The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-03-26
T.YNCIlUURG, MARCH y, i6Et
yoR TnE vtRGtsIAS.

ToR THE YtRotsIAS,
TO The Editos ofthe Richmond Enquirer
girxrL,MrN,- Presumption, | would
fam hope, is MT component Of my ma
t,ise. IL have moi rgregi"usly nhsiskrt
my -ws disposition, prefer the sIlepc,
end solitude OF obscufity tothe.noisc an,
iumsit of conspicuous ambllnn. II is mol
therefore, To- obtain niche IN lis Temple
at Ntanglers, which has been erected, u
the progress of the presidential campaign
on the rrJt,3iion Of honor and decenry
thai | nov address you--nor IS 1T Ia pro-
,nkr, with slug and stone. the vengeance
Of Gnliah armed ~ inth." II is simply
10 expose n glafing defellclon of duty
OF which canceive you have been guilty
alad a most nnaeeOuntabie oversight which
lately escaped from your press. Kermit
inr to premise that youf characters for
ptobity forbid the susl'ieiop that IN your
dealings with your f'll"w men, either ot
ypu would abnfrate from the strict line Of
rrrtiiudc. hut what snrt at mura,iity is il :,
which, whilst il detrsts every departure
froel prinei, le IN our private concerns,
looks, not only with II for6lving, but an ap.
plaudng eye, on gross political SINS, aud
impndently blazons them forth rs the aft
spring of superior cunning ? To the, sirs,
II appears that ii there be any distinction,
il is ithout diVsrence. Even your inge-
nuity, notorious rs II is for making " The
worse sfprar the better rrasun," would
fail in this useless attempt to -pli hairs
'twixt south and southwest side" IL
pursuing my plan, am aehatrd by no
feeling of hostility towards either of you,
boz by the vain glorious desire of Filing u
c0sI,nn of a newspaper. IL 1t be asked.
Why, having neither of these usual add
powerful incentives, ] have stepped into
the'arcna, and thrown dawn ihe gauntlet,
when, too, hay. such fearful .dda tn con
tend with in the self claimed "polilical
experience" aud "practised abilities" of
the Eiltors of the Enquirer, answer, my
sole oh cct Is To let those gentlemen knuw,
that the thin reil of affected sincerity which
marks their IsAlilical career, has not bcen
able tosconccal the dupllcity WHICH Turks
heneheh IL. Ii ydHr contempt, gentlemen,
for the ability of every adversary whom
Joa may provoke, sbe,ld Tor once be lul-
led, aud the lamb like patience with which
you have hitherto horne their assaults,
should desert You, lrt me bcsecch YOU pun
forth not all your might, hot temper your
Page with mercy, lest be crushed At the
frst onset. II, ruwrver,I he dunmed tn
feel thu scorpion -sting oc yunr satire, and
sfemblc beneath thc weigh, of your argu.
1nenthtiyc powers, | shall have. TIE proud
consolation Of rcheciing that my penish-
rneni Is inflicted by no ordinary han,l aud
ths my defeat and modification will not be
coupled ~ilh disgeacc. .And besides, ysu
Know =" it more stirs the blood to rouse Il
lion nlsa to start hare
4 have reenarkrd that you have been
guilty az dereliriion of duty and 10
support this charge | rcfcr te The manner
in nhioh.year recent Investigation of the
= conduct of Gen. jackson aud yonr enquiry
Into his suitablrness for the presidency,
have been carried on. An editor should
have courage enough te speak his senti.
rnents, With freedoms and holdnr.n, IN re-
tstlan 10 the official acts of public men,
more especially when their nmbiIinn leads
them To grasp al an Office Ia which il deep
iy irtForts the peoples 4sappiness, aud the
nations welfare, that no man shouM be ex.
-alted who Is not only qualified by his ia
isnis, hct also by his temper and political
sentiments. An independent and fearless
editor, whose soal gIows with the amor
TE;ria, and who yiews in the elevation OF
conspicuous indi, duals, not prize 10 be-
gained by slltricr int,ig1c, hut reward
n be gi'rn 10 superior merit, fri1. pursue
Tins course. Personal fears nor private
friendships can sway him from the path OF
duty. lie aims al IN object more impor
tani than any evil he could sustain from
The onr source, or ,ha advantages r. might
d"tive from the other, the eood of his coun
Try and the prrpetnaiion of her free insti
tutions- not, indeed, against the open and
hndlSguisrd attacks at Il declared foe, but
against the insidious Vaccinations Of pre-
tended friends. Such man would
" Neither fattcr Neptune for his ,rid.nt,
Nor j0'e for his power To thunder"
Uow dses your conduct with regard 10
Gen. Jackson, correspond with this por-
trait? You say that iIi, talents are not
equal To the performance of the duiics of
the office 10 which an III timed ambition
reads him Ia aspire. Voc say, too, that his
temper dis1uaGfcs hin--that hcis haugh-
ty, imperious aud viuaic,ivc, You ayow
tina, he is unduly swnscd by personal ami
mositrs and attachments, ami that his
councils woua he iranenced more by his
dlsp"sliion Ia crush these who might be
obnoxious to him, and To exalt his favo-
rites, than by considerations connected
with the public w.rl. And you broadly
insnuats, that, wlrile he weald be nomina
" lord Of the palacr," -snolt,cr indi, dual
Who has long WINGED undcr tire Lash of the
Enquirer, dewitt CEnton,1 would lee Pre-
sideni de (aete and dictate measures from
belnnd sh- throne" Now, who will mt
Say, II this likeness be- correct, THAI Andrew
jackson Is not "hy the last maa siHoag
she candidates. hm almost the East man in
the nation. who st,nuid be called 60 ,sresia,
over its desitnirss The voice of every
one who values lis freedom. or loycs his
country, excl,ims, Away with him, we
y al moi have this man ~ rrign over ma y,
But you, gentlemen, AFTER making these
assertions, and attempting TO prove that
this nstiai has nothing 10 hope and ever,