The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1817-03-17

indeed without true regard to the eli.
quette Of drdSDing Toom), exposed the
mistaken views aud conduct Of the late
representation of the district--views
and conduct which are well known 20
have protracted the happy issue of the
war we were engaged in. IT, indeed,
the generous zeal of that gentleman TO-
wards his party, has betrayed his steps
into an abdication of the first duties due
from the citizen and the politician to.
wards his country-you,whoit is known
acted with him and encouraged him in
his course, have bur poorly, yet perhaps
consistently with the principles of your
party, repaid his exertions by withdraw.
ing from him your support.
But you have assumed, or affected TO
assume, upon yourself comparison OF
the talents Of the two candidates, Mr..
Mason and Mr.. Mercer. II is indee
Alicate task--and for one so wholly
&acquainted as you must be with the
talents and standing of one of the can.
didates. rather an extraordinary under
taking. With an eye which has been
watChful to the present occasion, you
have selected one of MIR. Mason's poll,
tical acts as worthy of your censure, be-
cause indeed you did not agree with
him in the propriety of system, of all
others perhaps the best calculate d to
obviate, at the time, the deleterious eff
fects of detection in portion of the
eastern states. His not having or!gina-
ted more of the measures of the present
administration, is another of your evi.
dences
In the forward temper you yourself
are discovered to possess, It'll is not won.
derful, if you discern great defect of ia.
lent in the young politician who shall
forbear to press himself at once into the
foremost ranks of Legislation. Yet how
strange the inconsistency of your cen
sure; for while Condemning this diff
dent course of conduct in young man
whose country had at so early an age
placed in one of the most select and en-
lightened bodies in the world, you step
aside to condemn his distinguished and
highly respected colleague for con-
trary course, and denounce him for an
excess of intermeddling To what, sir,
shall we compare this whimsical tens
per Of yours? Its indeed not unlike
the petulancy of some domestic cha
racters have known. whose family, in
their efforts to please, can never sue
coed, because the disingenuousness of
his mind chooses to take the opposite
side on all occasions.
Without, however, assigning a rea-
son Why a forbearance on the part of
Gen. Mason to take leading part, du-
ring the short time hc was in the senabe
of the United States, should be consi.
dered, as you state ii to be, an evidence
OF want of talents you unhesitatingly
pronounce it such. Now, sir, let me
ask, which OF the grea, leading features
of our national Instrument, Gen. Wash.
ington is supposed TO be the author of /!
Was it because he wanted capacity to
Judge and discriminate, that he was not
the forward intruder of his own OPT
Mons and essays upon the august body
of which he was member, that you
would now attempt to deprive him of
the reputation for wisdom bis country
has unanimously bestowed on him b.
You ask, as an evidence of talent, for
the list Of measures General Ma
son has propounded for the Senate of
the United States. Where, let me ask
In turn, arc the measures proposed by
the men of talents you profess to ad :
Birel What has Mr.. RandoIph's ia
tents originated for the consideration of
Congress! What has Mr.. Hanson done
to claim from you an Acknowledgement
of this evidence of ability? The list
might be extended to nine tenths OF
Congress. In short, Sir, if you cannot
discern, for the reasons you have mems
toned, that character for talents and in
tegrity, which has placed Mr.. Mason
foremost in the estimation of snch OF
his couDtrymeD as have been so fortu-
nate as TO become acquainted with him,
and which With all the respect you can
entertain for the talents and virtues oil
MIR. Mercer, have in the estimation oil
the same country, and at the same peri.
cd of its history, given Mr.. Mason a
preference, by the most signal and hon
orable distinction, il is not my fault, or
the crime of MIR. Mason but to your
unfortunate un6tness for reflection, OF
ignorance of facts let it be ascribed.
IN Virginia the attempt to stigmalize a
citizen TOO highly rated 10 her esteem
must recOil on the psrpetrator if known