Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-05-18

Heftess assaults, and The mast malignant fires
Of our opponents. ! dsev my sword aud
4 threw away the seabSard | crossed the
bridge and burnt il as passed And there
maintained my position aniil victory perch
ca upon our baHsers--unsil the Wig and
Abolition forces were 10 single day scattered
70 the winds, like the Assyrian host in the
valley Of fopbct--unti the Ger tuition was
safely entfenehed behind the enduring plat
form OF Democratic power and ascendancy
Now, 1t will not be dcuied, that some os the
blows which | dealt ia that campaign uero
ielt by our opponents, and that. connected
WITH inc TACT that had at . previous period
Of my NE acted With the opposite political Or.
ganization, led 70 The most unscrupulous at.
tack upon me. from the Aristook to the Gull
o. Iex'eo. Iy motives we're assailed. Ny
pu''io raaracfef impeached, and all the vul.
gas g'oss and jokes which harlequin orators
and newspaper scribblers could invent were
resortcd T., to disparage and hunt me down
i NOW. there are some parties, like some persons
10 this world, who shrink from the support Of
a friend just 10 proportion to the vigor and
malignity Of the assault made upon bin.
Whose love and whose friendship endure for awhile
When fortune is smiling they also will smile
But such is not the character Of the DEM
ocratic party Welded to their organization
because Of lis principles--fegarding those
| principles as essential 10 their own happiness,
aud to the prosperity Of the country. they
cling with religious fidelity to the support
OF any man who is sought to be sacrificed in
their cause. Now. gentlemen. this is the prin.
pal advantage which have had over ny com
/ pctitors for this nomination. and which has
| probably led to my selection. have had the
merit oil being more abused than any other
Democrat in the District
The silly effort has been tried to victimise
me. A portion Of the Wings. in the fullness
Of their wrath, swore that should be crush.
ed--aye, crushed, because ! was true to the
Constitution which our fathers bequeathcd to
us as their richest legacy crushed because
would not, ia obedience to the imperial order
o. the modern Nebuehldnezar of Wbiggery,
kneel down aud worship the golden image
which had been erected for the admiration Of
its blind and idolatrous followers Well. the
Democratic party determined that it should
not be So, that should not be crushed by
the malice Of their foes. You have SO de-
To mined to day gentlemen. and you have
thrown the impenetrable shield of your pow
er aud strength around me. And thus will
it ever be, that the spirit of Democracy
like the spirit of God displayed towards the
princes of Juda will walk with her defenders
through the fiery furnace Of persecution
though that furnace "be heated seven times
more than it was wont to be heated, aud will
ever be found ready to throw the mantle of
its protection around them.
1t is said that am too young in the dem
ocratc party 20 have received this nomination.
When the younger Pitt, then Prime Minister
of England, was reproached in Parliament
with his youth, he replied that it was a fault
which was every day correcting itself. And
so say to you gentlemen, that my democ-
raey is every day growing older. And as
time in this age of progress is estimated not
By hours and days--but by the events which |
may be crowded in given period so | say,
if you viii JUICE s-e me BY that standard, and !
saying nothing Of my afforts for the past |
twelve months think if shall have the hon
or of seat ii the next Congress, will en-
deayoy before the termination Of the next two |
years to qualify myself 20 rank amongst the |
Oldest democrats in the District.
The great principles Of the democratic par
ty are embraced in the series of resolutions
adopted by the Baltimore Convention as its
platform have carefully examined all these
resolutions They have my cordial approba-
ton. They were upon every fit occasion vim
dcated aud sustained by me during the last
Presidential canvass
believe they are the only principles upon
which this government can be administered
so az to preserve the Constitution in full Wig
or, and to save US from the continual tenden-
eies Of our system towards consolidation
Under their influence this nation has already
attained an unprecedented condition of pros
perity. and they from the only system of ad
ministrative policy uu dsg which we shall ever
be able to fll that highland exalted mission
which Providence has designed for us Du
ring the two yours that ! served in Congress
when every variety of political questions vas
submitted for my consideration, not senti-
ment ever isled from my lips not a
single principle announced in that platform
So during the five consecutive years that
have been in public life embracing my SER
/ wee 10 the Virginia LeglsiatGre-ln the Con-
yention and in Congress, not vote was ever
cast by me nor a sentiment uttered 10 con
aict with those principles.
1t has been charged that am not as tho.
rough a States Right man as should be. |
am well aware that there are opinions upon
this subject, more OF speculative than Of a
practical character, upon which the best and
purest Democrats differ. They have never
been made cannons Of party faith and each
man is left to the exercise of lis own Judge
meut in regard to them. But this will say
that If Virginia can be regarded as a safe and
reliable exponent Of States Right principles
then claim to be States Right man. |
have read her vasious cxpositlons of these
questions from l793 to the present time, and
am not aware Of a single opinion announced
by Virginia, defining and defending the rights
OF the States against the Federal authority in
which do not cordially concur. | am aware
of none announced by her during the period