The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-05-24

siNe To- YOUR taste, am wiling TO adopt any
other that will express orr idea. We meant
tto 'ahcdge, that Mr.. Madison was deficient
in that firmness and decision OF character,
which we believed necessary at all times in
a President of the United States, but more
especially at such period as with probably
| follow the next election. In confederation of
this, we have already offered some proofs,
] and without asking Year permissio shall be
hardy enough to submit a few more to pub
| lie consideration. But before proceed,
must take the liberty to notice some of your
remarks on that confederacy with Fede-
ralists" which you are pleased to impute to
us. Any man OF common sense, must be sa-
tished ct your own consciousness that this
charge is false, when he pereeives how you
have ,rcnssh. !: ::s:.:::::i mere. naked as
sertion, Unsupported by the least shadow of
testimony or proof Of any kind whatever. If
you had thought proper to collate texcuse
my borrowing term Of yours) majority of
our votes, and proved that in those instances
we had united with Federalists upon their
own political principles, then you might have
sustained your charge with some colour OF
truth. But until this is done, we must be
pardoned for contending, that not even the
assertion of One of the People, all respect
able and important as it's, ought obe thought
| sufficient to establish such an accusation.
may venture to assume as fact which One
OF the People will not deny, that the federal
members of Congress have to vote, like the
rest, upon every question presented to that
body, and if it be proof of federalism to
be Caught voting on the same side with them,
the majority, who might easily by reference
to the Journals be detected in sometimes
committing this cnormity, are Just as liable
! to the jmputation of federalism as the mino-
ritv. But to treat seriously charge of this
sort, offered without any kind of evidence
would be trihing with the good sense of the
public. 1t can only be answered in its pre-
sent shape, by defiance to YOU and your
whole junto. And we challenge you, or any
OF you to prove, by the Journals of Congress,
which is the only authority we acknowledge
upon this point, that any of those persons
whom you so politely style a minority, the
curse Of Congress, ever gave, since that mi
noritv existed, single federal vote, much
less such a number of them as would justify
any man who considers veracity a virtue, in
. accusing us of having entered into confe-
! deraCy with Federalists. Until you condes-
cend to afford the public this testimony, you
must be content to pass for what you really
are-gross calumnator.
But enough of this-we understand per-
1 fectly the motive of your abuse against us,
yet we have much higher confidence in the
discernmenu and justice OF the public than
to believe that any personal reflections which
YOU can make upon us, can divert their at
tcntion from the consideration of Mr.. Madi-
sons pretensions to the Presidency. These,
we are persuaded, will be accurately and ri
gidlv canyassed, although you could prove
every thing which all imagination fertile in
SANDER can invent against those who have
dared TO question his claims upon public ia
YOUR. They depend upon circumstances
which neitIerthe consequence nor insignifi-
] canoe of those who support or oppose them,
/ can make either better or worse.
| There is one fact respecting ourselves, OF
which, although in itself of no Importance, /
think it necessary to INFORM the public on
your account 1t win afford them an additi-
onal proof of what sacred regard you have
for truth in every thing concerning us. and
how well you are acquainted with the indi-
viduals of whom you have undertaken to say
so much, and with whom you profess to make
the public SO very familiar. You ask the
Professors, if Mr.. Madison has shewn "want
of energy in standing abreast with the van
of our revolutionary patriots, and Drawing
+" tie horrors OF a seven years war tor liber-
ty-whiie they were shuddering at the
Ie' sound of the storm, and c2inging closer
&. qvifH terror to Their mo hers breasts ?''
Now, there are several of us, at least as Old,
if not older than Mr.. Madison, and none who
would be cailedVery young any where mere
are some too, who voluntarily exposed them
selves to the storm you speak of--but let this
pass it furnished you with one of those rhe-
toricaI fiourishes in which YOU seem to take
such deli ght, and it would have been a pity
that any dull matter of fact should have de-
prived the public of such choice flower of
eloquence. You are equally wide of the
mark when you attack the Professors, and
the minority as the same people. Several
of the first have never been classed amongst
the latter, and several of the last, did not
sign the protest. ] do not mention these
facts from thinking them of any consequence
in themselves, but it may be of some impor-
lance to the public to see i'll how many instan-
ces One of the People, who Processes such
high respect for them, and such an anxious
desire to illuminate their understandings, dis
covers himself totally regardless of making
the grossest misrepresentation.
But let us proceed to your proofs of energy
! in Mr.. Madison. To yonr assertion of his
I" standing abreast with the van of our rcvo-
f." lutionary patriots, and Drawing the horI ors
+" of a seven years war for liberty"-I scarce
ly know what to answer. You deal so much
In tropes and figures that l am almost always
at loss to .tel when am to understand you
literally, and when metaphoricaiy. If YOU