Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-03-30

oerciicton OF duty and to support this charge,
refer to the manner III which your reccnt nvestiga-
io OF the conduct of Gen. Jackson and your cn1ui-
fy into his suitableness for the presidency have been
carried on. An Editor should have courage enough
to speak his sentiments, with freedom and bol,lness
in relation to the official acts of public men, more
especially when their ambition leads them grasp
at an Office to which it deeply imports the peoples
happiness, and the nations welfare, that no man
should be exalted who is not only qualified by his
talents, but also by his temper aud political scnt-
ments An independent aud fearless Editor, whose
soul CLOVIS with the amor prirfr, aud who views in
the elevation of conspicuous individuals not prize
to be gained by superior intrigue, hut reward to
be given To superior merit, ,cN pursue this course
Personal fcarsnor private friendships sway him
from the path Of duty Tlc aims an object more
important than any evil ne could sustain from the
one source, OF the advantages he might derive from
the other, the good of his country and the perpetual
ton of her free institutons-not, indeed, against
the open aud uudissuiscd attacks of declared foe
but against the ii,ijious Vaccinations oil III tended
fiends- Such a man would
'.Ncither iiattt: Neptune for his triJeut,
Noe JOvc for his power tn thunder"
How does your conduct with regard Gen. Jack
correspond with this portrait! You say that his
talents arc not equal to the performance of the du-
ties of the Office TO which i'll timed ambition leads
him To aspire Yoa says too, that his temper dis
qualities fim-that Inc is naughty, impcrous and
vinlictive. You avow that he is un,luy swayed by
personal ani.nCsitics and attachments, and that his
councils would be influenced more by his disposition
TO crush those who might be obnoxious to him, and
TO exalt his E,vorites, than by considerations con-
nectcd with the public veal. And you broadly in
Situate, that, while he would be nominal lord of
'the palaces, another individual, who has long win
ced under the lash ofthe Enquirer, dewitt Ciinton)
would be President de ftcto-and dictate measures
from behind the THRONE" Now, who will not sa w.
IT this likeness Es correct, that Andrew Jackson is
hot only the last among the candidates but l.
most the last in the naiicn who should be call
ed to preside over its desnos The voice of eycry
ono who values u, freedom, or loves hi, country
rxclaims, "A,.ay with him. we will not have this
man to reign over Us! {" But you, gentlemen after
making these assertions, and attempting prove
that this nation has nothing to hope and every thing
tn fear from the election of Gen. Jackson instead of
dcuouncing him III the strong and Indignant terms
which much smaller occasions have drawn from YOU
instead of stripping him of the tinscled fame
which, Inc lts acquired by his military achievements
you approach him like the crouching spaniel md
lawn upon, while you snap at him. You have at
temptcd TO perform a duty to which you a re- iucom-
pctent. You contcn for the honor of boarding the
hon but your trembling nerves warn you to ap- |
proach his den with cautious steps, and snothe him
with soft worls and gentle phrases, while YOU are |
pointing ycur weapon at his heart. Think YOU srs
that the public cannot detect this insinccr y which
gives vent to so many compliments, mingled with SO
much abuse Or if your encomiu:s be the illusions
of sincerity, and induced by the honest dictates
of your Judgment, how it be reconciled with the
other side OF the picture, to which your brush DWELL
hue Every number Of your comp ihrtion from Rgia-s
Biography is accom- anied with few sentences
from your own pcn for the most part expressions of
regret the necessity compals you TO review
the Generals claims and qualifications your pro- |
found respect for his character, Your gratitude for
his services, Nc. &c. You pave the way with a CO.
pious dose of fattery--you then go on to demon |
stale your Own Inconsistency, by striving to show
that he is worthy neither of respect gra titue-
and, by perversity of intellect peculiarly your
xrNtt hap y.
repeated euogiums, that your objections are hollow
and unSound--and you make itmanifest that while
you have not masnannity enough to hcstow upon
him full share of applause, so you are too fearful
and timd to intiiCt unqualified ccnsure. The aues-
sion arises, p'.yHt s7uedmitnessl Why is il, that
Gen. Jackson, who is statehlan, tyrant a slave
to his passions and tool of other mon, according tn
your caricatufc, Is treated with such marked for
bcarance, and his Pretensions canvassed with such
studied caution, while Mr.. Calhoun, whose chiefI
fault in your estimation is that he is some twenty
years the junior of Mr.. Crawford, and Mr. Adams
whose only sins are that he is the of his father
and TINT he s scholar an experienced sta
should feel the weight of your tremendous ire? I
will not for moment, suppose TINT your fear got
the better of your Judgment, and that you alrcady
like some OF the members of Congress few wears
since, who trembed while they cens,,red rho
General, in imagination, your ears floating in
the waters of the Potomac.
IwilihoGr, g.ntlmnn, pon; out novcrsght of which
y
your talents much you do your candour and |
had rather it should be attributed any cause other
Khan want of penetartion Although have every dis
posiionto give you credit for all the virtues YOU DOS
sc3s, yet ! must doubt whether your candor would
have Induced you to- make confessions which would
seriously injure the in which YOU are cnga-
ged. With Perseverance truly laudablc, YOU have |
all along deprecated, as the OF evils a resort
~ the ilousc of Representatives for final decision
OF the great question which agaes the ma ton
ar mu tc,nfiss that the alarum which youhaye so
INCREASINGLY runy led to participate in your fears
ani jeinei my prayers with yours that the appeal
that ba!y ,n:it b. prevented By union and con-
among the old fepublican family for I never
dill, nor do now, deem the triumph defeat of eli
tler of TIE li:iatas OF such Importance rs to leo
Irli;c the tranquility ofthe county by efforts to pro-
mot the one or to pervent the other. happy
that yolr recent conduct has induced me to foreao
tn, fears while regret that am compelled to s.
sign 10 your conduct the only motive of which il
seems justly susceptible. 1t is true you still give
Won: TO your apR:chcn sions-you still nplore the
EAST to save us from tn, " frightful experiment."
while, in the very same breath, you declare, that
Virginia will, 1t,ier no circumstances, vote for Mr.
Adams You tell New England that the man of
her choice is unworthy to be the successor of Mon
roe--you tauntingly un1errate his qualifications.
and umparngly dcnouncc his political sentiment
notwithstanding repeated and indubitable proofs
that they purely democratic, and yet you i'm
pulently call upon her to give him up, and enlist
under the banners of .Nr. Crawford! You solicit
the strongest to surrender to the weakest and de-
nounce the obstinacy which refuses to agree to
proposition rcasoable and magnanimous! lear
not but admire the wonderful tact, gentlemen, which
ySO;l iii sti1v IN This 1naPyrc nd unrn