Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-03-30

JUL y CoAaOiioiiCu upoU ttc puFeSt TcDuO-
: licaD principles, and n.ended through
out all It's parts and IN It's various opera
tons, 10 secure to the citizen The ENJOY
ment OF his rights, that IL should be kept
free fren corruption and mayersallons
Ut its officers. But then the question Is,
how is this 10 be done ? VheB an midi
yljuai IS once clothed with the dignity
Of Office and invested with $ littIe brief
authority he is apt to forget the high
responsibilities he is under; he is apt to
forget that there is a experimenting
power TO which he is amenable, and may
call into question the whole of bis official
conduct. IN such cases many would
net scruple through mere turpl,uds, OF
10 crafty views Of interest, to do things
hot oniy exceplionable in themselves but
highly Injurious to the welfare of the
Community.
An expert politician of the day, may
barter his influence and his vote, may
yolate the most solemn pledges, may,
by acts Of intrigue aud corruption install
himself and his friends into office, and
fatten upon the spoil of blinded and
dcluded people. Who shall SIT in ludg-
ment upon him There is a tribunal TO
which he may be called where the SEN
tence passed will I'D duration and effect,
far exceed the usual (ulmlnations OF the
lazy. Ii IS the tribunal of his country,
and the denunciations OF an ncensed and
Injured people.
But how are we to detect any political
peculaiion, or arrive at the truth OF any
popular accusation, SO as not 10 subject
worthy individual 10 the nnmeriiod IN
disnation of his countrymen 1t is by
keeping our eyes steadiasty fixed upon
him, by Judicious exercise oil the right
we all possess of nquirlng into his con
duct in relation to the public, and, in the
scrutiny, TO dlvest our minds OF all en-
unity and prejudice, SO that we may be
able to give TO all his words their true
import, and to all his acts their native
hue and character. How often this Is
done, the public prints will inform US.
For we freely confess that we were 10
duced to make The above desultory OBJ
servations, by two pieces which have
lately been published. The one i'll
the Washington Gazette, purporling
to BE comment on the letter of Mr..
Jefferson to Mr.. Adams: the other 10
the Republican Advocate, consists OF re-
marks Oh the letter OF Mr.. Cook, pub
lisbed in the Illinois Gazette.
In relation to the first OF these deli
cious more eau, we cannot help observ-
ing, that it is feeble linz in cham
fabricated to impure the standing and re-
patstien oil one OF the distinguished can
dda,es for the Presidency. Twenty
three years of public services, PLAN
and unble mished character, added to
transcendent talents, and the continual
confidence of the nation, have not been
Sufficient to shield him from the violence
and vitupertion of party. HIS politca
enemies, re gardless OF every principle
Of Justice, aud setting at defiance ali the
soie,un o5Ilsa ions Of private friendship
and private confidence, have resorted TO
means unheard-oi, to injure him in pub
lie estimation. The publication OF Gun
ningham's letters on shi to reflect etcrna
disgrace upon every individual concern
ed in SO neiarious transaction. Tow
, sit the sins Of the father upon ,he child
What is it to the An erlcan public, whe
Their John Adams is deservedly branded
with the odlous name OF Federalism,
whether his administration has been
scene of disasters and political aposiacy!
Surely the son, if he has done his duty,
cannot be held responsible for the errors
OF the ia her. II cannot be imputed to
him as a crime that the moral character
or the political acts and opinions oil the
father were not better adapted TO the
taste and feeling of the nation. We had
always understood as principle OF ma
tural Justice, that the fame and reputa-
ton of man ought to depend solely
upon himself. That the honor of his
life consisted in acting well his partin
all the various duties assigned him either
in his public or private capacity But
it seems these salutary rules are abou
to be reversed. |, is not wba, ma
does, but what has been done before him
taat is either to give him the impress OF
shame, or to elevate him in public OPT
mon. Such doctrine and such mean
employed to effect the most desirable
objects ought not to receive the sanction
of Que approving voice. 1t is commit
ting violence upon our sense OF honor,
arnpture of every feeling we hold sa
cred and inviolable, breach OF trus
wi,hou, excuse or justification. Yet did
the perpetrators exult in the prospect ii