Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-06-05

a are always more formidable :han direct and 90
l. lchc charges. The obscurity attendant ON III
ormer magnihes. or distorIs objects 1t alter
!. heir natural shape and real dimensions, produ
a eng an effect somewhat similar to the phenome
. non OF looming, phenomenon which occurs on
when the atmosphere is loaded with msts Th
Illumination that fellows full developement o
'Acts and circumstances dlspels all this bha,fas
a'dgoyfd. When carefully dssected BY an at,en
i've and impartial hand, the " Exposition vii be
found to contain little else than llcon rved III.
organized, mcoherent sophstry. We leave the
ASK 70 the scslPel of some able political anato-
INST, contenting ourselves with few remark
Igrowng out of the two distinct grounds on which
the objection TO Mr.. Monroe, as a Candidate for
the PRESIDENCY, has been made to rest.
what weight can have with logical minds, the
lcircums'ance OF three, out of four Presidents,
having oeen selected from Virginia BY the Peo
pie, irresish6ly TO prescribe the ercilson of Mr.
'Honroe Is such a circumstance to disfranchise
whole State ! to annul the fair claim of me.
rtorious CITIZEN Does common sense-do our
constitutional rules-do liberal PRINCIPLES. JUS
tlty such conclusion : Yet, such is the first DO
'ition assumed by Mr.. Monroe's opponents His
Particular qualifications for The chief magistracy,
are win them secondary points. Let him possess
adequate abil ties, or be destitue O. them no mat
fer-He IS Virginian-this circumstance alone
'iTesisfsoy prcscri6es his erciusion Admirable
reasoning! Sound, and pure, and constitutional
repubhcanism =
| Then comes the awful, terrific charge, that, in
order to the monopoly by Virginia of the first
post IN the Government, the whole weight of the
republican party for INF cen years past, has been
artfully welded to cut ef from popular respect
and estimation the most distinguished charac. ers
IN other parts of the United Safes We shall
not follow the "Exposition" through the mazes
OF intricate, dim, questionable facts over which
1t travels, in quest of evidence to substantia,e
'h's charge We will only ask the candid ard
he liberal If they can be brought to believe this
lPFetended conspiracy against the independence
and dignity OF other States Suppose that ar
Ident, unquenchable thirst for power which the
Expos ton" ascrbes TO Virginians, actually TO
lexist-suppose ambition to have been the prima
Try principle OF the contest which has hitherto
liVided our most distinguished poli,icians-sup
lpose mat contest not to have been mere strurr
lgie who should be permitted to administer the
government, according TO its genuine republican
lprinciples-With institutions like those of o,,.
liederai system, with national legislature ever
Jealous, ever watchful of Executive influence
WIN press that scarcely knows of any restraints.
win population well acquainted with its rights.
ana not disposed to surrender those rights to
deiusIon or violence, with an Opposition. too.
whose eyes have been necessarily opened on the
Ic hduc' Oh our rulers, whose tongues have inces
'm.iy warned us OF dangers, plots, and encro CHI
"',euer reai or imaginary, is it credible,
Ii II even probable, thatVirgnia could have a,,c
essiu'iy carried into effect the plan of impoItic
ana ABSURD prescription laid 10 her charge mo
there Is IN the very idea of such consbiracy
''nethihS mat revolts C mmon sense--somelbins
Vmch me most Puerile creduli'y alone can swat
ow ana gest. The love of power is not so
ulurhS 70 tne minds OF Virginians as to have
tn farm. Il.
hey had formed it, all their efforts tn eve i ef
feet, must have been unavailing.
One OF the objects of the "Fxpositionn VINO m
exaggerate Virginian ambition, Vrginian en-.
C oachments, VIrginian monopoly of Office. and
t. argue fr IN such premises to the exclusion OF
Vrgnlan Candidate. The qualifications OF
. p'a Y rndidate were considered merely as of Sc
mary Importance because if the first ground
It the exp 'sltion" was tenable. even n Wash,
,pgton or Jefferson, must Weld The naIm -
The qualifications of Mr.. Monroe, however
are artfnlly lowered in The public view tri,e i'm
utaiions are revived; ca'ual fallacies of iudfr
nent are perverted into irretrievable faults anc
linciai delinquencies are supposed, calculated [,
make the confidence of the People IN an old ans
'.'iiui servant we are not disposed to fumi
gate Mr.. Monroe w'th the incense of adulation
. 'ut we have followed him with some at, entor
through the various stages of his political career
i nd we thinK that he has given many and yer,
honorable proofs of solid abilities as to his ma
. rlotlsm and his integrity, we deem them unas
sallab'e. Other C, dIdates might have been no
minated for the Presidency, brighter native O.
h acquired talents. But who surpasses, or ever
y lequal him, IN that valuable requisite of off e
erperien,e ? No one, we believe. His de
: Ivotedness to the cause his of country, has bee
20 frequently and so consplcuousy displayed
ESPECIALLY during the late war, as TO entitle hun
% the lasting gratitude of his coun,rv-In short
What does the " Exposition" prove on the head O
qualifications that no man IS perfect -
This, we were not to learn The best men hav,
heir faults; the wisest men their errors w,
aust be contented TO take them with their allows
IT do without them To Conclude, the publ,
voice has been loudly heard in favor of Mr. Mon
, ne; and we believe HIM to be the man of IN,
I Peoples choice, as the successor of Mr. Mad son
| and SO far are we from supposng in that Gen
leman the ardent and unquencable thirst fo
., | iower, which Ills opponents ascrlbe to him, tina
we're the people, contrary to all existing proba
Iilities, TO declare for another candidate IT is ou
Impression that lie would cheerfully acauiesce II
he result, and exclalm, like the Spartan of old
l"Irejoice that my country has foundsin its bosom
citizen more worthy than myself of guiding it
nigh destlnIes !"
MELANCHOLY
Extract Of letter to Gentleman in Richmond
dated ItfHamsburg June l..
81 6o'cock in the evening.
::::': " have a tale of horror to relate I'hi
moment, have received the sad tdings of tin
death of Mr.. Boiling. He went to the Colleg
Mil to battle, and attempted to swim across tn
pond and about Is yards from the shore ON tn
opposite side, his feet became entangled in SOM
ri grass which grew under the water, and not bein,
: able to dsengage himself, was lmmediatel,
drowned You can form no idea of the genera
distress Of the Students and the Inhabitants a