Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-03-11
CONNIE NECATEONS.
For THE VINDIcAToR.

Duried MS chapS and she dropped II like hot
potatoe," but not before one OF its bones stuck in
his throat aud almost crazed him. AS the
Frenchman said che no know hesefany more"
He thinks he is Fan humble, plain unpretend-
ing man." while every sensible person is amaz-
ed at his arroeaace. He thinks he is Zone Of
the people,' whilst his first number on Reform
proves him proud arisocra, prepared 10 de-
prive the people Of their dearest privilege-lhe
! Right of Sufra9e-unless they can read off at
the polls sentence from d primer 1t would he
beautiful sight 10 see Independence sitting
as one Of the Judges of Election and calling on
every voter to TEST his right Of voting by read
ing aloud to him before the assembled crowd.
Fathers OF manufacturers Of the soil-hard-
fsted working men OF the country are not to be
alloweda voice in the government because their
fathers were too roor 10 make fifteen shilling
lawyers OF them. And yet this man calls him
self humble plain, and one of the people /!
| Caesar was humble when he thrice rejected the
crown; but his loWllness was only assumed 10
make that crown sit more securely on his head
when offered the fourth time and accented |
warned the real friends Of Reform to beware of
this pretender or he would ruin their Job Was
| not a prophet He says ''the people of the
county suspect the existence Of a town clique in
this place." aud complains that Kit is very
naughty in the people to be suspicious" I woll-
der how they can help suspectine and belierine
the existence Of such clique :, hen the leader
of it so plainly avows his purpose to destroy the
peoples rights.
am a warm friend Of Education It's bless
inas in republic are inestimable for the preser-
yation of liberty. But | would persuade not
| compel freemen 10 participate in lis benefits
God forbid, that in Virginia, her citizens are
ever to be deprived OF their dearest rights, and
ranked with convicted felo1s, because they can
not read. The capacity 10 read is the ken to
much knowledge yet ii is not wisdom, nor the
only means OF acquiring it. In nv journey
thus far, through life, have met with scores of
men who did not know ''B from a bulls foot"
and who vet had more useful sense-1nore re-
publican virtue, and understood better the sci
ence of government; than all the Olapodians put
together.
| Why, sir, with all their learning they cannot
understand plain English. have teen engaged
| in the humble and peaceful task of defending
my nelghbors and countymen against their as
saults. They cry out that am assaing them
and seeking to take away their rights remind
them that they ought not to claim the right OF
ruling this intelligent ounty--that the people 10
not know themhat at least one Of them-he,
of the neuter gender, is an acquaintance of yes
terday-who has not established reputation e.
nouoh here TO succeed in his profession and has
arguments of this sort | urge them to be little
more modest; not to conclude that all men are
fools but themselves and TO leave the task to
others better known and more permanently in
terested OF setting the county to rights. All this
is very plain English vet they cannot or will not
understand it; and "Independencea the captain
of the band Giles off the heEve'' and swears |
am making ian attack" and that Asneeringly''
insinuate that because that person has seen fit to
engage in a business different from his profes-
sional pursuits, he had no claim upon the conf
dence the people ofthe county. He questions,
too, whether did not mean to argue ''that if a
man changes his calling in life, who is not ma
tive 10 the manor born, it has a pernicous infu-
ence on his moral perceptions and that there
fore, he should be looked upon With suspicion
by his fellow NEIL" After thus perverting what
I said, as am sure the most unlettered man
with the ordinary amount of brains never would
have perverted it, he proceeds to do battle with
a windmill he himself had constructed, by de-
! scribing the !!early Struggles of one whom he
strongly insinuates is the author of IA Citizen,''
complimenting him i'll manner most unlocked
FOR from such quarter, as man "of deserved
reputation at home and abroad,o but who in
early life had often changed his pursuits having
been in turn, a fifteen shilling lawyer school
master, an editor, road-maker, a Speculation in
| Morus Niultlcauils an author, and finally, law
| yer again, who by close attention 10 business,
&c, Ehas attained to several very fine offices
here and elsew here,"- what bore these off
( ces are to an Olapodan-and vet Rumor. the
Jade says Old Zach stumbled over some of these
same gentry as he got out of his carriage, on his
first arrival at Washington SO keen set for serv-
ing their country as to be ready for anything
from an old pair OF breeohes upl From the ex-
ample oft this gentleman of the many callings,
.T,le 1aDpa;; i,,ctlv
ments he has put into my mouth very false and
absurd. But let me puta question or two 10 this
critic and see, when he answers whether his
| head is not broken with his own ::sfarp stick y
Without informing him who am (for though
have written nothing to which would not will
nely SIGN my name wish my arguments to
stand Or fall Icy their own merits, unaided and
unprejpdiced by a name.) Let me suppose that
man whom he describes SO fatteringly, and, as
| he thought, SO witily, when unknown and ''not
yet such man as the county had Heretofore
looked TO for counsel, +" instead Of changing his
business, and struggling on in modest poverty,
looking to the sweet star Of Hope for future sue
cess, had deliberately undertaken the business
OF wholesale detracion. Suppose in his oendi-
tlon instead OF striving to rise and acquire that
confidence which Is necessary for usefulness he
had picked out nearly all his countymen whom
the people had known and trusted for years, and
marked lkein as victims lor his poisoned arrows
Suppose he had presumptuously said to the PEG.
pie of Augusta, "You are fools, and do not un.
'derstand your own aflairs-these men who
''have grown Old in your service, and raised
''children in your midst, are knaves, and have
I" made You their dupes Their names are un-
sullied, and they had expected te hand them
q down as precious legacy to their descend
ANTS. But |, Il stranger, not having succeeded
in my own business, am competent to manage
yours-condemn them on my naked assertion
unless they prove their iunocencen | ask
Independence" W hat should then have beer
the ''reputation at home and abroadn of thai
rnan9 Would he rot, at least, have been sus
pected of wanting that decent degree of modesty
which all men admire. Nay, would not ever,
man, woman and child in the good old county
have pointed the slow moving finger of inefla
bic scorn al the slanderer, and driven him forth
from among them, as an enemy of mankind :,
not because he was poor, bat because he hat
exhibited the propensities OF a demon. | hope