Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-10-04

TUESDAY. OCTOBER 4, 1908.
To ONE OF THE MONROE CoRREsPoN-
DING CoMM1grEE.


1t may perhaps be perfectly unimportant
20 the people, and less to their cause,
TO Ak upon any individual the charge of in
consistencv. But when this Inconsistency
will tend TO tfevelope the nature and object
of party. IL acquires an Importance which
merits the most serious attention, 1t may
be said, and with some truth, that the spi-
TIT nf dernnciation when once excited, may
mistake Independence for dereiction, and
therefore may snmetmes be unjust and i'll
liberal in i,s operation. 1t certainly is i'm
proper that an individual should lose his
a. merit Of consistency" m rely for differ
ence ofopinion, * perhaps too upon subject
OF little concern, But when we ind him at
one time pouring forth the whole strength
of his mind, in support of principle which
he considers essential to the welfare of a
,enublic, and az another time making use
of every effort which ingenuity and sophis-
try can suggest, to dininish the force and
justice OF that principle, we say, that it
leads to an unfortunate conclusion against
the advocate. Y'.u wilt not expect us to
adduce the evidence Of words and senten-
css exactly consradicting each other, but
we shall endcavor TO shew that the temper
of YOUR doctrine is changed, and the tenor
of your reasoning completely altered. You
cannot have forgotten the pamphlet which
YOU subscribed Franklin, and which you
published in 1900, because it was much adj
mircsl, and your vanity is not OF that sieve
like description, to permit such things as
these to pass off: But it would really seem
tina. this was the only impression remaining
the idea of having been an author, with
out caring What that author, had said.-It
is the motto ofyour party, that a frequent
recurrence 10 Fundamental frincihtes as
essential 10 tie liberties Of a refiubic, and
if you viii admit of the parity OF reasoning,
whics, compares great things to small, wet
will, while you are endeavoriDg to impress
this lesson upon a nation, endeavor to
slo the same upen an individual. Will you,
sir, recur TO the pamphlet already men
toned, and try TO throw off your frofessf-
Ondl habit of s'twisting words and mean
ipgs asyou please? ?" VIII you invoke the
genius that inspired you at that time, and
study the arguments which you employed
to accomplish your object!
Tbis recurrence, If candidly made, may
serve as a mirror to reflect the changes,
which short time has created upon your
political physiognomy.
You were then a most jealous and decI-
dcd advocate of The general ticket law,
butwhy' Not because, as you have lately
said, "that the President is chosen by a
majority of the nation, and not by the ma
jcrity of party 20 not because the OPT
MON of real M. jority would prevail," and
hat every man should express his opinion
and act according to the dictates of his
Judgment; hut because agreeable to that
mode The majority Of a fGrfy would pre-
vail. and bee use it was intended TO proven
nsn from acting according 10 fhe dictates
Of their judgement, because it completely
destroyed the Effect of their judgment. At
this time it is we'll known, there were two
parties, the feleralists and republicans, and
the<object of your pamphlet was to hush
the voice of the first, that it might give
way to the ma iorjty of the republican party.
As an electioncer.ng Commttee-mani IN 1908,
you appear to be great sticker for Can
der and impartaiity of conduct, but as an
eIcctiOnee ring pamphlet writer IN 1900,
you wei. for suppressing a considerable
body of people, AID why +! 3. cause the Pre-
sident might be elected according to the
majority @ party, and not according to
the real n,ojo17ty Of nation, We do not
mean to question the pruprety of your OPT
nion upon the subject OF the general ticket
law, but merely to expose the jesuistry OF
Ynur reasoning. To shew the diametrical
points to VIII ch you are capable of forcing
your reasoning to apply, you contend now
that the President il chosen by the majori-
~ of the nation, and not by tie majority of
party, and that every man should act up
20 his own judgment. Hence, it must ne
cessariiy follow, that every opinion should
be heard, and every judgment shosld
have lis weight, or else you are certainly
in pursuit If n shadow. But what have
you said, ""That by general ticket the
"major:ty Of the people of a state, suppo-
sing them act nationally and III concert,
"es they have dene IN Pennsylvania, and
emo doubt viii do here, fix on the persons,
6sto whom the whole number of electoral
's'votes shall be given. For the election in
5" November next, two tickets will be sub
"mitted TO the consideration of the people I;
"one containing the names of twenty one
tspersons, who wgll vote for Mr Jefferson,
Sor some otber person whose poliI cal prln-
ciplts correspond with his: the other,
"the names of twenty one persons, who will
"as certainly voc for Mr.. Adams, or some
"nan who THINKS as he does. The quest
"on therefore Will be, OF rather is now ml-
'sly hsiore tile people, and the majority
"by the choice Of their ticket, will fairly
"determipe TO whom the twenty one cleo
"toral votes, belong ny to Virginia shall be
"given. ITO illustrate this position, let
"it be supposed, that Mr. Adams had, or
."rather was likely to have sixty seven
!" votes in the other states; fifty one votes
" of course would remain for Mr. Jefferson.
XIV this state of things It is obvious that