Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-04-18
Fl m :he Richmond Enquirer.
Letter from Geo. B. LOfiDg; s..
Editsr Of the - Peoples -4droeats," Mas..,
v IL H., -, of LIZ Z, ~

: SALEM, (Mass.0 Feb. rs, 1855.
dear Su:-ln yours of the 9th
inst. you remark: "Strange, strange
times these, when such heresy comes
from Massachusetts" as is promul-
gated in the Know Nothing Address
Of Governor Gardner. -sffhe times
are, Indeed, strange; and, consider
ing the position of Massachusetts,, as
State Astounding in wealth and
intelligence, tits matter|of interest
to every patriot to enquire in what
=. way she has reached her present
political condition. More particu-
larry is it a matter of interest to every
! Vilginian, whose. political lessons
have taught him that his own State
and Massachusetts have always oc-
! eupied the opposite poles of the
political universe, and who is now
invited to follow the lead of his long
established and natur raj political OPP.
ponent. Let him lookzwell to the
political history of Massachusetts
before he follows her example. Let
him remember, that in the earliest
days of our Republic the principles
which received the support of JelTer-
son and Madison, met here with their
bitterest opposition Let him re-
member, that the peculiar doctrines,
whose establishment in the Constitu-
ton has given tong to our whole
: Union, started forth from Virginia,
and were received with bitter hostil-
ity on the very boundaries of Massa-
chusetts. + And, as DE surveys the
political condition of this latter State,
lethim shrinkIback nlhorror and dis
gust at lending his Hand to plunge
the Old Dominion intp that clover
deep" which now furnishes "room
and verge enough" fol- every species
of Massachusetts fanaticism, and ar
rays her against the safety and pros
.perity Of our Union. IT.. r. IT,
1t cannot be that Virginia and
Massachusetts are destined to travel
together the road Of Know Nothing
ism, : Here the way has been pre-
pared. by slow and PERSISTENT la.
Dor the popular mind of Massachu
sets has been. cultivated orjust the
political paradox which now startles
the prudent and patriot portions of
the community. In no State in the
Union have there been such peril
'nacious resistance to the prevail
/ ing sentiment Of the times-such
determined devotion to the. selfish
interests = such disregard of the
rights and wants of other sections
of the Union-such bigoted political
! faith, and such short-sighted political
endeavor, as have marked the course
of the dominant party here for years.
/ Massachusetts Federalism, however
honorable it may have been in its
origin, has at last brought forth that
very fruit which its early rejection of
the true intention of our gov eminent
! promised. Devoted in its youth to
measures of. such doubtful utility
that the nation speedily rePudiated
them, it passed Non to manhood
which has left not one brilliant re-
publican act to adorn its history
and it. has now found its culmina
ton in the . lnonstrous political
thoughts and deeds, which make
Massachusetts politics a -reproach
i'm the Union. This is no fiction of
,he imagination. Her devotion to
to the alien and sedition" laws of
John Adams; her opposition to the
large, pure, liberal democracy of JEFF
farson; her declaration in&the Mis-
asouri debate in 1920, through her
Senator, Mr.. Otis, that the States
were subservicnt to the Federal pow
rr, and: that "if the Constitution is
hot strong enough to restrict slavery,
we must make5it so;" her. determine
t. ton to exhaust the rest Of the Union
for the benefit of her own manufac-
lures byprotective tariffs; her sup
port Of atiinhated national currency;
Her bitter and rmrelentng hos tiIity
to, the compromises of 1850; her
progress into the maddest Abolition
ism; her howl Of phrensy when the
principles Of. non intervention and
soverignty of the people was es-.
tablished by the territorial bill Of
Nebraska and Kansas; her present
spirit Of notification; and Of rcligi-
Gus prescription are facts known
throughout the length and breadth
ofthe land. II is these things which
1 are now having their jubilee in Mass
aaltusetts. Il it not SOP Does not
the message of Gov. Gardner con
tain the whole dark list OF danger.
ous political heresies which have
Just enumerated Massachusetts
has indeed found the harvest for
4 which its political field has been so
long cultivated. The stiff and pro
scriptive Americanism Of John Adj
ans, the notification Of Gov. Strong, I
II the Abolitionis-n nf 0ds tha nrc.