The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-02-26


test for the Presidential chair. They %.ill not
leave him soon, one raw Of that honora-
ole popularity which has cncircled his brow.
! -. Posghdtdn does not himself express his
own opinion about 'sthose irregular assem-
oiles called caucusses." Although Horton
sius has made such a triumphant use of his
new convictions on this subject although
the whole host of wits and Writings who have
initiated ms earliest impressions and his rea-
Nv reformation have now rushed forward to
hunt Gown as an unconstitutional usurpation,
a practice to which they were once so deep
~ attached, and which they have not ez,r,r
now relinquished.---Yet does this candid
writer torbearto bring home this charge to
the friends OF Mr.. Madison. 1t was an ample
held tor the exhibition of his eloquent invec-
tive, and yet does Powhatan forbear to rcvei
IN the fullness ct its enjoyment. To what
cause are we to ascI.ibc this unexpected Ii
berality! Has the hand OF mercy at last
touched the heart Of this triumphant Tam
er!ane Has he crimes off such &c monstrous
| criminality" tc urge against Mr.. Madison,
that he thinks it an useles waste of time to
expatiate on the trihing sin of a legisla-
tive caucus in his favor! No; indeed we
DO powhatan too much justice. I hat
| gentleman does not himself seem preDar-
cd to condemn the friends of MIR. Ma
| olson TOT holding Caucus-6ecduse he does
not mean, hastily to condemn a caucus" it
| seu.--Like the hero OF the celebrated Car
tius, he has ingenuity enough TO disguise his
opinions under the veil of candour, and to
oreatne not sentiment, which may not ope-
| rate IN favor of his cause.
| But this is not all-Powhatan hac exhaust
ca all his eloquence upon the unworthy qua
lities and talents which are calculated to
SHINE and succeed in a caucus'-or. in de-
nouhclng the opinion, that caucus though a
great, is ga necessary cviL Did Pow ha-
| tan nope to deceive any one by this studied
evasion OF niannerS Because he expatiates
on the unworthy qualities which sometimes
erect caucus, does he expect to impose an
opinion upon the world, that he was there
| iore opposed to caucuscs9 Isthis the species
OF candour to which Powhatan has aspired !,
put the world will not draw such an inference
Tor him, however much he NAV desire it
because caucuses, lii Ike other g irregular as
| semohes" may sometimes be directed by un-
| worthy men, G by unworthy means must a
man totally condemn such assemblies for the
abuses, of which they may sometimes he
susceptible? Will Powhatan range himself
among the ministerial advocates OF the mob
la7os OF England--will he suppress every
meeting OF the English people for reforming
| the abuses otthcir government--becau
regular assemblies may be denominated
1 l.
ghsh mobs under the influence of a TYLER OF.
a Cade.
| Surely the Paftizans of Powiatan will feel
very little indebted to his petuant ingenuity
| 1or the very liberal picture which he has
drawn otthc qualities and talents of the Mon
roe caucus at the Capitol; s.whcre the
nlSht 7raS substituted for the day; where in
stead OF the audible eloquence of public de-
! pave the base whisper of intrigue syas hard.
y heard where folly and cunning and falls
mood, and hypocricy usurped the place of
wisdom, truth and virtHe" In one rcsnect
indeed 1t must be confessed that they are in
Geoted to the softening genius of his pencil.
ne mas not thought proper to sdepict the Gu
! rious ana molly grcupe of politicians which
hovered around the thin benches of the c.
Pitoi---a tasselated piece of mosaic, on which
MI Monroe's friends have rested his chan
ces OF succesr---where the retubfoa,. Mr..
was the conf,anfon of the rank fe-
deralist Mr.. **%*%*** and the fiscoutrnt
Mr.. ****** was the bosom friend of ~.
| mongrel Mr.. ***~*~*.---For my own part
snail never forget the indelible '.diseust
| dlsmay, HORROR which this scene has en-
! graved upon my memory.
mat some caucuses, are, in themselves
great erfIs, perfectly agree with Powhatan
that they are rot aisuaUs necessary evils
also agree with him. But because thew are
| NOT Always necessary, is 1T true that they are
not sometimes necessary? Because the suf-
TRACE OF all the Republicans NAV sometimes
oe concentrated upon some unrivalled man
does It necessarily follow that they are No,
sometimes useful to produce concert of o.
Perations and to prevent a division of party )
rowhatan however has not once asserted
| mat tie present is not case, which re-
CURES the interpolation of a Caucus
<. Powhatan has charged the friends Of
Mr.. Madison with the employment of " ar.
tihce, intrigue, and falsehood ;" that "from
the commencement, and throughout tho
whole session of the late General Assembly,
mere nave been constantly published in the
CITY OF Richmond, extracts of letters from
members OF Congress, injurious to Mr.. Mon
roe pretcnsions. From the general express
sions which he has employed. indeed Il
would be readily inferred, that these extractc
had been published every week. and perbsn nc
every day. But if ,hese assertions are r,pt
i/acfS, to whom will truly belong the charac-
ter Of " artifice, intrigue, and falsehood >,
i-Jhey are not .fdctS.-It has been well &c
tablished: "eii Co
! mat only one extract was hubH8hed in tbe
CITY OF Richmond, respecting the impress
sions at Washington" about the next prey;.:
dental election r e'i-
nat the statement of this one extract a
bout the probable result OF the caucus a.
washington was most strongly confirmed INV
the actual result y
| nat there was only one single sentence
! lever published in this city,) and that was
/ Ia