Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-11-23

can his claim be sustained, as We Snail
now proceed to establish.
We have no recollection that the most
jealous supporters Of Mr.. Crawford have
ever advocated his claims on the score
of the Importance of his public services.
The ground which they took in 1916 was
of a very different character. When Mr..
Crawford opposed Mr.. Monroe, at that
period, his friends were too conscious OF
the superiority of the claims of Mr.. Mon
roe, on the ground of services, to take a
stand which they could not, for mo-
ment, have occupied. They according
", with boldness more creditable to
their courage than their patriotism, con-
tended that services, however long, or
however IMPORTANT, ought to have little
or no weight in the selection OF chief
magistrate. The man TO be elevated TO
that high situation was not to be one who
had rendered important services, but one
who 7vould render them. All the guar
antees Of experience were to be consi-
dercd Of no value; all that the talents
and virtues of an individual had achiey-i
ed, or. endured, were to be set down as
OF no account; but he who was most,
lavish in profession, and who could prac-
ticc most successfully on the credit and
confidence of the public, was to take the
first honor in the gift of the people,
After an interval OF two presidential
terms, the same ground, we apprehend,
will be assumed by the friends of Mr..
Crawford, from necessity. OF hast SER
vices, we hear nothing OF services in
tended, much. They suppose men te be
governed more by hOhe, than gratitude !;
but seem to forget, that the very bes,
foundation OF the former, and, in fact, the
only Que tina, the wise will respect, is &C.
Herience. From him who has do7e much,
much may be crhected but it would be
hrehosterons 70 erfect much from him.
WHO having ercry opportunity placed III
his reach, appears neither 70 have sig
naliz.i himself, nor. benefited his coun-
try. Those who support Mr.. Crawford
'canno, be ignoranr of the truth of this
position, and are, doubtless, compelled
by necessity to be silent as to past SER
vices, which will deprive US OF the adj
vantage oil eraminiag those presented,
and, leave us only the task OF searching
for such as we expected might be pre-
sented. From the time OF Mr.. Craw-
iord's first appearance in the public
councils, we have been attentive obscr-
vers Of passing events; and if, during all
the interval which has elapsed Since that
period, he has performed a single Get,
which gipes him The slightest claim on
the gratitude Of the heotle, we have yet
TO be informed svhea and svhere it was
done. We do indeed remember one
consiticuous act, in all his career, and
that proved abortivc. We refer to the
effort which he made in the Senate TO
renezy The charter Of the old bank. l, is
not little remarkable, that the only act
which can attract the public eye, 10 all
his political course, should bear cha
racter so hostile to The Aohes and pre-
.cnaions which his friends have set up
for him. Standing alone, as ii does. he
will find j, necessary to aLjure it, before
be can retain the grounds on which his
advocates have placed his hope of elcva-
ton TO The presidential chair. He must
relinqnish all expectation Of aid from
Wrginia, without an abjuration Of his
vote, and the principles on which he sup
ported the renewal Of the charter of the
old bark since it could only be ON the
ground Of his rigid construction OF the
constitution, that she could ever be in
dnced 10 tolerate his pretensions. ..
In the long and evcntful session whic h
declared war, he was, it is true mem
ber ofthe Senate; but, although the OPP
position in .ha. body was SO great, that ii
was with difficulty that the measure
which has saved this country from the
extreme OF degradation was adopted !:
lye., through all that eventlul period
which tried mems souls, we do not, az
tier careful examination, find ,hst bis
voice was ever raised in behalf Of the
Ehunor or independence Of his county
He was a silent voter on all questions
connected with the VIZ, except in a sin
yir instance, when the proposition was
before the house to increase our navy
and to place It's establishment on foot
ing correspondent, with the hostile atti'
,ude which The country was about to as
sumo. That proposition brought hin
fout, not in favor .oG but against the ma
fvy, to which he would not consent tina
any addition should be made, but ex.
plcitly declared, as an abstract propo
sition, that he considered il as svorst
than ridiculous 10 snhfose that TIKI
commerce ofthe countrycould be defend
ed by navy! What is his presen
opinion III relation to this arm Of the
Ipublic defence 1--WE know not.