The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-23
For THE ENQUIRER.
no. K.


! II must diiiuse an honorable pride through
| out Virginia, that another Of her sons seems
! selected by the general wish, as successor to
| the Presidential Chair. Inc qualification
too is increased, when il is known, that this
repetition OF American FAVOR cannot be a S
: cribed to the most remote influence OF in
trlSue--tnc sea C.al, and ultimate ruin of
elective rights Virginia has been saturated
with executive nouCrs and ought To Weld
and undoubtedly will always yield, without
a pause, when any sister state shall produce
q candidate, in whom an important portion
OF sutiiageS viii conci,l.
J but these sensations Of pleasure are not
| free irofn ALLOW The friend OF James Ma
DIS n and Games Monroe are !Crccis into a
idivislon: not upon y prlAc.ple ~ Gissatis-
ifacrion with either; bat hon the necessity
TOT preterrinSg one to the Other. Yes: the
friends of each have long understood, that
the public welfare, would be secure in the
hands Of either. They ought TO avoid, and
the friends Of Madison viii avoid the danger,
OF implying censure ON one; hay OF even in
lsinuating an inferior degree OF fitness in him
while they describe the positive title Of
tho other.
| Those prominent qualities, which have
been hitherto the basis Of an elevation to the
| Chief Magistracy OF the union, were display
ed in the cause Of the revolution. Perhaps
indeed, to him, who now holds the he N of
government, farther tribute is due; for
/ what he tostcred in its infancy, he matured
| by opposing the spirit of repub canisri To
the heightened measures of the preceding
| administration. AT the earliest period, at
ter his ahsoiution from College, Mr. Madison
ten tered upon the carer Of political life du-
ring which he was associated on diftcrcn;
occasions with all the distinguished patriots
Associated not merely in the ordinary rou-
tine of affairs, nor in simply executing with
fidelity, what hundreds besides might have
performed equally well but in creating e.
pochs of public happiness, and IN arrestirg
many crises, which threatened liberty it.
! self, In the bounty OF proVi ence, 1T is or
| dained, that vast errors may intervene be-
tween the perfection OF governmental rule,
and real misery from governmental miscOn-
duct and yet the political machine may not
become too much dcranged for the accom-
! pl: s.lucut ofour safety. Mr. Madison mas, it is
true, taken an ample and meritorious share
in transactions like these and in them has
probably erred, rs little, as the limit Of hui
man foresight would permit Upon these
points, he may be left to a competition with
any Of our sages, nee the birth of indcper-
dence. Upon others, which odlld character
destined to descend To posterity with APP
plause, he shall not be inYidou3iy compared
| with the lustrious labourers in the field o.
American honor, justice and prosperity
But i'll the temple of gratitude, a niche is re-
ssrved for him, so peculiarly his own as t,
have been long assigned to him in the judg
ment OF the people.
This brief sketch will be enlarged in Sonic
future numbers, if no unexpected cirsum
s,ance shall prevent the extension oft