Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-09

he would have objection to b. maj icIated il, lin,
seminary Of our author; who, in the foregoing ac-
compartments, no doubt rivals Sir Hudibras him
sell; put under present impressions of his capacity
teacher i the virtues he nds, Philo Pho
cion must respectfully decline becoming his pupil
as he must also beg to be excused from following
either his precept or example, however cheap the
etrontery or Profitable the practice Of assuming a
virtue though he has it not"
The author of the article, doubtless for very
GOOD reasons is extremely tenacious of his editorial
dudhty, and affects resent its division, by the
"Virginian," as unpardonably indccorous If his
associate docs not eschew the honour which he so
oeraily accords TO him, il is the wish of Phiio
rhocion, however he may doubt the disnterested-
uess OF the profer, to deny him the right Of full
participation in all the blushing honours that our
author is, expects be entitled TO- bo to those
that Gloom and those that bud but he still must be
permitted to believe, that the article i'm estou is
the production of an indiyidual-not n duaL but q
singular head-a head one and indvis;blc--tni1ue,
and that the ccemosynaIy right of his partner is en-
trely vicarious; for it is easy 10 comprehend
the copartnery of the editors in single paragrapb
unless 1t wasconposed by each alternately contri-
buting sentence: hypothesis which " Guild derive
some colour from thefiisordered beauty OF the a =
ransefnent, were NOT the peculiar charactcrist, s
Oh one Oh the gentlemen too distinctly and ueicc-
aoiy stamped on IT, to be mistaken. The appropri-
atc language OF malevolcncc is Interrogation The
conveys, enables the dclan.cr to employ all the
force and malignity of calunny; to ESCAPE the
punishment II not the inlan,y OF Islander; and to
enjoy at once guilt and security. The writer en-
qutrcs, whether Philo Phocion sis n man whose
true character may soon be written in the next
scene OF MS political ifc: Really, this is u oucs-
ton which Philo Phocion himscfcannot nswcr Ifit
Is Intended TO convey an nS;nuaton injurious 10 his
character, as may be supposed, both from the source
and the style OF the enquiry, lac despiscs il too much
to make either the object of anger or the subject
animadversion. He is aware of scene, either in
his private or political life, which would affect his
character, that he would sh protect from scrut-
ny. Would that his accuscrs could say the same
If this nterrogatory is merely held out as ,hrcc
OF the writer, to compose another scene of the
comedy he has begun, of which he has made Philo
Phocion one of the drdmaiis prcso,ae, it has no
terror for Pho Phocion, who thinks it unnecessary
Ito advise the public whether they should or should
NOT believe TO be "truc," any "chalacter'' which
this author may write of him or any other person.
Though he acknowledges that in some respects at
least both as writer and actor, he has undeniable
dramatic preensions, in Others he is unfortu-
nately deficient; and he would recommend to him
to postpone his labours, until the last act of his
own changeful life is ended else the cofus-
roPae which every reader acquainted with the laws
OF the drama perccvcs is near at hand NAV be M
cxpectedly FASTENED.
Alter all, who is this Vreinian :" say our singu-
lar editor or dual elitors-to either or both of whom
Or they desire t,) the Vrgnan" is probably will
ing mat his remarks should apply. Philo Phocion
can only say, that lie is writer who has vindicated
| patriot and hero from their injustice; who ha
thereby provoked cracking explosion of their
peccant humour; and who, to Judge Of the turbid
connection in the head of that portion of the at,ai-
r,ded duGfity, which seems inclined 10 become his
" customer" has
ripped him n dose of the sort that when taken
ant ,...ff
ihere Is, however, one point which Philo Pho
cion begs leave to dissent from the "Virgiuian -
namely in ascrbing the structures on Gen. Jackson
10 "a masters hand-at least in the sense in which
the editor supposes him the expression; though,
he would not be thought, from this qualification Ia
limit the proprety of the compliment enirclg 10 tho
sense in which ,he Devil of the Enquirer would ba
likely to acknowledge it. The extent, hewcycr 10
which he confessedly deserves it, not likely TO be
illustrated by the Virginian who appears to have
asell-noping principle, which docs not require him
be drawn across the boards by &c masters hand
The haste therefore to refuse interchange of COM
plments with Philo Phocion, Gas he supposes) re-
sembles the ludicrous precipitation of lady, who
miscalculating the power of her own beauty take
The slightest act of civty for proof of an intention
widely different, and modestly begs her fanced adj
mirer to excuse her inability rcquite his tender
ness.
Philo Phocion is forced to acknowledge, Gas much
as such total absense of taste may ggcr the
dulity OF the wrter,) that after reading the first
number of the Structures" he has never had the
curiosity TO look another He leaves it to the pub
lie to estimate the character Of an editor, who makes
an assertion without proof, colour of proof
merely Tor the purpose of justifying the obouuy
which he wishes TO throw on man, who for some
cause or other, has become the object of his enmitg
and whom he could find fair opportunity, or just
reason to assai He declares that he is not the au-
thor of the piece which has rendered him the object
OF coarse abuse and calumnious insnuaton IL. he
did mol write the "Virginian" though the evidence
to the contrary on 1.-THE colossal basis of the
Editor of the Enquircr's veracity"