Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-08-31

band themselves together as regu-
lators and put down with ruthless
severity, by the exercise of lynch
law, shooting and hanging the
worst offhand.
In many OF the cases of lynch
law which have come to my knowl-
edge the effect has been healthy
for the community. but sometimes
great injustice is done, Generally
the vigIlantes, by series Of sum-
mary executions. do really good
work, but | have rarely known
them to fail, among the men. whom
they kill for good reasons, to also
kill one or two either by mistake
or to crafty private malice"
The surprise of one who loves
his country and cherishes the
memory of the great men who
have honored it will not surpass
his humiliation when he is remind
ed of the vicious. persistent and
unwarranted attacks which our
President, in his books. has made
upon so many of his distinguished
predecessors. He has DETAINED
Thomas jefferson in every way
imaginable way. In his Winning
of the West, Naval War of 1872. "
and Thomas III. Benton" he de-
nounces Jefferson as "vacillating." "
"timid," 'shifty doctrinaire. "
incompetent. 'ungrateful. lin
triguing against Washington. :"
secretly aiding French" his in
fiuence distinctly evil, ," declaring
that he was "constitutionally un-
able to put the proper value on
truthfulness," and that he was
the most incapable Executive that
ever filled the Presidential chair"
He denounces Madison as
'timid" incapable" "A ridicu-
lously incompetent leader for a
war with Great Britain" his Ad-
ministration as feeble" and ac-
cuses him of 'imbecile incapacity"
and of bringing shame and dis
grace to America" in the war of
1912.
He denounceS Monroe as a mere |
"fgurehead'' President, with no !
special ability and declares that
his Administration as Secretary of
War under Madison was Il
triumph of imbecility to the last. "
He denounces Andrew jackson
as 4 "fgurehead," ignorant. ."
managed 10y politicians, =" low
politicians nodded him to their
WILL and declared that his Ad-
ministration corrupted the public /,
service in every way" He de-
nOunces Van Buren, as sordid. /
odiouS, corrupt, declaring that "he
faithfully served the mammon of
unrighteouSnesS," that ''hc sue
ceeded because of and not in spite
of his moral Shortcoming."
He denounces Harrison, Taylor,
and FillmOreas a small Presidents. ="
He denounceS Tyler as "politi-
clan of monumental httleness."
and delares that he was "peeviSh
and puzzleheaded" and that to
call him mediocre man is un-
warranted flattery."
lie denounceS Polk as "the very
smallest, excepting Tyler, of the
line of small Presidents who came
in between jackson and Lincoln"
and declares that he gathered to
him the vicious. corrupt. and
criminal
He denounces Pierce as
trucking, time-serving, Northern
politician and a small politician
of low capacity and mean sur
roundings.
He denounceS Buchanan as a |
trucking, time-Servingpolitician |
fit representative of the sorhid and |
odiouS political organization of
Pennsylvania. =
One who has such profound |
contempt for those who have gone |
before him cannot hope to merit |
the respect of those who shall come |
after him. | know not what place /
in the life of our Republic posterity |
may accord him, but whatever he
has done, whatever ne may do, |
one thing is certain, history will |
mark Theodore Roosevelt out i'm
unique and shameless solitude rs
the relentless defamer of our ma
tons Presidents.
What will that good and godly /
sect, the Quakers, think of our
President when they are reminded |
of their outlawry by him. I'm his !
Thomas II. BENTON Up. 37) we |
,.,cl.