Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-08-17
ALEX. x B. PINKHAM,
mark.
Com. d. PORTER, &c.

| Oohi' ~. ohiEH, &C.
From Tie Providence journal
The near and certain prospect of Mr.. Adams
election to the Chief Magistracy fills the bo-
SONS OF some of his opponents with rape and
desperation. We could find amusement in their
contortions and grimaces, we could forgive their
pihiul and unavaling efforts to disseminate
faisehood or pervert the truth, were they not
peculiarly indicative of the most uncompromi-
sing inalevolence--of a bitterness of heart. un-
mingled with single redeeming quality. We
| speak, now, of few prints, in various parts of
| the country, which have been Crawfordites
from the beginning, not of the mercenaries; or of
| the volunteers who have, at a late stage of the
contest, taken up for Mr.. Ci,utUford, because
| they think they must be one side or the o.
thcr. These latter are not quite SD fond of the
deep game as their older compatriots. They
contrve to get along, as well as they can, with
out touching, too deeply, the feelings or the D.
pinons of tue people; and are contented with
just Crawfordsm enough to tickle the palates
of their leaders.
But to what does all this bitter maleyoence
amount! Has it brought to light any transac-
ton of Adams, or any trait of his character
which, In the eye of reason and common sense
ought to be urged as serious objection to him?
| We speak to an honest and enlightened COM
tnunity, and have no cause to fear its decision.
Can violence of invective add gravity to a film.
|
a want ofevidence? 1t is idle and ridiculous TO
| level sitch artillery against character so i'm
| pregnably entrenched in talents, worth and ho-
| nesty. To use the language of Butler, the gun.
Bears wide, and kicks its owner over.'
The Inconsistency or some of these charges
ought not to be overlooked. In late Boston
Statesman, MIR. Adams is accused in two adj
Joining paragraphs, of boorish manners, and of
an aristocratic attention to etiquette; of cold
and piiegiiiatic disposition, and of warm and i'm
petuous passions and resentnents. Ii remains
for the casnistry of the editors TO reconcile these
charges with each other. Truth, they say, is
always consistent with itself. thing cannot
exist, and not exist at the same time.
tits part of the policy of these presses to
! misrepresent the sentiments of Mr.. Adams and
! to persuade the people that lie is unfi icndIy to
our republican institutions. This they hare en-
dcavonred to effect by quotations of insulated
| and 2isjointed sentences and paragraphs from
the numerous political essays of which he is the
| real or reputed author. The earliest of these
| writings, we believe, were the numbers of Pun
IIcoLA, printed in the Boston papers, more than
30 years ago. In these numbers, Mr.. Adams
opposed the jacobincal and aheisiicaI PRINCIPLES
of Thomas Paine's writings with an ability
which did him lasting honour; andh expositions
were favourably received, by a vast majority of
1 the nation. There are not, we presume to say
one hundred men in the whole country, even a.
mong Mr.. Adams bittcrest opponents, who
would, at this day, wish to see Paine's reiigi-
on and politics adopted i'm this county,
And yet, some of them wish to produce errone-
Gus opinions with respect to Mr.. Adams, by mis-
representing both him and Paine.-They re-
present Paine as the apostle of political and re-
| ligious freedoms and MIR. Adams as the very re-
verse. They dare not publish the ,odole of the
writings of both; for they well know, that such
| adjudication would expose their own unfairncss
hut, selecting, from the writings of Paine,
such general received political truths as that
writer found Unnecessary or convenient to state
as TO the basis of his hypothesis, they assert in
round and general terms, that John Quincy = :
dams opposed these truths. No such thing. He
did not combat these truths, but the structures
which Paine had attempted to raise upon them
| Because mankind have an undoubted right to
| institute governments for themselves, Paine con-
| tends that they have right to be ALWAYS in a
| state of revolution, and that the minority of n
| community may unsettie established govern
rnent, and make new government, at their plea
sure. The factions which successfully ruled
and deluged France with blood, during the re-
vo'tition in that country, forming, commonly
not more than tbousaodth part of her popula-
ton, were, in his opinion the only true PATRIOTS
and the bulk of the nation, certainly all the
| landed and nonied proprietors, the mobiles and
clergy, had no right, whatever, to govern. Not
only ought the privileged orders TO be depriy cd
of their undue rank and power, but OF their pro-
perry and lives; and the guillo,ine, rceking, day
and night, with the best blood of the nation, was
| in Pane's opinion, rightfully employed. These
sentiments were transported across the Allan
tic, and disseminated, far and wide, for the pur-
pose of persuading the American people, that
| because they had put down British usurpation
in their first revolutionary struggle, they ought
! to 20 into second revolution, for the purpose
of destroying the new federal government, ami
of dispDacing, if not bebeading, our Washington.
! Adams, jay, Pinkncys, &c. II was against
these horrible doctrines that John Quincy A.
dams drew his juvenile pen. The c0ntagiou
was stayed The people rallied round The go
vernfnent Of their own institution, and the fac
ton which had patronizeI the doctrines Of Pane
was obliged to contend for other principles, and
! adopt new modes Of electioueering. Was this
triiling and unirnportant service to- the nation
| A whole people delivered from a rnomeHtary but
dangerous dslusiou, and saved from the crimes
and the horrid bloodshed which must have
sued, had those doctrines been adopted
II is not surprising that General Alexander
Smyth, thorough disciple of Paine, should re-
member the writings of Publicoa with bitter
and vindictive feelings. His attack on Mr.. A.
dams, on that account, recoiled upon lis own
head; and the whole community has pronounced
his discontinue just one. Butare4he peopeOf
New England now called upon tosanction Paine
and condemn Adams? We cannot otherwise
understand the writers in the Boston Statesman.
1t this be the case, we cheerfully submit to the
opinion which the people shall pronounce on the
writings of Paine, IN their votes on the prcsiden-
!. | tiaI 0uestion.