The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-03-18

PIES have since been declared 10 be correct The
decision Ofthc nation has been au,libly pronoun.
ced Why thendo You claim sodecided s,ipc-
riority OF Talents 1t is not for the sake of CON
trast alone, that remind you ofthese times and
these matters. They prove, either that your Pc
hetration does not merit the e,ogies il receives,
or that you were not at all times such a repubil-
can as merits trust. You have, tits said. the honor
OF speedily changing your course. .Deseation of
error is ever meritorious. But why did vol,
change Did you see the correctness of YOU.
former opponents: Did YOU begin to discover
the true objects OF your fellow laborers Hamilton
&c Or did you sec no prospect of climbing that
ladder to whose top you are now so hastily mount
ing We would be apt to conclude that it was the
LATTER, since those mems principles had been well
known, from the time that Hamilton offered his
monarchical project in the convention. And vet
you condescend To become the political associate,
the fraternal partner of those men in the propaga-
ton OF n creed Your services in Congress
were commendable-but why did YOU retire in
despair? You certainly saw ssme danger in the
course then pursued, oryou would not have oppo-
sed IT. Your character forbids US to harbor the
idea that you would notswim with the tide, as
long as your conscience would permit you. Was
1t becoming in you to shrink from the danger
which you perceived before you Is it the part
OF the patriot to see his country laboring and to
cease to afford aid while glinmering of hope re-
MAINS Or will you rely on Marcus to make
your excuse! Marcus is singularly unfortunate.
He would put such reliance OH the progress of o.
pinion, as to render useless any acceeratins eff
forts His plea accuses the laborers in the re-
publican cause with stupid and unnecessary
perseverance. Their work would have been per-
formed by the progress of opinion" without
their aid What short-sghted men they must be,
not to have discovered this truth and to have spa.
red themselves the labors they underwent
Does your champion rely on your oyvn example,
to prove that change ofprinciple must inevitably
he cfnfa Offh xxl,.
Did the conviction, that your exertions were not
needed, arise from this example and experience
Lhe calculation terminated WELL but does little
credit either to your wisdom, your patriotism,
or your perseverance. 1t is better fitted to form
a cover to disgust, irresolutioh and despair. Or
90 you prefer the othcreIcuse of private and pro-
fessional interests Are they to be preferred to
the public good! IF so, why then do we so
soon see you at the Federal City. Was your
professional character SO soon established, your
fortune so soon mended' You have a competi-
tor whose professional reputation has been neg
lected, whose fortune has been destroyed, sacri-
feed in the public service. Why is the Secreta-
ry-shp so long borne, when the responsibility of
representative was little time ago, too heavy a
burden! Marcus should nothave forgotten, that
the. Presidency was in view.
There is another part of. your conduct that i
cannot recollect with any considerable degree of
satisfaction. Why is your house the peculiar and
favored resort of federal worthless, and your Of
hce filled with federal men Does it arise from
partiality to them From disposition which
can readily associate with the'm most obnoxious
materials, party can afford From culpable ir-
resolution which fears the performance Of an in
vidious duty--a distinction between parties
preference of the friends of the administration |!
can conceive no other motive. / leave you to
your choice Either of them should be equally
injurious to your professions. Mr.. Brent will cX-
cuse me for naming him. II cannot be from dis
Il
fedcralist has not been loud enough to reach me.
Why he selected as the object of patronage
Were his talents admirable! Was there not
one OF your own party, III whom you could con-
hdc Or are there, less manifest, but moro OPP
c.at'Te reasors behind TIE curtain2 Didyou seek
the popularity OF his Country, hisfriends and his
party Or was it because he was the distinguish
ed pupil OF Alexander Hamilton Had Iremem-
bered that you were that genteman's associate
in the labors ofthe Federalist, might have spa
led you these questions.
You have often been charged with partially to
a1ooism. Your report certainly looks something
Ike it. But believe You too honest far too ho-
nest, to be interested in that hideous speculate
on Your advice on the subject take to be the
dictates Of your jud gment-But it evidently is
Judgment warped by feeling, fearful of dangers,
ana timidiy shrinking tromrlght lest it should en-
counter diff1cuities You see corruption stalking
before you--,you detest the object but you would
pay ITS peace rather than oppose & subdue it. You
would give premium to nfamy, to ensure pre-
sent quiet, rather than afx the proper mark up
on 1t, lest II murmur. The motives of your con-
duct cannot meet my apProbation-yet, are they
motives and feelings which seem to have operat-
ed through your whole life. And do you believe
that temporising policy is the best policy Do
you esteem 1t correct, to pardon and conciliatc
corruption when 1t is messy shudder at the
prospect OF an executive, constituted as is,
" processes such belief. Republican princi-
pie and the good of our country know not hoy
to tcmpor!ze. They know no affinity to corrup-
ion. They cannot exist one moment in the air
which it polutes.
1t is painful, but it is necessaty.ts remind YOU
OF fact which does little credit to your heart or
your understanding, 1t was not very long since
that ws had All ambassador in Europe who wa,
odiously criminal. This ambassador had some
thing to do IN the purchase of Louisiana that is
he received the credit of assisting in the negoci-
atlon, because he had not ability to Illustrate it
When his associate, one of the first ornaments of
our couptry communicated to you at cOnsidera-
BILE length, the mutiform crimnality of this man.
you replied to this effect Your communicate
ons have been receivcd---you may rest satisfied
that you will receive your full share of credit for
the Louisiana purchase" Does such.a reply need
single cemuept' II you are not far more de
PRAYED than 1 suspect you to be, at least a mo-
mentary blush will color your checks when YOU
WINK your tellow-citizcns are reading this an
swer TO lengthy, disnterested, an important
communication Was it envy, was it malice
that dictated these words Was it such a com
munication as the interests of your country de
! rlnf laH