The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-07-04

voted tnr the purchase at Lon
isiana aud Il ruul9 nut therefore have
te.n hostility III the policy Of Mr.. !etlrr-
nj, bGi s,afse of duty To the paramount
law of IN, land. BIT Mr.. Adams. refer
ring again tn the authority OF forming Ills
objectionable, species OF territorial govern.
ment, repeatedly exercised by congress,
aud which he ia the instance ef Louisiana,
had strrnuously opposec, uses i'ls ,srrrs-
sion Observe, | do not now deny the
existence of tins authority in the consiiln-
iiai.h T'hl4 Is the isolated aud tlniasi ilh-
meaning sentence, which Maseu has selec
ied Ia prove Mr. Adams want OF decision,
and of fixed and settled constitutional OPT
mons. These few words have sufficiently
iuformedthst sagaeinusAnd cunning writer,
either Of Mr.. Adams incapacity Ia under
siand thu permanent aud Interchangeable
character of a constitution, or Of hls want
OF honest, 20 adhere 10 IL. The doubt j
meaning II this lacollic sentrncc has, with
The candid Mason, oy"rthrown the merit OF
republican consistency "f seventeen years
standing, which he had but Just admitted
Mr.. Adams t. possess. Into such a,snrdl-
ties aud contradictions may the soundest
mi Dis hc led, when surrendered IN The
blind leading of prejudice FIR. Adams
had prosen coBleaacdly that his oppo-
sn,am 10 the Louisiana bill was upon
constitutional grounds and he has clear
y established the solldlly of his objections.
But Mason inlers from this sentence, that
ms seuse Of fhe enrs tuition Is changeable
aud flnctusilng, aud that he is always ready
10 surrender that srn-e 10 legislative con.
-tructioo. Observe, says Nj. Adams,
10 mol now deny the existence of tits au-
lholity IN congress- " therefore, does he
not now deuy il Bcclnse hr will not OPP
pose his construction Of the constitution 10
that of congress No for ne expressl,
says, lnanother place, were this question To
come before me ia hrw shape, should
It'll he of the same opinion and give the
same vote. Or, IN other words, my opfn-
ION OF the ueconstituilonalily Of tbs eXrr-
Csc OF authority by congresses unchanged,
aud my opinion has mol been sacrificed IL
theirs. IL is obsiolr, than the construction
gwen by Mason To this sentences, is unjust
and illogical, and that Ia support, il he must
suppose Mr. Adams totally iusensibr to
The obgationsor anoalh What then does
Mr. Adains mean, when hereflses Ia CON
lf0tert the existence of this authority p
70 explain this, II will be- necessary To re-
mind Our readers, hat I C ntriitI cacc OF
any oithe great officers 81 government, IN
ailalrs not connected with their official du
ties, has been viewed very properly by
congress with Jealousy aud resented with
warmth. The congress OF the [. States
was then IN session, aud many OF lis mem
hers bad, AT 4 former session, breu insiru-
mental Ia comforting on MI. Monroe, thu
same extraordinary and unconstitutional
powers IN relation Ia Florida, which had
formerly been conferred on Mr. Jefferson
! ! rclatnh 10 Louisiana. The two mca-
$ 'res we're IN principle the same, aud the
FLORIDA bill was transcript of that of
I.ouislana. Would it have been dceorons
IN the secretary of state, by deDuucins thu
uneon,tit'ltmnalty of the measure, To hold
up the measures of congress ard the ad
mnlstraton of which he was a part, L. the
Of the country Such IA
course could have answe cred M good pur-
pose. IL WAS sufficient for him frrly fo
adhcre 10 ms own opinions ; his official
duty, nor Ia" controversy in which Nv was
engaged, neither, rcquired that he ahoud
'eht pihllppIe against a measure which
can scarcely ever again occur in Practice
IL was, then. merely desire To wave an
express len of his opinion that induced this
obnoxious sentence ~ donot now.dcny
tins ppwcri" because il is entirely unneces-
sary tn ny purpose, and that from my of.
neal character, ii might be deemed imper-
tlnent aud oiliclous IN me, 10 read the con
sress OF he tnij.d States, constitutional
lecture. Besides, tins question can never
again occur, and il is worse than useless to
provoke bad feelings where n6 good can
result But my opinions Of this unccnsti-
Is still unchanged, for were il
new question, should still vote against it.
Mr. Adams was addressing himself part
cularly To the people of Virginia, who have
always been distinguished for their in,io-
late attachment 10 the constitution, and
their superior IN ormation on constitutional
questions, over the rest ofth. union. Had
he secretly harbored such sentiment ~
Tins, IS II consistent with probabliry,or that
" Jesnllical' address, he is charged Ia pos
sess, to conceive, that he would gratmtous-
~ have published ii Feeling perfectly
satisfied that my readers will view Tins mai
term the same IiSh; thatI do, | wiz moi
waste further Gmr on il.
Mason next alledgcs the charge of in
against Mr. Adams, which h,
supports by the following string of inter
rogatorles: Sand what will he think of
that genllctnan's consistency, when he is
appraised of the fact that he presided over
the department of state, when IA bill, trans.
irrrlns The same " tremendous poicer" on
the president, in all respects similar 10 the
Louisiana bill, was passed by congress 10
enable the resident to take possession of
The floridas ; and that this same trcm.n-
d"ns power was delegated by the president,
one of who'e advisers he is, to one indivi,
oua'-to General jackson Is such IA man
ln lo preside over this great nation?--
a. mi a