Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1880-04-13
MIS- CELLAREouS.
COMMUNICATED,

MI. Editor-The time is fast approaching
when an election will take place exceeding
in importance, perhaps, any previous one
that has ever been held in the country since
the adoption of the Federal Constitution, and
upon the result of that election may 6evolve.
| perhaps. the final settlement of those grave
and momentous issues which now ongross
and aSitste the public mind and divide and
distract the country, and give pormanency to
our free institutions, and put an end to that
! dynasty which has vcntuIed to contravene
the National Constitution, to impinge the
rights Of the States, and to fetter the liber.
ties OF the people. Tho long and arbitrary
conrs" OF policy, as pursued by the party
now in power. and which has had control OF
the Federal Government for a score of Years
with the exception of the legislative branch
has clearly demonstrated to every candid and
unbiased mind that the ccntripctal measures
of that party fraught with danger to the
Republic, and but for the check, which it
received by change in the political COM
pIexion of that branch of the government.
those measures which the aihereuts of that
party so pefsistently advocate, and so tcna>
clousiy adhere to, would ere this have become
the law of tho land, and those principles of
frco government that were guaranteed to the
States when the articles Of confederation
were entered into by the contracting parties,
would now be dead letter, and the consti
tuition, the work of those self.sacrifciug and
slnccro patriots who framed it, and. as thew
thought, so hedged it around as to guard and
protect the States from any encroachmcnt9
or innovations upon their reserved rights,
from it would have been superseded By the
/ legislative action Of party whose aim is the
consolidation of the government, the cancel,
iation ofthose rights, and the destruction of
the liberties of the people. Now. sir. will
tho people cnndone these high handed acts
OF usurpation! Arc they willing to surrender
these liberties, and to see these rights trod
den under foot, and tn ir once happy couu-
try become prey to designing demagogues.
and a pandcmonium of anarchy aud conCu,
sion? Or will they rise in the msiesty of
their power and defend and protect it from
the pcri!s By which it is surrounded, from
the dangers with which it is threatened. and
hand 1t down to their posterity unim paired.
as they received it from their Fathers. a
monument Of freedom, from which the ma
tions of the earth may learn tho lessons of
freedom, and see in it tho irrefragable evil
dence of the capabilities Of a free people for
self,government? Or will they prove recre-
ant to the trust committed to their charge
and permit the only real Democratic form of
government that has ever had an existence
destruction
from the face of the earth BY the coharts
of tyranny and Radicalism ard become
despotism. such as even a Nihili.t of Russia
would spurn. and the subjects of a monarchy.
such as England would despise? IF. then.
they wish to preserve their liberties una
| brIdged, and avert such dire results let them
look well to the men who are the candidates
for their suffrages, and select men who un.
derstand the science of government, men who
have made the constitution aud laws their
study from their youth; men who have the
ability and capacity to understand the ma.
ture OF their free institutions, and tho talent
and the courage to contend with the giants
OF Radlcallsm; men born statesmen, for
statesmenlike poets are born and not made;
men who can comprehend by intuition the
most profound and abstruse questions, and
| dissolve and digest them as quickly as Alex
! der the Great dissolved the Gordian Knot:
men who have made the character of JeFer-
| son the model of theirs. Not the living
Jefferson sometimes inconsistent, often ir-
| Fesointe. too often playing a studied part,
! and always covetous of applause. But Jeffer.
| SOD, as he aimed to be, and as he appears
revealed in those immortal emauations Of his
| genius, which have been, and will continue
to be, the delight and guide of intellect and
virtue OF every succeeding age. Such are
the men we want in the National councils at
this critical conjuncture, and such men we
have in the State of West Virginia. Some
! of them to be found in Jefferson county,
and prominent among them is Daniel B. Lu-
cas-, Esq., and as rotation in ofics is the pro-
creation of Democracy, We go with him into
the convention as the candidate Of our choice,
with the full consciousness that he possesses
all those admirable qualifications which are
necessary for an able, efficient and compe-
tent representative, expecting from our
Democratic brethren west of the mountain
that fair and just reciprocity which ought to
be the ruling principle of the Democrats
household, aud ask from tho convention for
Jefferson cOnnty's favorite aud talented son
that nomination to which he is, according to
we'll established precedent. SO fairly. Justly
and honestly entitled. Aud should the nomi,