The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-02-27
TIE WASHINGTON CAUCUS


Il H. ToLEn, Secteiary.
TIE WASHINGTON CAUCUS.
- The winged hernlds hy command
q OF sos reign pot r, ~ i'll awful ceremony
A." And lfompets sound, throughout the host
pfoelhim
@ 4 Solemn Council. forthwith 10 be held
7" Al fandemomiuni, lsr high capital
q" OF SATAN and his.peers
~
- Afler short silence then,
" AMI summons fead, Tho sreai consult be
gan" lPaaftae Lost
When Milton drew tins picture Of ne
I Caucus Of fallen aagel-. after their arrival
/ Al lheir Great capital, pandemonllon, lac
must have had, in l,is minds eye. The pro
cess which, would ~ after time lac used ly
IN American Congress, tohefome dlcintnrs
10 The people, aud - drl'and tt"m 81 IT,"
( eaiaesa too 'T iii tf.to continents, Jhr
little miaaiiG nf calling together The choice
splnis, the manner ol tbeir assembling, the
aw fol sleuro which NJ first prevailed, the
/ reading al the summons, &c, are all So cor
recliy dclineatrd, that w fancy, whde we
are reading the Il scfiptlon ni thr demoni-
Nc conelavo, thai ne are IN f,ct beholdinE
the portrait of an American Congressional
Caucus. Nhefher, however, This rouirc-
tufr BE- correct or false, the similude - moi
ileas striking. " hen, therefore, we are
called upon by the advocates of this blot
upon our republicans simplicity, Ia look At
the heanHCiil consequences winch have
been produced hy Iaucusses, rs palhauons
tnf their error IN petslslng ~ them, When
necessity for II 10 longer exists, we beg
have Ia refer them 20 the origin of the
measure. It's consequences are paIpable
- day, and their influence has bcen fit
throughout the Whole county, IN the sur
rendtf Of individual opinion at the behest
at men al fepsf - ttlllbe as those who are
sailed upon to obey IT. Who are the mem
befs 4 Congress, that hey are better quail
iled Than their fellow ciNZrts generally To
select ruler for the people Are thtir
judgments less liable la error, 81 their mo-
ilfes more pure 0r IRE they better
qualified To speak the sentiments of their
constituents, than their constituents them
selves ~ they are MOI, why y Il res"II IA
; this procedure necessary, ur how can ii be
Justified Let the Caucus advocates an
swrr.
Ii Inns been said thai some nl the mem
hers Who did mol attend the caucus are in
favor OF Mr.. Cfan ford. Admit the fact
But il is an old say ing that - il Is bad rub
Whlrh viii not work both ~ays.o Let us
. see how this will apply To the case in qnes.
ton. Two members from Maine, from
Connecticut, | from Rhode Island, from
New Jersey, : from Pennsylvania, , from
, Mary hand , from South Carolina, / from
! Ohloi and from Mississippi attended the
rancas, IN none nf which states is il posi-
bic for Mr.. Ctaw ford to obtain majority
OF votes in n SINGLE district, even II they
I wero aiSirlcicd. Aud set the voieea of these
meml ers oi Congress, directly Ut war rs
they are with tie sentiments otthe propit
, whom they represent are In lac throV1
, into Mr.. Crawford's scale, 10 swell his
pfetrnsious TO the Presidency, which arr
: comparatively insignificant in themselves
p and which rest for support upon ,hs haut
Ing of Necessity this creature Of politica
rivalry and hatred. Two members rrun
e Virginia, also, attended the Uancus, til,
f sentiments of whose constituents we knol
e 10 he more Haa dapbYui, and We b,t,en
them tc he deeidedLHiu (irVor Of Mr.. Adams
In the districts represented by AIR. TuckcI
e and Mr.. Lelt"ieh, we are warranted b,
demonstrations of public opinion too plair
. 10 b. misunderstood, in saying, that, il III,
state were di,trietrd, and the froJtc had
their due and ptaper Influence in the cleo.
: ton, The Crawford ticket would be dis
= taactd. We YET hope tu see this assertion
| gesgui'SCa aud 10 see the ticket which
, will be ran IN his favor lost in the state 49,
? Even If we had heen d. sposcd to iavcr TIA,
professions of Mr Crav ford himself W
could neverg give our sanctiontu an act which
cheats the people of oue of illsir dearest
priNdeges.--wc deem il pfaiseNor1hy :,
arrest al the Threshold, eve the "tall.skin
, has been dAIid tor the lions hide" tn,
! march of precedent at All times dangerous
hui more especially ST. when it fayors the
assunptup of power by a body of mct
: Who have the reins of power IN their owt
bands, aud may determine 10 what length.
7 II may hr extended.
. GlNeto caucus nomination all the furcr
which II merits. What degree uf nbe,lieuc.
shall he paid Ia n nomination got up under
| The peculiar circumstances which attended
the late Caucus Was il not u mere abor.
ton Or was it not worse Was it not a
contemptiblr effort of an ambitious minor
aty Ia play upon tire Crrdulity aud igno.
, Hance oirlhr people To see how far they
could be led by soft words, or drigtn by
f harsh eXpedients An effort to coucilltc
t laNor and deter opposition, rs absurd ia is
Inception, rs II Was ridiculous IN its pro
| gress and result Sixty members al
Congress, calling themselves Tho efciusirt
, republicans of that body, meet together,
aud nominate one of their own kidney ms a
Suitable candidate for the Presidency, and
p aehehnee all dssenfients as apostatcs from
uiat party, aud opposers of the best utter
esis oi th"ir country. Where was the NJ.
cesslty Tor caucus? Did moi thr people.
know that these men were IN favor Of MIR.
!, 1ranfofc, without the useless parade of a
meeting, aud The enncunitauis of unmcan-
my resolutions, and a stall more unmeauing
".3ddress ~ We ash again, what s;u.1s