Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-06-19
NO. XXI.
COMMUNICATED.
PEDAGoGICs.-.-NO. 3.

! PEDAGOGICS.-.-NO. b
The French philosopher, NJ de Tocqueville after q.
menng the coupons that had crept into general gov.
eminent and the utter unscrupuousness Of majority ofour
public men, asked an American statesman What relied
upon to government from destruction? Our fire.
side answered the statesman 1t the domestic influence
that must be brought operate in eevatng delegates 70
the Virginia Convention, and The influence must pre-
side over its deliberations if the people derive any benefit
from it for the Virtue which characterized the PALMER days
of the "Od Dominion has been for series OF years etir-
ing to the walks Of private life. majority OF the Legs-
atue has betrayed such podgay, ecklessness and unfit
that many noble and generous spirits have retired from
that body with modification and disgust while the few just
and true that remained have been overrued by num-
bes, until the government Of the "Moher of Sates has
fallen pretty much into the hands of political jugglen,
mounebanks, ocehuners, agitaors and pecuatos, who
for little, save the accomplishments 0 their own private
ends in obtaining office and spending their winters ageea-
ably in Richmond upon the spols Of the public treasury
Mere public spendthrs and public nusances which tho
people ought abate! would trust the contents
of farmers granary to the tender merces of gang OF
Norway rats look to these parasites and vampires for
ameoaion in the intellectual and moral condition OF the
State Depend upon such these to amend the Con-
sution and reform the abuses which have crept into the
government and you send stop the holes and destroy
the which they themselves have made in your gram
ary and foxes and minks to take of your poultry
This sort Of government would be gooseocracy that would
certainly be adopted by but gtls Let Virginia
main welded the idols which have deceived and pund
cred her and brought her present grievances and Con-
venton will be of no service to her. But if she profit by
nd
tend to her own business in proper person. she may recover
from her shattered condition. Virginia resembles
able old oak, with green boughs and wihered branches in
termixed, and covered with misetoes-reformed
duukards creeping from the cutters of the Northern cities,
and nculcang in the rising generation beautiful SYSTEM
Of morality, by publishing their shame and illustrating
by disgusting gog shop anecdotes-while the Legsla
ture like Of squirrels its trunk, feeding s
and buds, instead of establishing efficient sys
tenn OF educaon calculated protect the from esr
nal hobbysm, mposture and humbuggery 1t isgntying
to that the current of communications in the newspa-
pers upon the subject of Convention agree upon the ma
teas Of which it should be composed-Vrtue and Com
Sense This leads the hope that the proper spirit
is abroad and operating with sautary effect young
who had graduated foreign University, after re-
turning to his home in Eastern Virginia. pointed to field
growing and asked old family servant what il
"Lor" CALCULATED the servant "youDg massa 80 high
arn he dun what is" fthe people will send DEL
egates the Convention who "know what corn s" their
interests will be properly represented But If they send
there "hgh larnt" in Greek and Latin sophistry
legal chcanery and political ntrguery to recognise with
the people identity Of interests and yield to the sua
gesons of sense then may they expect be ba
boozed and have their eyes filled with dust BY the vre
workings Of the garuous fraternity, who will ouscats al
The great subjects Of reform with clouds Of wind and yer
bosy in such manner as to have every thing their ows
way at last, and leave the people in the condition u
which they wero when they started. Then the psspls
should not
"Hang with rapture on their honeyed tongues"
but should "resst the voice Of the chamer and act upos
their own honest impulses and yirtuous ncnaons Other
wise the Convention instead Of redoundng TO their bens
f will be used political engine against them BY thoss
who deceive them. entertain acerbity Of feeling to-
wards the lawyers and politicians, nor have any private
motives in writing these numbers. In private and social
point Of view, esteem them respectable agreeable and
honorable men, but in their public capacity the people ought
at all times bear in mind that they their servsns
not their mastes-more particularly when the people are
recurring the "rst principles" which place all the DOW.
ers of the in their hands, for the express
purpose correcting the abuses which have accumulated
and are still accumuating, thick and fast upon them By
the omissions and maeasances Of the very men who as
sumo to be their leaders and advisers, and whom hey are
too prone to follow with blind creduy and implicit conf.
dence. Very respectfully, SHELBURNE.