The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-11-05

absent from my post or failed to attest BY
my vote the sincerity Of my devotion to the
republican, cause. Under these cirCumstan-
ces l mad flattered myself that had some
humble pretensions to the public confidence
when protested my early and continued de-
votion to the principles of rcpublicanism, but
discover that am mistaken * that new or
der OF fortunate politicians have come into ex-
istence III the present propitioushours of re-
tpubicanism, x have SO exclusively engrosscd
the whole OF this precious commodity, that
they viii not permit their elder order of polit-
ical men, to whose eXertions it is indebted for
Its very existence, to have one particle Of it.
1t this new created order Of patriots will ba-
nishme & all who think with me on this coca
sion from the republican ranks, they Cannot
deprive us OF this consolation, that, in the state
Of exile and denuDciatiCn, they palcc rs in
company 1T least as respectable as that frcm
which we are driven If to be assc Ciated in
the same political class with the late Presi-
dent, with the MAJ orities of Congress during
his administration, and with the Secretary
OF the Treasury, in contradistinction to this
new order of exclusive republicans, is the
result OF these denunciations, am willing TO
encounter their consequences.
Mr.. President, if and those Of the re-
publican party who act with me on the pre-
sent occasion have apostatised from our for
truth, SO tar as the charge respects myself,
that the motive by which l am actuated
must not only be disintelested but very diff
1ereht from that which generally operates
on the human mind. III the most gloomy
hour OF republican adversely, during the Sc
verest denunciations and prosecutions which
u experienced, at an hour when our political
hemisphere was pregnant with a tempest
which threatened destruction to all its vota-
L W. Co.
district in the state of Virginia, and my con-
stltuents were constantly sending on loyal
addresses III the NEST pointed manner ami
madNert,ng ON the party with whom was
associated under ali these adverse circum-
stances was not inferior to any one in IL
deity and zeal for the republican cause.
But at this period of republican triumph,
when to be associated with that party is the
best passport to all the honors and Offices of
our country, when am elected to a seat in
this very elevated and honorable body by
the vote OF a republican legislature of one
OF the most uniformly and unanimously re-
publican states in the Union i'll such a cri-
Sis and in such a state ofthings, have aban-
doned the republican party If the charge
be Just, can only repeat that must be
actuated by motives very different from those
which generally operate On the human be-
som. No consideration OF pecuniary aggran-
disement could have had any operation on
me in relation to the subject under consider
alton any other than wish to advance the
general happiness of society, for / never had
bank share in any bank whatever nor
have ever had any negotiation with or
requested or obtained loan Tor one penny
from the Bank of the United States or any
OF its branches. i must here remark, if this
abandonment and eergiN ersation of political
principles is justly attributable to NE, am
not Conscious of the motive which produced
It. Whether l shall be considered faithful
to republican principles, my Country must
determine ; q to this tribunal cheerfuliy
apTeal--but whether, III the ycte / am
about to give, l shall evince uniformity of
political principles, is not question that
1 Will submit as matter Of doubt for the
decision OF any enc. 1t Is matter Of fact
susceptible of immediate and conclusiI
demonstration. The nrst time | was a cau-
ditlate for seat iii the House of Represen-
tauycs, gentleman who was a competitor
with HE for that station published a lengthy
address to the freeholders of the district
which we each wished to represent, which
Was in some measure, a profession Of poiitI-
cal faith, and seemed to call on ME to make |
pubic similar exposition of nv political |
sentiments. The Question concerning the !
bank or the u. States was then a topic
more generally adverted to, than it has been
for some years past; it was OF course dilat-
ed on III the address ofmy competitor, which |
imposed an obligation on me e express my
sentiments on this subject in the answer
which published to this address. have
no copy OF my answer in my possession, nor
have seen it for several years but have
no doubt bu. some copies Of it are to be |
found, and if they can be found, it will be |
seen that | therein wave all considerations
respecting the original constitutionalty of
the bank, and after making some remarks |
it, which do not now recoIIect.
conclude with observing, that however in
expedient at first, it cannot now be touched
without impairing public credit, and shak-
ing our constitution to its base. These, |
think, are the very words used in my an
swer. Thus, Sir, recorded evidence NAV be
produced, that in the very first act of nv
political life Gas relates to the general gov
ernmenO on the FIRST PRONUNCIATION of nv
political sentiments, when / was a very
young man, avowed the sentiments | now
profess, and III conformity with which now
act. If ! was republican at the time !
published this answer, if the sentiments
1t contained Consigned me in the public est
nation to the republican party, if acted and
shall act Ill my political career in conform-
Ty to these sentiments, ! have some latent
suspicious that should have some pretensi-
ons to the character of a republican. if il
were not discovered that new order OF pa
triots has lately arisen, which has cxcln-
siVely apDrOnriated In ite ri a,.nrr ,o,,..tJ:..