The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-11-26

fstfnhiansf al trphhtican SoAefhhfitk+--
! - p" Ile may perhaps still Ia permit
to dlnp his of paper llia the ballot I'M
bal II viii be gaililnE mafc Than 1Hlh5
I iulm. 1be previous decree vii hive h'ci
i registered. aud Cengrr already announced
/ llir President Such = se!cciian cuipat ~
che lang ftgs of ouf Constitution be tffr
aud rqnal. ~ some STATES. the Drmpcfdbc
! par1y vii he cuiirriy unfsrfesehird. IN
othels, enhancing y large i'"riian ai many
States their oice sill be equally uDi.fard.
! In such conrlasr, Penusy wants would
/ give Bat t9 votes. aud Virginia 81. Tho
~ al elrcllon b. the people, Penhs, l'aila
/ is gei snlillrd la ! more solcs thao Virginia,
+ thus ACTUALLY losins six of the votes OF
/ 'ronsJ wanna.
II i the Vital principle If onr Constitution
+ ll,at lite ihr.c branches of government
! shuald move IN disiiut aud separate orbits.
I II has made them all dependent alour on the
people, and independent of cacl, other, de-
diving ON the people the right at selecting
4 n President, making HIN dependent on
I them Tor The tenure aud continuance of his
Office, ard Responsible 10 them alone. Bat
/ If these doctrines are reversed, and Con
gress ate permitted Ia fact In elect the
! President, The Executive and Legislative
I branches arr absorbed Ia one, and The *
ccuinr, instead ofaetns n the independent
organ of the people, has become the merr
creature Of Congress, nominated by, aud
dependent Gpon them Tor continuance in
ntlicr. I'he King of Polish Diet, and not
the President OF II free people. When one
branch of tn government Is absorbed by
another il IS the first step towards tyranny.
Ii IS the concentration OF two forces, the
combination Of tuU branches Of govern
mont, To destroy The thnd Lat this also
be- accomplished, aud despoli-m is com /
phte. Such are The sentiments Of Thomas /
Jefferson, contained in his notes on Virginia, !
page % Ali tlie powers of government, |
Legislative, executive aud Judiciary, result
"io the legislative body: The concenira
" tlDg these Ia the same hands, Is precisely |
F." The definition Of drspolic so, e,nment.--
" II will bc no al!evatiuu that these powers
- will be exercised by u plurality of hands,
" aud not a single one. One hitndj ell aud
" serenity three deSpots would surely be as
F." oppressive rs one. Let those who doubt !
n, turn Their eyes on the Republic oi
- Venice. rs little viii II avail Us that they |
F." are chosea ~ otaSetces. An etectire dts.
F" P0fagB. Was mol the government NC fought |
" tor; bat one which should not ouiy be
" founded on free principles, but in which |
" the powers Of goec,nnleut should be |
" 50 balanced aiming the several bodies
" ct naglslrary, that no onr could trans
-" cend their legal limits without being eff |
+" lectually checked and restrained 10y the !
E" others THIS Is the pure spnlt of De
moefacy, and when the people sulrendcr
To Congress the light of stleeting y Pfcs
dent, our government is, III fact, an elective
dcspoilsm-"e have Only changed tie fet
tiers of N British King for the chains of
American despot1. The people cease lo
be the fountain of authority, and BECOME
The mere passive agents OF their own scrv-
ants, set of puppets drawn by the Wire
workers behind the curtain, an Immense
hutomaton pushed forward TO the polls by
a self Reconstructed 1Ii,,acracy. fNr picture
~ not oyrrdfawn lot the advocates Of
caucus look within the mirror, and shrink
ba'k appalled, by the mi,ehirls which they !
are preparing for their co,s3try. The Con- |
siltullou already ucinhlcs IL lis centre, il /
tuttera on The brlnk al prVcipiee. Will
the people refuse Ia iutrrlcre-- will they /
'aIhtulatc 10 Congress Will they abandon /
the Constitution, aud surrender theiy rights |
IA the very citadel Of Liberty. For usurpa-
ions Icgs gross than this by British Far
Lament, then power Was annlhlldicd here.
shall an American Parliament draw down
upon ns all the evils of the Rotten Borough
yslem Of Britain, elect their monarch 10
rule over Us, and iltcmen nranly submit.
No, never You are now called upon Ia
make one enlbodled stand against these
dangerous rneroaohmrnis. The beacon ol
out evil aud political liberties still gimmcrs
IN nnr ricw--the land marks of the tousti
tutlun are still discoverablr the secret
mncls not yet sprung from under our feet
the explosion has not Art taken place,
bat The motch is ready. Whilst Europe i,
PROSTATE Al ihe feet of Il sanguinaiy dcs
puilsm, We have yet ,lclaincd our lihrilic,
ml rolalc ; but, vigilance is now doubt, ne
cessary. \ republican, government can
OIL, be permanent, Whilst administered IN
republican purity. Power committed to
lhe people IS lodged IN safe and honest
keeping l.t them surrender ii iuto other
hapds, the servant becomes the master---
some Americas Cesar crosses The Rubicon.
and the Constitution tnnlblcs into ruins at
his trcl.
Caucus is particularly objectionable
ir"m the alarming opportunity which il
presents far corruption and intrigue. The
great body ri the proplc must necessarily
he directed by honest views IA selcctlns
President, thoy cannot BIZ bribrd bat Il Sc
lrct corps may be corrupted, and every
days experience teaches the lanentahlc
lrsson that small body Of men are eX
trcmcly liable To the controul nf interest,
prciadlce or passion. Man, wlten clothed
win authority, is too apt ~ grasp at more
power, aud personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, must
G"eessarily have II .pvw,rful influence on
any small body OF of men nominating Il
President. Via will, or who has promis-
ed To promote my s;cws, aud not who is
the chaice of my constituents, has too con
trolling an eject. 1iouonrs, Office and EN-
olpment d,u,ec before the imaa inatiun, and