The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-03-22
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
I.
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.

in plain and candid manner, upon the sub
Ject OF the next presidential election. This
Indulgence is asked, for the first time in my
| life, and, / solemnly promise not to state any
thing, but that which l believe to be true.
My first Objects to keep the election upon
the gronnd where the constitution has placed
IL; in- the hands of the people: that they
may upon the fullest information which they
can obtain. upon the respective merits of
the candidates, exercise their right of shf
frage, as becomes freemen, attached to trim.
cihfcs, and not To men, . ~
f My next object is to remove, some tn
onnded charges against MIR. Monroe, and to
place him, upon the ground he occupied, be-
tore they.were made, that the election may
be conducted upon correct principles, and
uninfuenced by any improper considerations
AS TO my first object: It is tosbe lamented
that an attempt has been made, at Wash
ngton, by convention of some of the mem
bels OF congress, to controul the election
anoif the attempt succeeds, the right of the
people, upon that interesting. subject, tbo'
Hitherto held sacred, will be taken. from
them, by the nSnr1laticn Of their represen-
tatiTes, and they, in fact, will become the
electors of president and vice-president of
the United States it will certainly be SO,
if the people will consent to be bound, by the
proceedings of that unauthorized convention;
BILE, when we recollect it to have been taken
by,a minority, and not by a majority Of con-
gress. The constitution contains no such pre-
vision; and am persuaded that the people
would not consent thai it should but if they
suffer their representatives to exercise such
power, and tamcly submit TO it, 1T Will in
effect be the same thing, as a Constitutional
provision for that purpose but with this
greater objection, that the power win be ex-
ereised without any responsibility, OF even
the obligation of an cath but if it was a con-
sttutional duty, it must then be discharged
upon oath, Ike all other duties, under the
constitution. and carrying with il the same
degree Of responsibility. 1t isa iearposition,
what members of congress do, unauthorized,
does not bind their constituents and if this
be admitted, the election is yet where the
constitution has placed it, in the hands of
the people; and they should keep it there {:
if they will, like men of firmncss and indie
pendcnce, upon this, and. all future oCcasi-
ons, assert their right to free and uncorrRtt-
ed elections, their government nfay forever
continue, living monument of that Virtue
and hatriafisDi by which it was formed but
If they will not, they may soon, yes very
soor, out-livc It and which will afford ano-
| Their pyoof that, the most tyrannical govern
mcnts are the most durable, because mani is
more T'ici Gus than Vffln0us. s... ....-. =,
:. But tits contended that the Washington
convention or caucus was composed of a ma
Jority OF the republicans in congress, and
that theyspoke the sentiments of their con
stftucDts and R course the majority of the
republicans, in the United States, are for Mr..
Madison: this argument may be true, or it
may not, ] cannot say but very we'll re-
collect when VIC opposed MIR. Jefferson to Mr..
Sdans, We had 20 oppose like argument,
a ifty s.fa5 e.rtt, kftt
severed, and Succeeded fact not 20 be
forgotten, and which shall recollect with
pleasure, while / live, TIE friends of Mr..
Monroe, therefore, should NOT, on the pre-
sent occasion, be driven from his support,
under the deiu@on Of such evidence il was
not true in the case of Mr.. Adams it pay
not be true, aaS it applies now to Mr.. Madi-
SON.
This brings rae to roy next object: the
charges against MIR. Monroe they are, / !:
chat lie is politically connected with the MI
Hofity III Congress, and opposed to the adni-
nistration 2. that nc made n diSgraccfni
treaty; and 3. that he is snfhorted by the
tedcralists. As 70 the list charge--NFhen the
minority was formed, Mr.. Monroe was in
England, laboufing as honesty in support Of
| the administration Of his country, as any
man in 1t, and sohe IL yer, and the president
| nil sopH: it is as much due to the ninori-
~, as TO MIR. Monroe, to say, their OPPOSITE
ON. whatever il may haye been, never pro-
ceeded from him they have 10 direction Of
each other, and no intelligent man believes
it.
Astothe 2nd charge Mr.. Pinkney was the
colleague of Mr.. Monroe, and the treaty
was the act of both they submitted 1t to
the president, as the best they could obtain
and he is fcrfceHg safiefcd with their con-
duct, and so understand him in one Of his