The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-02-04


members of that cabinet, may almost Ii
terally, say, know nothing of them; ex-
cept as public men. Agai st them, | have
no personal luminosity. know little of them
in private life and that little, never made
me ambitious to know more. ] look at them
as public men, welding powers, and putt
ting, IN operation, means and instruments,
materially affecting the interests and pros
poets of the u. States.
It's curious fact, but no less true, than
curious. that for these twelve years past. the
whole affairs OF this country have been ma
n red, and its fortunes reversed, under the
influence If cabinet, little less than des-
Potc, composed, to all efficient purposes.
OF fzvo Prginians and foreigner. When
speak OF these men as Virgin,ans, / mean
to Cast no otium upon that state, as though
It were not entitled to its full share of in
tuence III the national councils nor, when
| refer to one of them, as being foreigner,
do intend. thereby, to suggest any Con-
neXions OF nature, unworthy, or SUSPECT
ous refer to these circumstances. as ge-
neral and undoubted facts, which belong to
the characters of the cabinet, and which
cannot fail to be taken into view, in all es-
Inmates OF plans and projects; so long as
man IS constituted as he is; and so long a
the prejudcas and principles of childhood,
never tail tn influence, in different degrees,
IN even the best men, the course of think
ing and action of their ripper years.
might have said, perhaps, with more
strict propriety, that it was cabinet com
posed of three Virginians and a. foreigner !;
because, once in the course of the twelve
years, there has been a change OF one of
the characters: But, sir, that change was.
VIGOROUSLY, matter of form rather thar
substance. AS it respects the cabinet, the
principles continued the same; the inter-
ests the same; the objects at which it aim
ed, the same
said that this cabinet had been, during
these twelve years, little less than despotic
4 his fact, also, is notorious. During this
whole period, the measures distinctly re-
commended, have been adopted by the two
houses OF congress, with as much uniformi-
ty and with as little modification, too, as
the measures of the British ministry have
oeen adopted, during the same period by
the British parliament. The connection
between cabinet councils and parliamentary
acts, is just as intimate in the one country,
as in the other.
SAID that these three men constituted
to all efficient purposes. the whole cabinet.
ms, also, is notorious. 1t is true, that
during this period. other individuals have
been called into the cabinet But they were
all OF them, comparatively, minor men such
as had no great weight, either of personal
talents or of personal influence. to support
them. They were kept as instruments of
the master spirits. And when they failed
to answer the purpose, or became FESTIVE,
they were sacrificed or provided for. The
shades were made to play upon the cur
tain. They entered. They bowed to the
audience. They did what they were bidden
Fhey,said what was set down for them.-
When those, who pulled the wires, saw fit,
they passed away. No man knew why
they entered. No man knew why they de-
parted. No man could tell whence they
came. No man asked WHITTIER they were
gone!
From this uniform composition of the
cabinet; IT is ct":c@s :has the project vi
the master spirits was that of essential in
nuence. within the cabinet. For, in such
country as ours, so extended, and it's in
terests so complicated, it is impossible but
those, who would conduct its affairs wisely,
and with single eye to the public good,
should strive to call around themselves the
highest and most Independent talents in the
nation; at least of their own political
friends. When this is not the case, it must
be apparent, that the leading influences
want not associates, but instruments. The
same principle applies to the distribution of
ONCE, out OF the cabinet. as so filling pla-
ces within il. Some mistakes may be ex-
pected to happen, in selections, among
candidates, for appointments at distance.
But, II at any time cabinet shall be, syste-
matically, guided, in such selection. by a
regard, not TO merit, or qualifications, but
to electioneering services; If the obvious
design be to reward partizans, and eDcou-
rage detection to it's party standard, athen
the people may rest assured, that the pro-
lject, such cabinet has in view, is, not to
serve the public interest, but to secure
their personal influence and that they
want, not competency for the employment,
but subserviency in it. How this matter
is, shall not assert not because l have
not very distinct opinions upoa the sub
ject, but because the sphere of appoint
mept is too extensive to be comprehended
in the grasp of single individual; and /
| mean to make no assertion, concerning mo-
tive or conduct, of which there does not
exist, in my mind, evidence as well com
plete, as exclusive. refer to this subject,
therefore, only collateral and corrobo-
rative proof of the purposes of the cabinet
Every man can decide for himself, in his
own circle or neighborhood, concerning the
apparent principle upon which the cabinet
have proceeded, in making appointments
| Remembering, always, that the section OF
country against whose prosperity, the p0-
! icy of the cabinet is, most systematically
leveiled, will be that, in which subservi-
ency to all its purposes, will be, most studi.
ousiy inculcated, among its adherents. II
will be, in that quarter, that the flames of
party animosity will be enkindled with the