The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-06-24
LYNCHBURG, JuNE a, ts-a
pom TIE VfgGfN1As.
M. |.
. lIear nle, for " n speak.

chi -, under the signature 1t +" Nasun,' Oh
TIM presidential question. which have pass
ed without reply. TIE merit of the
composition, the Importance o! the subject,
end above AL, the erroneous views which
that writer has taken of his subject, aud the
asperities in which he has INDUCED, desc
ved early notice and a proper degree ORE
pfehc,islon. | early designed Ia attempt
myself an insaiidaiion of his rcasoning and
" / have thus long deferred il, il WIS only
from the I,rrssgrc of my individual en-.
gngemeuls, aud from a saBgniue enpccla-
ton OF s',.ing the task accomplished by
some hand more competent than my own
On perfnrm il. As this expectation seems
IL have hccn unfoundcd, cannot consent
that the uniavorahle construction naturally
deduCed from ihis silence ol the friends OF
Mr.. adams, should be- longer entertained !;
or that the slbreiuus and hollow conclusions
OF Mason, should pass for current and in
contrafe.tihlc truths, simply beealscno one
wi undertake To expose their lallaey. !
enter on this tbltct with no less humility
than Mason Processes himsellin his preido-
r. remark Ny Objects not prosclytism,
b II defence. lido not seek Ia convert the OPP
ponehts of Mr. Adams, bat 10 hold fast his
friends IN the iailh lhcy have received. |
shall not, like MasOH, attenpi 10 exat the
charaetruf NJ. AtJnns, by a corresponding
depression of lDFohtied adsersar'es, but
nil essny Lsf moro generous task ofdeiend.
ing lhsFF pt4tatlOn oian iIiustrloas SET, All 81
his country, Ia land where hr Is supposed
20 have few friends, where the prcindices
of birth aud at education are all arrayed
against him, and where his name is UNJUST
u associated with the most hated hstori.
cal reeollreians Mason has appealed
with that sort Of triumph, which a conf
dence IN The strength 81 his party, rather
than IN tie Slice o. his cause inspires, 10
tie Republicans 81 Virginia for the sound
hes ofhis conclusions. too, Messrs. Ed
itors, profess Ia be- a republican, aud glo-
~ 10 ceasldel myself as belonging, like
him, TO ti.e otthelox school uf 90. In de-
FoIi0n 10 tht constitutional l598, IN ardent
alscii0n i,r ne principles of construction,
which ien YEARS afterwards were dec AIRED
BY The legislature Of Virginia, as the only
safe and legitimate rules Of Interpretation
Tor that INN al nsiru nent, ! vie with
Mason nimS,it. Ii | could btlicvc that
these principles were not 10 he icyercnilal-
ly aeknowh dyed, and sacredly observed
by that administration, which | wish 10
see succeed the present, or II | could be
convinced tia; my support of Mr.. Adams
was iaomraublr with my political pro
fessiOns, IA either event, ] would rclin-
Qnlsh the preference, and hasten to r,iinitc
myself To the bos0m Of that s0ci.ty from
which had ignorandy y incauiously stray
al. ikklnrf L r. In tins | h.,
satisfied that orthodoxy ca9 be found no
where else tla1sn the soil ofHirgnia that
!hf Jri lcrsou MIR Madison & Mr. Monroe
have been mistaken Ia the astmuLe which
they haze fornled o the talents, the expert
enee aud the principles of MIR. Adams aud
thatt,ll OF those gentIeme II, distinguished Tor
thar knowledge o men, their penetration
aud their attachment to the republican, par-
~, have successfully erred, aud even be-
trayed that party, by ele,aliug To the most
responsible officers. y man who was dtsli-
tutc o thuse hltrht.> = of moral soundncss
ana political consistency which only can
claim confidence and distinction. admit,
Messrs. Editors, that il will be matter
ol difficulty 10 persuade all of the truth of
these improbable suggestions, aud That al
ter all, am like Ia be OF Hudibras' mind,
man convinced against bis viii,
Is OF the same opinion still.
There is no place filter than this to de
declare, however, that ii have "A decided
preference Tor Mr. Adams, that preference
Is rather relatlyc than absolute, aud is de-
rived more from my greater distrust in
others, Than my positive confidence in him
Il regre, that his early youth was passed
IN the tents OF the Philislnes, hut it must
b. recolleeted, To the credit of his iilid cha
racter, that he was following the banners
q his ialher--aDd whence should we de-
r'e our FIRST moral impress bar from that
sacred relation Whose opinions should
we SO naturally and necessarily inhibe
INTO whose feelings ga uld we soinyoiunt,rl.
iy and easily glide, rs his who gave
us existence and lcd as up To man. Ills
father had heen hunored with the highest
trdsls and Offices 10 the gilt Of his country
ne had Represented her interests in thu
courts of Europe had filed with rrpnta.
hon the department OF state, and finally hat,
been Called by the Recommendation OF Ge
neral Washington himself, the father of his
country, To preside over her destiuies. Set.
ing apart the reverence that was due from
son To the Opinions of his father. there
Vas here an apology for his embracing them
from the lncom 'etrncy OF his own uniiede ed
mind 10 think for itself, and from the una.
fllrnity OF sentiment Of those who surroun-
Sod him. Al the period TO which refer,
the republican party was gathering strength
N every district in the United States the
administration Of John Adams, by repeated
acts of termeriiy, OF aggression, aud of un.
.cansidtilionaliiy was looSing the conf
danse of The people, and totterng 10 its
ia,ls the sun Of that revolutionary states
INN himself, had been shuan of his NOR
! ming eearas,' and was speeding his maan
choly course to his perpetual sitting
Waa this In. Ii. y