The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-08-22

well enough how feeble Will he our Efforts,
and how little they are worth, When balan-
eed against the weight nf eharaeier which
attaches ~ the Enquirer and all II saws
But, We shall mt on this account relax onf
eserlions fot we remember to have heard,
that " nm active dwarf is beitenthan sleep
iag giant ~
Mr.. Adams has oIny once IN the Lanfs-
lima bill been cailrd upon 10 give his slews
relative 10 constitutional construction
| THIS murh talked of bhl, which embraced
many negsi and important FEATURES, grew
out Of the purchase Of Louisiana ~
/ president Jefferson. Ii was then an entire
/ ~ uew4y-sc. A whole peOple'aad bern pun
j .hustdby one nation ll"m aaother without
being consulted and more important still,
~ II regarded htir feelings aud rights, and
+ the pr.ccdcnt which would be set the
j congress uf the United States were about
/ 10 leclslstc them inio the Union ass meln-
b,r of the c7,af,'deracy, with the sane taci-
/ lily, and with the same disregard Of their
wislss on the occasion, which had been
n spifested 10 their original transfer and
the til' ior this purpose united in the person
or persoss appointed Ia govern them in the
1tipleDt stagrs of their admission, the
Tremendous pOwrFs' Of the civil military
aud leg slatiyc functions. "ln the abstract
novelty of the case Mr.. Adams voted a
gMasi the bilI--Dot Us some of bty rn.mies
t,iseius at The same time, their uHrhaflta-
h!spts5 aud ihrir ignorance, assert. hrealiae
he vas oppusrd 40 the purchase itstii, for
Ia had rc,ioHsIy gwen, ~ far az lie could
gipc II, his sanction 10 the measure TOR,
~ they ussrrt, iaiH the sumo truth, because
he wished ~ eWhsfIa,s Mr.. Jefferson bas
because he thonNld hr saw in the bill for
the Organization OF the territorial govern
mrnt, u grhnt ofpoNrrs, wLiclrthe consti-
tnton, soiar from authe"islnY, implicitly nj
least Nlhholds, when IL separates the
executive leyi-lali,cy1 judic ial departments
nj the government. This subjeat has nj
ready been placed IN SO clear Il point Of
view n our columns, thai VT deem
= Il waste otwords 20 cutter further into lis
discussion. The rsseHec df il Is compsasei
IN = nut she'll Mr.. Adams preferred giving
u conscientious vote, such ~ he deemed hr
WAS Warranted in giving by his view Of the
constitution, even a. the risk of being de
nonnccd as aH encny To Mr.. Jell'frson's
administration, rather than To be called the
freud of that administration by sacrificing
his opinion. i there an honorable MN
who would have acted othri wise Or IS
there an honorable man, who, upon rfflcc-
ton, will blame him for thus actius : II
there he, We car ouIy say, thai his notions
ofmoIality and honor differ from ours.
Hut, leaving thi particular act Ia speak
F.,,. Ya,,lT a 1
ohlrudcd upon the public notice, but for
the darl, malice Of Gen. A. Smyth ha,
are Mr.. AS general ridcs relative 10 the
constitution aud tu;hc rhir oi construction !?
In quoting his own words on this subject,
we do lnol hut Justice and we bid defiance
In the Ingenuity of the. Enquirer and the
whole tribe of Wumiadti who occasionally
render darkness visible" by their lhorions
edolls to make thcPeOplc believe that VIM.
II. traw ford should be- their next president,
10 detect in the slightest alteration from
the mode of ecoustpliug that instrument
which the most r,pld friends of limited
constructions have ever c0ntcndcd for. Hear
him and judge believe, (says hcl that
the constitution of the United States is n
Constitution of lmltcd powers. That some
ofthese powers mast be- constructive go
Yer doubted (; bat that this construction
must be limited, was equally convinced
audi could not reconcile il To my judgment
ihstthe authority exercised in the section
he ed section Of the LotiSidRn bin. confer
ring on such person or persons as The pfeSi-
eeni might aTpoipt, al aititarg GIRL and
judicial poccrS was within the Legitimate
powers of congress, corJ6ymdbte - lie rom
stddtioH.' This is precisely the same
view entertained of the constitution BY
Jefferson and Madi,unAit is the same en-
tfrtained by AL their followers and il is
| The same which MIR, Richie, with Ma,k-
cons rrportas his text book in his hands,
has So often enforced We answer the
Enquirer then, rmphalicaly, YES John
pnincy Adams IS the mauW hnm we would
place rs "a sentinel o,rr the constitutions -
With declaration like that which we have
Just quoted staring him in the face, would
he, could he, have the cllrontery To advo-
Gait measures which wuuld convict him OF
| the most gross which would
indeed cnllt,r him to the appelletion Of a
political Jesuit, and vile apostatc' No
these are idle fears. Were he TO act thus,
The indignant voice of hrs ccuntrh would
strip him of the harness, ere il had been
wei -" bucklcd on his back"
There are, however,, other tcsts.hy which
to Try the orthodoxy of our politicians than
their views Of the constitution aud among
them, Is ;hc right ofjnSIrGction By re-
fosa 10 acknowledge tins right, Waliam B.
GILES, IN other respects an acknowledged
democrat, became obnoxious In the people.
Y lost his pepdiaIit.'in this state, While we
are among thosewho claim this isht for the
constituent, we are nevertheless not dispo-
SGD to make it binding on the representa-
tive, without at least reasonable reserya-
ton III is right which we deem Inherent
IN the people and the onIy plaza WHICH
can he adopted 10 secure it TO them, wi
the independence of their agent is nd
compromised, is that adopted by MreAt
| M r II.