Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-11-30
RICHMOND, NOVEMBER ~. IIlI.
Ecce Neritm Cifspinas.

season the question of Roads aud Canals.
when the National Intelligencer calls us again
To the lists. They are stung by the sarcasms
Of Marcus Brutus intoa new and unavailing
riiuslon. For what can it avail them Does
1t clear their skirts of apostacy? Does it
prove that they have never deserted the prin-
cples OF the old Republican party of '93 and
| W: Does 1t prove that they still abide by the
Industrious truths of Madisons Report (? Does it
show them To be the friends of a defined and
limited constitution? Does il satisfy any one,
that theyare not the worshippers of one grand
and overshadowing governmcnt---and that
they are not still the gcnii ofthc lamp ready,
10 obey the behests that government {?
| Weak however, as their STEW. explanatory
remarks" have proved, we cannot refuse In
notice them. We remember more the stand
hey occupy. than the ability which graces it.
When the .Nafiondt paper speaks it must be
heard; however insignificant the sounds whi-h
1t utters. The Supreme Court" must have
Ia supreme Press 10 re-echo its oracles
but we cannot bow TO the infallibility of either.
Still less are we at liberty to disregard them
'ihe humble prints ofthe state g corporations
| las very humble print from Rhode Island
| the other day called them) must reply lest their
silence should h. construed into submission
Let the n. lntelligencer conduct " this wordy
war; as long AS it peases, we shall still like the
| man IN the Spectator have few more +" last
words " TO address it-Saying and excepting
always that it is not absolutely unworthy of
an answer.
| We wish we could return the compliment. of
these apostate doctrines being supported mt
| Washington " with as much zeal as ability"
we see enough of the first qualification if we
do not see any ofthe last. We have FREQUENT
| ~ had occasion to do justice To the talents Of
| that paper but on these constitutional ours
tions, all their ability seems to have deserted
them. They do not understand them The
llttie that they once learned, I" they remem-
bered to forget" They have skulked from
the very question, which they mad underta-
ken concealed themselves behind certain gen
eral propositions and no taunts cond draw
them from their covert. In the only minor
point winch they pretended to discuss, their
only argument failed them for they nisto0k
or misstated the judiciary debates in I789.-
| Ana as the last evidence of their skill in con
stituilonai questions, when pushed To put their
fingers upon clause which gave the power to
make roads and canals" they hunted up 4 GER
tam phrase, which we will venture TO say from
the day ct the Convention to this time no other
| persons mad ever dreampt If appyihS in this
sense. They were jealous enough i'm claim
ing powers .of The national government hat
they seemed sufficiently awkward M goius "a.
bout IT. Whether it IS ONins 20 the couscio Is
ness OF this weakness, 10 tno candid s.yic in
whichwe had addressed them, that they de- \
chned the discussion, we shah NOT undertake
10 say. The sarcasm of Marcus Brtitus
seems to have netted them We are sorrv
that he has disp'eased them: nut we assure
them that 1t was not Ofour seeking. We are
more anxious 10 support the truth than
ambitious OF triumph. We would rather
save one clause in the constitution, than s. give
| DRESSING tn all no inf
The Inteiligencer has shown some little in
genuity not in " awakening but alarming
the country. They have attempted 10 create
"A panic, instead OF conviction They hav,
been more successful in raising pllantoms.
than arguments. They have cried out that
the constitution was to be prossrated that the
Union was in danger; that war was threaten
ed and we wonder they had not borrowed
the illumination of Mr. Adams, and again
doomed Mr.. Jefferson and the old Repuh!i-
cans of Virginia 90 TO dust and ashes.n And
now forsooth they pride themselves upon the
force of their incantatIons! They would have
the country To believe, " that indications are
even perceived of a disposition in the support
ers OF the new readings of the Constitution to
retreat before public opinion from the rank
ground which, in the course of the controver-
sy, they had suffered themselves TO occupy.n
I've positively deny the fact. What prin-
ciple have they abandoned What ground
! taken IN MadIsons Report for instance have
, they discarded Are we to be told that
this Report is new reading of the Constitu-
ton ?-Is Mr.. Jefferson's letter to Mr. Jarvis
any evidence oftbis retreat?
" In relation to the famous projet ola law,"is
1T necessary for us in so short {, time to repeat
the admonition which we gave the Intelli-
Sencer, about anonymous communications /?
i One day it admits distinctions in the next,
confounds them.
The sophstry which it applies to the intro
duction of Judge Roane's name has not even
: the merit of being specious. Because we
quoted his official opinion with particular res
? Pect, is that any reason why another person
should folst his name upon the public with out
( any necessity that it should convert him
= from Judge into partizan And by the
/ pertlnacity of its inuendo should drag him,
i as politician, before the public eye? Is NOT
i this rude and unmannerly we too quot
> ed the authority of Mr.. Jefferson's letter to
Col. Taylor. Why too has ne not been thus
repeatedly thrust before the public ? Why
II too mas he not been painted as partizao, and
u 2 new light, and the head of the new school
: The lntclligcncer has spared him, although he
L too is one Of the most distinguished and in
-s fuentlal citizens of the Commonwealth o.
= Virginia ;"-whe on three or four different
&c occasions, it has Ostentatiousy and most uu
=, necessarily dragged Judge Roane before tht
public.
= The Intelligencer is as unfortunate in clear.
ing itself Misrepresentation, as Of III Banneys
e, The Proiet of ab bad said land even that
ny mere lInPtcGtion,l that the supreme cour
IS qtond the State of Vlrginia, and in relation
- TO the case ~ question, foreign court" Blu
n no sooner does the inteIligencer touch thu
70 phrase, than it perverts it. II ascribcs to thu