Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-10-13


| have before me, while write, book
published in 1912 entitled The Legion 81
Liberty and Force Of Truth, containing the
thoughts and deeds Of prominent Apostles.
Champions and Martyrs" II is filed With
cuts or plates presenting the most revolving
scenes that distorted and disordered mag
nation can concciye--such as negro wEo
has taken refuge in the water, being pursued
BY bloodhounds, and shot at BY his master
from the banks Of the stream: another tied
naked to a tree, and a fire kindled around him
to burn him alive; and still third, with a
negro stretched and confined by chords to a
platform, and the master or overscer choppinp
him up by pcace-meal with an axe. aud throw
ing the several parts into Gre close by
These arc intended TO represent the different
modes Of punishment resorted to in the South
AL of which are calculated and intended to
mislead and inAamc the ignorant and fanatic
portion Of the North.
This book contains some 200 pages filed
with elegant extracts from the Apostles,
| Champions and Martyrs Of tho Abolition
party, prefaccd with frontispiecc, which pre-
sents the likeness of Mr.. jefferson. with the
following inscription beneath, taken from tho
Declaration Of independence, as the liberal
principle embodied by him in that instru
mont--"aH men arc created equal" and
which now stands before the world endorsed
BY the Democratic party. as having 'sercr been
La cardinal principle an The Democratic
faith, which yoa are called upon now to con-
4 firm.
To show more clearly and distinctly what
was meant By those Northern men who franz
ed this Platform, and by the Southern De-
mocracy who thus tempered with our institu-
tions, by tamcly pandering to the appetites Of
these Abolitionists that they profess to con
tenn, quote from several Of the most dis
tinguished of the Abolition party. well known
to fame, whose extracts are here to he found
First. Mr.. John G. Spencer, late Secretary
of War under the administration Of Mr.. Ty-
Ter. He says in the New York Legislature !:
Il 60 further than the gentleman from
Delaware (Erastus Root) on this subject
He says that the adoption Of the Declaration
of Independence in this State Constitution,
renders slavery unconstitutional. | contend
that the first action Of our nation, being a
solemn recognition Of the liberty and eqnat-
ty Of all men, and that the rights Of lite, lib
erty, and pursuit of happiness we're iualiena-
BILE, were the corner stone of our Confederacy,
and is above all constitutions and all laws"
The present mcmbe. of the Senate from
Ohio, Mr.. Wade, referred to the same "liber-
al principles embodied in the Declaration Of
Independence for his justification, says:
"lle would point gentlemen to the instru :
mcnt (the Declaration Ct Independence
hanging on the wall, and say to them if they
will trample its just and holy prccepts be-
meath their feet, then tear it down and efface
il from existence for il was there only as an
evidence and monument of their degrade
ton"
The celebrated Mr.. YIN. II. Seward, re-
lying too on these liberal principles" which
are now declared to be the cardinal principles
| of the Democratic faith, said:
! "The august Congress of Statesmen who
laid the foundation Of the Constitutions, most
emphatically declared that all mfn are born
free and equal. and have inaienable rights
inconsistent with every form Of Slavery
Mr.. Lloyd Garrison also appeals strongly
to the assertion in the Declaration Of Indc-
pendence, that all men are created free and
equal and endowed by their creator with al
inalienable right to liberty"
These extracts. With many others from per
sons less distinguished and less known to fame
serve to show that they rely alone on tht
principles now fully endorsed by the Demo
cratic Platform for their Justification ant
now, people of Virginia, and of the South
you are called upon also to say whether you
recognize and adopt this Interpretation of thai
sacred instrument, thus perverted for the vi.
lest purposes. BY voting for Pierce you Civ,
your sanction to this corner store Of the Alb,
clifton party, and how can you escape from il
hereafter
If this is not deemed fair criticism upor
the Platform of the party, let any Of the gen.
tlemcn who participated in the proceedings Of
the Convention tell US why MIR. Hallet pu,
it it the Platform, why they voted for it, and
what were the liberal principles embodied il
the Declaration OF Independence by MIR. JEFF
forson, that they intended to endorse? The
editor of the Richmond Enquirer, the orgaa
Of the party in this State, warm defender Of
the Platform, was a member of that Conven-
ton. i ask him, | call upon him, to point tc
the liberal principles embodied in the Dec
aration of Independence, that by his vote he
intended to sanction and endorse?
In this connection it is eminontly proper
that should call your attention to the dec
larations Of some of those most prominent and
active in support Of the frecsoil party in As,
and who maintain that there is no inconsis-
tency 10 the position they then occapied and
their present support oftheir Democratic can
didate, Mr. Pierce rs te
Among these may be enumerated the two
Van Burens, Martin the father aud John the
son.
It should not be forgotten that Martin Van
Buren, was but four years ago. the candidate
Of the freesoil party; endorsing in all its
length and breadth, the frcesoil platform Of
the Buffalo Convention declaring in his let
ter of acceptance that 'from his Impressions
Of right and duty in regard to it, he should
be among The last to abandon IT," and who
in very recent letter to the Cleveland Con-
vention, (Which was freesoil Convention, }
declared his unchanged conviction that the
influence Of the governments should be kept
! actipeiy and perpetualiy on the side o. free
DOM That il to say, henow as then, ad
heres to the resolution Of that platform which
declared, i