The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-06-14

this the tins for the Republicans Of the union
70 break into schtsms, and by their oiiv; sions
encourage tue hopes and the exertionS of the
federaiists If particularly at this time,
when all the powerful nations of Europe are
assailing Us il. our Achilles heel, in our neu-
trail 7zS ms and commercial interests,-.-when
the attitude which we have assumed, is the
best adapted of all others to our natural re-
!tations to Europe, and when this attitude
cannot be PRESCRIBED, without the most per-
'fect harmony and concurrence between the
aSin republicans OF our couutr5 is this the
moment Tor encouraging any contest what
ever, that is calculated to divide them OF
ali ether moments, is not this peculiarly that
moment, when Shc great principle of Re-
pnoilcan government as well as of the Re-
publican forty, an ocgnieScence IN the SviY
" ne mag rftg, Shoaid be reS1ectrd?
rms VIII has almost certainly been eX-
pressed Mr.. Madison has been nominated
by the Republican members of Congress at
washington, coming from various parts Of
the country, and expressing tier sentiments.
lie has been almost officially nominated in
pennsylvania He has been nominated in
Virginia, in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennes
see. Rhode-lsiand, n. Jersey, the greater
part or Maryland, decided majority Of
North and South Carolina, have spoken
their sentiments through such channels, as
must remove every possible doubt of their
votes. IT then at such a peculiarly peri
Ions crisis, one of the republican candidates is
hoR7id TO resire--and if Mr.. Madison has al
ready secured so great majority OF the
He'"ohcan votes, as prevents Mr.. Gin
ton S ootaininSa majority of the whole num-
Der OF electoral votes,--iti is surely not Mr.
Madison, who ouSht to resign his pretensi.
ons.
But it is sAterfuous to appeal to this
principle for your satisfaction, as YOU have
indirectly admitted the efficiency of another.
lou, Sir, have conceded that even the no.
mtnatton at Washington would have been
binding =" according to the former prac-
tee OF the republican party"-if
1t had been "made according TO f5r-lcr
usage" and if
The echoing oft by the eongyss sfo7aS
caucus" had nor been "tlie effect Of
SRr7,TiSc, if not COLLISION"
You have not yet explained the reasons of
this second objection. but If you an, not more
fortunate iii this second, than you have been
IN the FIRST foi'l:; il is absolutely certain.
that even Cheetham himself has admitted
The " blnding' foree OF the nomination at
Washington.---The manner in which Won
attempt to support this first objection. is RI
dicnlous beyond example.
First asserting that "no one state had
previously arrogated to itself the rirht Of
making the nomiNaton ;" but the invari-
ah!e practice of the republican party had
neen kor the members OF Congress, in eau
Gus assembled, to make the nominations, -
you attempt TO "prove by facts and dates,
whose force no sotHistry can resist, nor inee-
sntIy eVade strong terms, Mr.. Cheetham
-'' that the nomination of Mr. Madison
was made at Richnond, Virginia and that
the congressional caucus, hcd afterwards
At Washington. did neither more nor less
than serviiciy echo tire nomination'' Now.
e>aSt puisSant sly, even YOU will admit that If
tnis &c :" the echoinS oy the congressional
Caucus, lnsinuated In your second objection.
& that II there was In reality no " echoine'' at
all, then this second objection too must va
n,sh. OANyopr objections, therefore vanish
Ing. the obligation OF the nomination at
Washington, remains " in full force and yir-
tuc.''
Now, most unfortunately for you, there is no
need OF any sothiStry or ingenuity to disprove
thus taVorite idea OF q previous nomination at
Richmond, and the subsequent ECHO at
Washington; and what must be more morti-
tying still, the very "dates & facts which
you have quoted, completely dissipate this
tavorte illusion. Long indeed it has NOT
been "a tavorite idea with you because
inyoup paper of February 5, you precisely re-
verse this arrangement of facts, which you
have now given. Ihen it was, that the first
sound came from Washington ;and the " E.
cho' was heard in Richmond. Then YOU
stated. that '7uhen information he'd arrived
at Richmond of the Washington nomination
Of Mr.. Madison, the friends of this gentle
man in the Virginia Legislature called d
meeting by advertisement to echo the nomi-
nation" Now prythee, sir, where is this
echo to come from, next? For if ! do not
convince even you, and from your own "datcs
and facts" too, that the Congressional eau
Gus held afterwards at Washington did NOT
echo the nomination ar Richmond-thcn
whip me through the world as a miserable
prcvaricator--nay, sir, condemn me to the
most huini!iating of ali puninshments, no less
than the being the servile echo OF James
Cheetham himself
You say most enphatically, that the nomi-
nation of MIR. Madison was made at Rich
mond, OH the t7venfy.frgt day of January
1t is true, sir.-And that the nomination at
| Washington was Oh the 23d January. True
again, sir.--Bat what do these circumstanc-
| es prove! Surely MT, that tie denomination
AT Washington did but echo" the nomination
at Richmond. Because, ere you can draw
this conclusion, you must have no less power
than " TO annihilate the space" between this
city and Washington or, you must restore
old Fame TO her seat in the clouds, where
the poet Virgil placed her, from which stati
,.ln1 81. 4