectator
that the use of poisoned shafts is contrary to all
the rules of civilized warfare, and, when resort
ed TO- indicates conscious want OF
'tStrength in the arm, or yisor in the bow.o .
Let us see, although | quoted from memory,
whether dad either Gen. Taylor Or the Specta-
tor injustice in the point iii issue. | make use
of The Spectators own recital OF the Presidents
avieMs upon the Veto power derived from the
Allison letter. "The power gwen BY the Con-
stiution to the Executive to irterpose his veto is
high conservative power; but i'll my opinion,
ctear violation of the Constitution, or manifest
haste and uant Of coasiderationby Congress" 1t
seems then, that, alter stating The veto to be IA
high conservative power" Gen Taylor proceed
ed to fix u rigid limit to its use--the cases, i'll
which alone it should be exercised, are those Of
"cear violation of the Constitutions" Or where
there has been stmaniest haste and want of con-
sideration by Congress" Is the Wimot Proviso
clearly unconstitutional The Spectator has but
lately informed us that, in its opinion, it is by
no means So Has the Spectator the e1rontery
or the folly to assert that there would lie ''nanl-
fest haste and want OF consideration" in the pas
sage, by Congress fresh from the people, of a
measure which has agitated the public mind for
the last three flour years? Nnot then we a
gain crave to know how, fGen Taylor meant
nything by his declarations, the Spectator pre-
sttrnes to hope that he would veto the measure T
1t Yields the constitutional ground of opposition,
strikes Gen. Taylors arm poweress to his side,
and yet madly hopes that no evil will come OF
it, But the Spectator makes an unlocked for adj
mission i'll its remarks upon the vetoing OF the
WiImot Proyiso. 1t says s'we pretend not to
know Whit the President aroud do.n Here, then,
we fad a Southern paper, " heh ardently sup
ported Gen. Taylor, aud which decla,ed BEFORE
the election that he would be true to the South.
NOW admitting that it ots not pretend 10 knot.
" hat the President would do,' should The Viii
mot Proviso pass both Houst OF Congrt IS. Til
confession is no doubt as true as ii was unguari.
ed. Thu Spectator has placed Itself in just Il,
position to excite pity, here it does not arouse
stronger emotions
But what will be said of the Spectators t'pr,-
pensity to bunder," when we find it invoviln
itself in an inex.rcable labyrinth, in the effort %
point out where Stumbled" spoke Of IT,
Inconsistency of the opponents of the Veto, wIo
l,,;. fIa{Y h.
they call mere abstraction" The Spectator
replies that my ''error consists in confoundinp
the principle OF the Wilnot Proviso, which We
teem all abstraction, with an act OF Congress leg.
slating the abstraction iuto a convection. We
would have Gen. Taylor draw his sword upon
he latter. The more airy the subject of legisla
ton the greater the niece ssity of prompt veto
The Spectator, no doubt, intended to show, tha
it, at least, is not unfamiliar with the "ruggeC
paths of logic" when it talks about "legislatihs
a stractions into connections" But | murl
question whether many of its readers will gath
e anu meaning from its language, while those
VI no think they catch an idea will be torcibly he
minded of the
SWords of learned length and thund'ring sounl'
employed by the ''yillage MASTER of vi om, i
said, that
"E'en though vanqushed, he could argue STILL
IA faculty WATCH renders the Spectator conspiou
ous But what does the Spectator mean by as
sarting that ''the more airy the subject of legis
lation thu greater the necessity OF a prompt We
toy Whenever the Spectator, heretofore, ha
spoken of the Wilmot Proviso, considered ii
reference to our new Territories, as an abstroe
ton, and has thus striven to bring its opponent
into contempt, have always supposed it to near
that, IN its opinion, whether the Proviso Shout
| mr. shola moi bpco;Oe q law slavery for NAH
hem, aud, therefore, its exclusion by Congress
woull be Of no practical importance. 1t nc,
contends that ''1he more airy the subject of lee
islation, the greater the necessity of pronI
veto" In one article, it endeayors to laugh Ii
Anti-Wilmot Provisoists to scorn, by attemptin
to show that they are idly Smuggling against Il