The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1808-04-21 00:00:00, page 4

give all the aid in my power to the pre
sent administration, in support of the
principles of our most excellent consti
tution, would have detained me here so
long. In the present state, however, it
is not possible, if in any it would be, for
me to render any service by a lenger
continuance here. As soon, therefore,
as I had answered Mr. Canning’s note,
I communicated to him my intention to
return, and requested that he .would be
so good as to obtain for me an audience
of the king for the purpose of taking
my leare of him. This was granted on
the 7th of this month, in which I renew
ed the assurance of the sincere desire
of mv government, to preserve the most
friendly relation between the United
States and Great Britain, which senti
ment wan reciprocat d by his majesty.
Mr. Pinckney succeeds me by an ar
rangement with Mr. Canning, which
will appear in the enclosed copy of my
correspondence with him, and which I
have full confidence the president will
approve. I regret that in tranferring
the business into his hands, I do not
leave him altogether free from difficul
ty.
I have the honor to be, with great
respect, sir, your most obedient ser
vant,
James Munroe.
James Madison^ Secretary of Stale.
WII RE L 1N G,
Thursday, 21st April, 1808,
The doctrine cf confidence in the ex
ecutive, at present deemed the f unda
mental point of u genuine republican
ism,’' v c think is carried to too great a
length. Allowing the President all the
merit of good intention, lie is still only
u man. ile is liable to error, in com
mon with others. Hut this doctrine of
confidence, as it is acted upon, regards
him as infallible. It implies, not oHly
that he can do no wrong, but that he
cannot err. •“ Confidence in the Execu
tive,” say the professors of this doctrine,
“ is a virtue which no repuhliean would
be ashamed to own." II Mi . Kandolph,
or any other thinking man, shall under
take to judge lor himself, and to dissent
from the Executive, his conduct cannot
.~>tand the test of this dogma. His hete
rodoxy is instantly proclaimed, and he
is denounced as an apostate from repub
licanism ; as one who no longer w keeps
• n the wake of the Executive \ esscl.”
Notwithstanding the pertinacity with
which this “genuine republican” dogma
is maintained, we are unable to perceive
its justice. We do not see how it can
be anti-republican, for a man honestly to
exercise his own judgment; and, instead
ot keeping the vessel of his conduct “ in
the wake of the Executive,” to examine
his own compass, take observations with
his own instruments,and steer his course
accordingly. Republicanism, in our
humble apprehension, consists in an at
tachment to republican institutions, and
not in devotion to a party, nor a servile
attachment to an administration.. We
do not see how the honest exercise of a
right asserted by our republican consti
tutions, is inconsistent with republican
ism. We think the practice of those
who denominate themselves u genuine
republicans,” on some occasions, is at
war with republicanism. Our republi
can institutions permit a man to vote as
he pleases at elections.. Republicanism
allows him to select his own candidates,
and acquiesces in his exercise of the
right. Rut our “ genuine republican*”
will not permit a man to vote contrary
to them, without calling his republican
ism in question. Ii a man does not con
tinue Ids interest to them, he is de
clarea an apostate from republicanism,
though lie still feels as much attachment
to republican, institutions, as he or they
ever possessed. On a late occasion, se
veral gentlemen who formerly stood high
i in the estimation of the “ genuine re
publicans/’ declined acting with them.
I he “ genuine republicans,” in conse
quence, proscribed them as deserters
from the cause of republicanism. 13ut
are they less attached to republican insti
tutions than they were formerly* This,
we humbly conceive, is the proper test
of republicanism. On the occasion al
luded to, the u genuine republican” can
didate for the Senate, publickly repro
bated the choice which the freemen of
this district had made, for the last 12
years, of persons to represent them in
the Senate. “Genuine republicans,” as
they call themselves, may profess what
they please ; but we think that that po
licy which denies a citizen the free ex
ercise ol his right, is “genuine” anti-rc
publieunism—it is “genuine” tyranny.
Believing that a republican mav, con
sistently, think for himself, we highly
approve of the liberty .Mr. Randolph
b.as taken, in dissenting from the Kxecu
| live, and acting agreeably to his own
| judgment, on a lute occasion. lie re
fused, m that case, to follow implicitly
“ in the wake of the Executive vessel
and the people have, in consequence,
been putin possession of a most import
tant document. They have bcenfur
nished with official evidence of the inso
lent requisition of the French govern
ment, that the United States shall com»
mence hostilities against England, under
the penalty ol the confiscation of such
American property as France has been
able to lay her hands upon. Whatever
complaints the United States may have
against England,it belongs to the United
States alone, to say what course they
will adopt in relation to them. So long
as the United States are an indepen
dknt nation, France has no right to
declare war for them : and the usurpa
tion ot the Emperor of France, in de
claring them to be at war with England;
in urging them to active hostilities, and
threatening a pecuniary punishment in
case of a non-compliance with his ex
pectations, ought to awaken indignation
in the bosom of every patriot. We think,
with Mr. Randolph, that the knowledge
ol such an insulting demand should not
be concealed from the nation.
L'rt the 30th ult. the President com
municated to Congress a confidential
message, with some documents of the
same character. The President’s judg
ment was then against publishing any of
these papers.i On the. 31st, Mr. Ran
dolph, in secret session, moved that the
message and documents should be made
public. M he house refused to consider
the motion, 70 to 44.; He then moved
the publication of a part of the docu
ments, including a letter from the French
minister to the American minister at
Paris* The house refused to consider
this motion also. On the 1 st inst. M r. R,
stated, in public debate, that the people
were plunged into the depths of utter
darkness on subjects, of immense im
poitance to their liberties and indepen
dence ; and that he considered it his du
ty to reiterate the motions he had made,
until the house would agree to consider
and discuss them. The house afterwards
went into secret session ; and Mr. Ran
dolph concluded two speeches bv re
newing his motions; which the confuting
majority again refused to consider. J’he
minority evinced an inf! -xible determi
nation to adhere to their purpose, ntvl by
rein rated motions to am st all other
business. Things were in this situation,
wlv ,i on the 2d of April the following
message was received from tin- Presi