Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-02

must They are not so immediately identified with
all parts of the community. What we have done,
is on record every manis responsible TO his own
act. The old adagr is, that, by its fruit the tree
shall be known. What has been the resul, of this
practice for the last twenty years? Where ha been
the mi5cmcf: Has your constitution been violated !?
Is not our happy situation object OF oong.atu,a-
tom Is not every nation which i; striving to break
the letters of slavery. lookin, To us the land
marks by which they are to be guidcI: These are
the fruits of this system, which has been followed,
iii relation to the Presidential election, from 1900 up
to the present day; which has hccn sustained by the
people and which has some of the greatest names
in the country to support it.
The honorable gentleman from South Carolina
says, that the grounds Of h0itlin. this meeting were
TO produce uniol-but from the signs OF the times,
he gathers the belief, that il will, the contrary
produce nothing but diScord. Mr.. Il. said, as Inc
was not 4 prophet nor the of prophet, he
could not tell what the effect OF the meeting would be
The wisdon of tn people, perhaps, might .,stu;c
something elsc-thc people care little abou; names
We have adopted u plan by which we proposed to
surrender our private feelings, whatever they NIGH
BE-, upon the altar of the public good. ask gentle
men to propose substitute for the caucus. Here
are five candidates-all good mcn--there is no
union among the pcoplc-they are divided into five
partes-What is to be the result The other day
we were band Of brothers. What is now the
case? In consequence of Il difference of opinion,
SANDER is poured out from the press ; a thousand
pens are employed n he work of defamation; eve
ry imirrniy is displayed; ca!umny j.; spread upon
every sidc-and it is melancholy, indeed, to reflect
that too many ready tn believe the fabrications
This Is now but Il little spark-but it may spread
OUT till it consumes every thing that is good and va
luab!c. How is the monster to be stihcd: Only by
making useful sacrifices. meeting for that pur-
pose was callod-all were invited to utienl-thc
object was to arrive at some union; to- close these
flood gates of iniaui,y. We regretted that our
RI NOT all .,I,
he arraigncd no mans motivcs-each one must 90
ms own way Other counscls might prevail-hc
dreaded to hear what mis- int be the result of the
gnity which this controversy had excited lie was
prepared To unite with the majority. This that or
tie othc. name, was insignificant him, compared
nth the good OF the Union. 1t is said, that it is a
talacy t. pretend that we went to that meeting
III our private characters. We arc told that the
President, the Heads of Department, or any of the
people might 20 there, VITA cqua proprcty-and we
have been told a humorous anccdotc on this point,
concerning Il P,icst To this, MIR. Is. answered.
that :he Members of Congress went there to saw to
the American people that they believed this or that
candidate would be most acceptable to the pcople
fact only to be made known. Each man
the feelings OF his oyn section of the
country. James Barbour repre- scnts that his con-
s,ituentS are of one opinion--thc gentleman from
South Carolina that his are Of another. Th. mem
ecTS attending the meeting from different parts
of the Unon--,licy arc the organs Of coranunica-
ton Their meeting is merely for the general con-
cen,rat:on OF opinion. The gentleman from Sout,
Carolina an.nadvertS on the character assumed by
the members i'll the lrecti:t,-that of their indvidu-
al capacity asks why ether citizens ad
mittcd: The answer tn this remark is Obvious
othcr Citizens are not in the situa zion OF members of
Congress, because the not preSuilie a. are the
members OF Congress, w!ro from every part OF
The Union, 10 know, accurately, the wishes OF the
great body OF the people Ii is the eGicial sla-
tan that yves weight 20 expression OF the mem
beers of Congress; but il is the con fdenre a, cpo,
ar.ong their felow-citiZens, that made them n,on,
bcrs of Congress. This confidence is 4 mar. n,
their character, and is made available in their nr
vatc capacity.
The honorable gentleman from South Carolina
says, he never attended caucus. TIA, is certain
~ little extraordinary. for Il member Of Ills ,odv
iheIe hc some few individuals here. who have not
attended such Inec;ings-hi,t when nc recolIccted
how common thcy had been, for the last fc;v or IF
y years he apprehcndcd there few who had
not taken part i'll them. When IT was very younr.
" s''i,', Ii iccoslecied to have gone With his no.
fa3n colleague, 10 the FIRST meeting of this Kind
:'ich be ever attended Under authority so rcspec-
able, and IN such school, he had first become ac-
lla;ited with the sy*tan; aud H. had, ever since,
continued Believing THAT its results must be bencfi-
'ial When lie know that this system was approved
~ cider mon; that il had been used ecctualIv in
nc Gays oi Jefferson. he could hardly believe tina
~ H'uSti iithioc!S hnc" all The benefits that had
been derived from j.. 1t is too old in this country
opposition ~ i will do. Some may he n, no.ci
I" ~ M n their private views; others NAV not think
ii c%pe'ient at this time There are regular cvclee
IN political events; and, MIR. b. said, he did not
""'t ont these meetings, by and by, would become
popular enough; for, as they have been so hereto
fore, II will be tina; they are still necessary.
In regard TO the anti-caucus, which had bccr
SPOKEN OF, nc did not wish TO become the accuse
Of any mar. lie saoul,i, therefore, saw nctt:,e
oi At This whole subject has gone out to the pcorlr
/; ought not TO have been touched here. There In.
been fair and open appeal to the people an,; tho
Senate should not have been troubled with it
here We arc " Hing to :Acet it; not before few
changai!ngs IN the country, but before tho grcat
iass OF the people, who are independent, and who
stand clear OF prejudCes this subject If, when
these acts are fairly laid open, such tribunal con-
dvmn' Is, DC it so. Mr.. E. said. when he embark
al oa the sea OF political life, he well knew tba,
there we're shoals in it. Some get their vessels over
them safely; while others strike upon them. and
INK forever. But he made the declaration in the
face OF ali who heard him, that he had the approba
t.onof what he bad done, in his own conscience
HtH was placed beyond ali human control. and
when the plauAit5 Of this "arld should cease that
appreciation ~o"l1 he .npcrishablc--it would epa
~ h;:a TO treadt;ic slaOwy vale of dca tl without
'.af OF trembling. Standing this sure founda-
b'n' unseducod by ambition, whose gddy heiolts
he had never essaycd, rs far II concerned his
~ "'e"s nc was above, and he reioicad in his atti
iudc every change in political opinion and, If the
government be honestly administered, he cared NO,
ny wnat hands ~ TO whom were distributed tho
loavcs aud fishes.
Mr. Smith, Of Md said, lie should vote AGAINST az
irsGnlhtc postponement. The state of MARYLAND,
said he, has instructed its Senators to usc tbci hs
cnacaYors to obtain such amer1d-cn, ,o tI,
ZION as will ensure a uniform mode of election
throughout the United States. Of Pesidcpt and VIC
President. The district mode il preferred ,v that
state which meets my concurrence and SHAH cote