Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-04-21
L

Itwould be as painful as 1t is necessa-
ry, to recapitulate some ofthe incidents,
which must be fresh in your recollec-
ton, of his public life. But was great
ly deceived in my judgment if they
proved him to be endowed with that
prudence, temperance and discretion,
which are necessary for civil admins
i~tration. 1t was in vain to remind ME
of the illustrious example of Washing
ton. There was in hat extraordinary
person., united a serenity of mind, a
cool and collected wisdsm, a cautious
aud deliberate judgment, a perfect COM
mand of the passions, aud throughout
his whole life, a familiarity and acquain-
lance with business and civil transac-
tons, which rarely characterize any hui
man being. No man was ever
deeply penetrated than he was with pro-
found respect for the safe and necessa-
ry principle entire subordination Of the
military and the civil authority.
hope do no injustice to Gen. Jack
son, when I say, that | could not recog
Mise, in his public conduct those attain
ments for both civil government and
military command, which contempora-
ries and posteri:y have alike unanim-
ously c~oncurred in awarding as yet on
" to the father of his country.-I was
sensible ofthe gratitude which the peo-
pie of this country justly feel towards
Gen. Jackson for his brilliant military
services. But the impulses of public
gratitude should be controlled, 1t APP
peared to me, by reason a discretion,
and ! was not prepared blindly to sur
render myselfto the hazardous indul-
gence of a feeling however amiable
and excellent that feeling may be when
properly directed. 1t did not seem to
me to be wise or prudent, if, as | So
lenlly believed, Gen. Jackson's CON-
potency for the office was highly ques-
tionable, that lie should be placed in a si-
tuation where neither his fame nor the
public interests would be advanced.
Gen. Jackson himself would be the
last man to recommend or vote for any
one for a place for which he thought
him unfit. | felt myself sustained by
his w reasoning, in his letter to Mr..
Monroe, in which, speaking OF the qua
lifcations of our venerable Shelby for
the Department of War, he remarked:
81 am compelled to say to you, that the
requirements Of this worthy man are
not competent to the discharge of the
multiplied duties of this Department, [
therefore hope he may not accept the
appointment. am fearful if he does,
he will not add much splendor to his
present well earned standisg as a pub
lie character" Such was my opinion
of General Jackson, in reference to
to the Presidency.-His convictions of
Governor Shelby's u%n6tness, by the ha-
bits of his life, for the appointment Of
Secretary ofWar, were not more honest
nor stronger than mine were of his
want of experience, and the necessary
civil qualifications to discharge the du-
ties OF a President of the United States.
In his elevation to this office, too, |
thought I perceived the establishment
of a fearful precedent; and am mista-
ken in all the warnings of instructive
history, if erred in my Judgment
Undoubtedly there are other and many
dangers to public liberty, besides that
which proceeds from military idolatry,
but | have yet to acquire the knowledge
of it. if there be n more perilous or
more frequent.
Whether Mr.. Adams would or would
not have been my choice of a Presi-
dent, i'll had been left freely to select
from the whole mass Of American citi-
zens, was not the question submitted
TO my decision. had no such liberty;
but | was circumscribed, in the selec-
ton | had to make, to one of the three
gentlemen, whom The people them
selves had thought proper to present
to the House of Representatives. What
ever objections might be supposed to
exist against him, still greater appeared
to me to apply to his competitor. OF
Mr.. Adams, it is but truth and Justice to
say, that he is highly gifted, profoundly
learned, and long greatly experienced
in public affairs, at home and abroad
Intimately conversant with the rise and
progress ofevery negotiation with for
eign powers, pending or concluded;
personally acquainted with the capacity
and attainments of most of the public
men ofthis country, whom it might be
proper to employ in the public service,
extensively possessed of much of that
valuable kind of information, which is
to be acquired neither from books nor
tradition, but which ia the fruit oflarge'