The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-10-07
.lGbe Gnqutrer.
RICHMOND, 7sb OCTOBER.
PRINCIPLES AND NOT MEN.

know whether the Aurora had any partialitie,
or prejRdiees in relation to future choice of
PRECEDENT" but what were itsfcntiments rcfpee.
ing the interefing tranfattions of the laft Con-
greis. The preeif quefion which it propound-
cd was, "wby has not the enlightened Editor of
tbat paper, explicitly deliver mis- own opini-
ons, Rejecting THE conduit offbe rebubEean mi
nsrity and of the a.in,inJarafion'--On this
great topic, the Aurora has not advanced
hogie remark in the comments to which we re-
fer.
Ia relation To future choice of Pref
dent" the fentiments of the Aurora were not
explicitly, nor in the mott diHant degree con-
iu'ted. For II is one of thofe topics, on which
eve,y unfophifticated republican filoud decide,
q Publiih with the mot cautious crcumfpeeti-
on. Why !Becaufe the decifou may involve anec-
dotes and occurrences, which are yet in the
WOMB OF time, and on the pronunciation of
thofe opinions may depend the very union,
harmony, and ftrength of the republican par
~ There is time enough before them to
decide upon the candidate to be fupported
and 1t would therefore be premature expert
ment to nominate the candidate, whom we
would at prefeDt prefer, or to diDeminafe any
remarks which would provoke an inveftigation
INTO this deeply interettiug queltion. Let this
cafe avoid the public papers. until time and cir
snMfanee5 ihall mperiouny call it out of the
be IDLY or unprofitably fpcnt. Let the frecf
'nveitigations be et foot into the private cha
raeters and political views, of every man who
may have pretcnlions to the executive chair;
10 that when the moment of deciding may ar
rive, we may have collected all the necen'ary ma
terias for making feleeton, honorable to
ourielves, and ufeful to our country. But
let this inveftigation be conducted in
priOnff, not in nezlbaper form in
the contracted circles of focal intercourse,
and not IN thofe public channels of communi-
cation' through which every miferable editor
or every anonymous fcribbler may hurl his fire.
brand into the midt Of fociety.-Let this truth
oe written IN letters of gold mon the memory
or the republicans, that even now, the federal
papers are eagerly crouching for this expected
harveft OF republican broils. Let us difappoint
theie delufve dreams of fickly ambition. Let us
nope that on the great quefton of nominating
candidate for the proficiency, fome expcdient
may DC found for reconcing and uniting every
contIctlng intereft; & that when they approach
TINS momentous meaiiire, all the real republic
cans OF our country will march together in one
hrm macedonian phalanx. But fhould anv diffe-
renee OF opinion be yet found TO exit, let us
reioive TO put off the period of fchiftn and of
d'llolution as long AS poffible
hut II thetc reafons extend TO the repubIi
can party throughout the union, there are o.
fter5 which apply with equal force to the re-
puhlicans of Virginia. II is a truth that two
OUT or the three Pre6dents, who have already
nheo tne executive chair, have been fee6fed
rom Virginia; that at the expiration of MIR Jef
ferions prefcDt term, out of the 90 vears will
nave oeeh administered by her fons. 1t is a fact
equally Certain, that many of the mott diftin.
guinea Republicans of the OTHER ttates, have
once more ilitened to the idea of f-leeting their
next candidate from Virginia. What then ia
ner dlpoiition at tuch delicate crifs It is
'iuch as, we will venture TO avow. will do M
d'icredit to her own elabli(hed Character or RI
me enne great republican principles which fhe has
Imported. '"'
Virginia is proud of her two fons. who have
oeen named as candidates for the presidential
chair. She deems them both virtuous and ,hIs
men both apparently fitted for the hi,b OFF,
10 Whlch they have been named. But-fhe has
no Hn1s'f'on at war with the interfa5 of her
country. She cares not whether the prefdent
be named Janes Madifon or James Monroe.
PROVIDED ne be the man moft eminently ouaI
hed FOR his itation. She will even 60 ften
farther. She would prefer to fee a prefdent
ieiected from any of the other itates, if he were
equally well qualified with the worthiet z
her iona' She is fatisied with the prefidential
nonors winch The has already enioyed rather
thah provoke the unfounded jealoufies of her
- ~ "Oulu itdVc the following har-
vetS to bereaPed by them. Is it neceGary
then to FAY, that Virginia will not be the 6rf
10 nominate one of her own fons to the vacant
chair That ihe deyolvcs the choice of
proper candidate upon the other republicans
OF the Union refolved to fupport the man
whom they would prefer, but referying 70 her
ielf the right OF impartiay inveftigating his me-
r'tS''ls It neceiiary then to fay, that the Enoui
Ier would have been, among the very lat papers
IN the union, to have nominated a candidate
TO the prudential chair or to have provoked
dfcuilion OF the fubjeet The Aurora was
therefore mitaken, when it fuppofed us to en-
?uHe INTO Its own " Partiaiitie5 or preiudiee5,"
III reiatlon TO future choice of Prefdent
ne mall not be the mott reluctant TO declare
our fentiments when the proper location fhaIl
demand them /; but in the mean time we fhall
be contented, with the Aurora, to adopt for our
motto tue ientiment Of the Great Frederick:
La Pohfiqme 6ema1de de Ia batie1ce 81 Le
e6ef @ofHOre dim BONNIE bebiie Ell de Eaire
ebn7"e ebef en- Jon temps 81 a DroboS."
But there are fome comments made by the
aurora on this fubjeGt, which we deem il no
deviation from thefe principles for as to notice
On the quenion " whether it has any par
tiaities or preiudices in relation to a future
choice OF Preiident !" the Aurora obferycs
" On this point we fhall be 70 explicit that
none can miDake. If we thought there was
but a ray of hope that Mr.. Jefer/5n would fervc
AGAIN as prehdeDt, the Aurora would prefer
nlm 10 any other man, even with the e7H ge1f-
U of G0lIQfiU i'm the e1b;Uef md Oh. :.,.:-.-.