Staunton Spectator

TO THE WHIGS OF AUGUSTA.

The general election for members of Congress,
the Board of Public Works and the State Legislature
will be held to-morrow, and we avail our-
selves of this last opportunity to address a few
words to the Whigs of Augusta. Of the success
of the Whig County ticket we do not entertain a
doubt. The nominees are men of tried integrity
and well known intelligence, and both personally
and politically merit the confidence and cordial
support of the entire party. They have not thrust
themselves into their present position before the
people, but have been placed in it by their political
friends, acting through a large and fairly organized
County Convention. Under these circumstances,
we cannot believe that the Whigs of Augusta
will fail to rally around their chosen standard
bearers on the day of trial. To believe it
would be to suppose them recreant to principle,
and, in some sense, unmindful of moral obligation.

But to secure success, some effort must be put
forth. Let no one take the result for granted, and
remain inactive in the belief that all is well. To
each individual we would say, see to it that every
Whig in your vicinity is at the polls, or put
him to the test of refusing to go. Such is the degree
of inattention of many persons to such matters,
that some of your nearest neighbors may not
know that THURSDAY THE 26TH is election
day. Take pains to inform or remind them
of the fact, and stir up their Whig spirit. What
we want now is not merely success—we desire a
triumph. Our opponents have boasted largely of
their inroads upon us, and declare their determination
to carry the county, if not now, before many
years. Some of them even talk confidently of doing
it at this election. Are the Whigs of Augusta
prepared for such a result? Our brethren throughout
the State are making vigorous efforts to beat
back the horde of Locofocism which threatens to
overwhelm us; what will they think if Augusta,
a banner county, permits the Whig flag to trail
in the dust? There is every thing at the present
time calculated to quicken our zeal. A ruthless
majority in the State has tyrannized over us and
sought to crush us to the earth—A worm when
thus trod upon would show some spirit of resistance,
and shall not men who call themselves free-
men be aroused by proscription and oppression to
assert their just and constitutional rights? We
beg our friends not to permit themselves to be
drawn off from the support of the party ticket by
any new and immaterial issue. Democrats are busily
at work fomenting difficulties in the Whig
ranks. The Temperance question is employed
by them most adroitly to accomplish our defeat.—
In one quarter of the county or to one class of voters,
the Whig candidates are represented as temperance
men, and in another quarter or to other
persons they are represented as anti-temperance
men. We hope every Whig will be on his
guard and not be led astray by such representations.
If all will take a practical view of this
question, they will find that temperance and anti-
temperance are not in issue before the people, and
cannot possibly be tried at the pending election.—
All the candidates, Whig and Democratic, occupy
substantially the same ground in reference to the
question, and to vote for a Democrat because he
is supposed to be more or less favorable to the
cause than any Whig, will be utterly futile.—
There is no reason, therefore, that any one should
desert his party standard. We again express the
hope that Whigs will stand fast to their colours,
and disappoint the expectation of those who seek
to divide that they may conquer us.