The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-02-08
Cite enquirer. :
RICHMOND, FEBRUARY $3.50
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
TO PHILOLAOS.
ALIAS
M U c US,
ALIAS
TEE HON. JOHN RANnonpE
ICHMOND, FEBRUARY s,1s1o.
TIE Hon. JOHN RANDOLPH.

oIE-Ihe world is at no loss to discover
the honorable gentleman, who has addressed
the President of the United Sta,es-No
one can mistake the peculiar Styic of his
compositions. The pen which he wields is
evidently borne along by the same irregular
eccentricity, which mass the political
path of their authorize observes no rules
OF compositlon-he pursues no arrange
ment of ideas. He skips here and there,
with the antic agility of a jacko-and wan
dsrs from subject to subjsct, without the
least regard to the connection of ideas
He writes Is he speaks-in the same crude
and desultory" style--and with, the same
want of argument. and losic--All his ide-
rs are loose, brilliant without solidity-
" the mere legs and wings" of an argument
They are the emblems of the mind from
which they spring. For he that thinks with l..
oat reasoning on eny subject, must necessarily
speak by starts, and write in the mazes of
parenthesis. Nothing is more remarkable
in these compositions, thar such inpoiusions
OF style /; the miserable fiiyaNs Of thought
which, (says an ingenious writer /" on
some occasions, may have spirited appear
ance, as prompted by certain vivacity of
thought, which can glance happily aside
as it is going along. But, for the most part,
their effect is extremely bad being a sort
midst of sentences; the perplexed method
of disposing of some thought, (which a 7vri-
ter wants ar! TO Introduce in its hroher
hiGce."
But these letters, Sir, do Infinitely more
credit to the Head than TO the Heart of their
writer. They are marked by peculiar
n'annerism Of temher, if may be allowed
the expression. which stamps them as the
production of your pen. The spirit, which
inspires them, is yours. That Liberal vehe-
mence Of temper, which knows no curb upon
its resentment--which overleaps all the
bounds of principle CT prudence to satiate
its vengeance or its ambition-whch falls
without distinction, like the merciless Indian
Iomahawk, upon the head of the old or the
young-that naughty mien of self-sufliciency
which arrogates all possible merit to itself,
and denies it to ALL but to the vetaries enlis
ted in its service--that air Of patent pu.
rity which falsely assumes the exclusive ii
tie OF Republicans ofthe Old School, and
''lets loose the dogs of war" upon every man
who dares to dissent from its charter
these are the symptoms which peculiarly
point out the author of these addresses.
Whether you sir, utter declarations in the
Representative Hall of Congress--or degn
to unbend your majesty in the circle of your
A" choice spirits"---or whether you are
stretched on the bed of disease, really sick
or only "crafiy- sick" the envenomed spi
rit of resentment will still continue to haunt
you. Wherever you are, the incubus is up.
on you-Heret kaferi kethaHs aruado--tho'
your head may fail you, the master spirit,
which presides over your disposition, is al
ways at its post. Dismiss your fears, sir. a.
bout the progress OF your disorder. SOB
security and feebleness" may rob your nm
derstanding Of its powers, but the raneor OF
the politician will never desert you
1t is not wonderful that this sort Of spirit
should have been infused into your follow
ers. They have caught it by sort of poll.
teal incubation from yourself In the opin-
ion of these tolerant gentlemen, Mey are the
only Elect Of Heaven---fhey represent them
selves the exclusive Republicans of the old
school-you arc Swallowed out AS the holy
st. Peter Of this political wsrld and all
those who are 50 presumptuous as to refuse
to kiss the little toe Of their Pope, is Of
course to be damned without the chance Of
redemption.
/ ask, sir, where is the political sect in
this country, which has been animated by a
more rancorous sentiment Of hostility The
I" f7Oo gGHgs," into which. you are pleased
to say, The people of the u. States " have
been divided" are comparatively tolerant
lowards each ctaer They will occasionally