Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-08-19

Is content 20 live and die under the present form OF
| government, nay, who is opposing your own eff
forts TO change it-wth " disappointment" and
disgust at his own situation, and with head
long ambition TO aggrandze himself. Was there
one title of truth in what you have said would he
not side with you who tearing the sacred charter
OF your liberties and giving its fragments TO the
winds? Do you not the folly OF your quotation +,
Fools rush, where Angels dare not tread: and
are you not self corrected IN lis applications If you
are not, God help you
| have said that which disagreeable necessity re-
CURED some one 70 to this writer not that his inco
herences deserve notice on their account, bu,
tina" Mason of TO- may not be disturbed by him,
IN The high task OF enislhening his coun,rynen on
this important subject. That able politician is 100
wei acquainted with the history of our kind, not to
Know that the very nature of that subject renders il
difficult even Tor those who best qualified dis
cuss IT. to preserve the calm and dspassionate tone
otenquners after truth, an9 he mus: have pr repaired
himself to expect the assaults OF all those W no have
arlsht 10 speak, but are not able 10 control .hat
right, by TIE exercise of a sound discretion His
tory cannot have told him in vain, tina, when some
Genius OF higher stamp, rising superior TO preti-
dice, local affections and opinions, has addressed
himsefto the understanding of mankinc he has
found those lessons which have truth itself for
their sanction, unheeded by multitude whom
passion has seized and carried far away from the
landmarks of reason and common sense. And what
evidence Is wanting to prove the dominion of pas
sion this reforming Lost where we hear
scarcely two of them declaniing against the same
/ evil, and when trace the discomfort of
the arch reiormer, TO the refusal of the Legis-
| iaisTe 10 legitimate spurious litter Of banks
OF which he the father? No man who paws
| one moments attention 10 the proceedings of
Charles Fenton Mercer, in that Legislature which
rejected ms iaN oTite scheme, will hesitate say that
ms conversion to his present doctrines originated in
tliat disappointment. All Iivh Has she'd
| upon iim-he saw Tor the first time that the scale
OF representation was not graduated with athema-
teal accuracy, Gas il such thing were possible;)
| that the glorious benefit of universal sufi1ane i
denied 10 his suffering country. This mons,rou>
injustice Is for the first time cried out upon; the
evil before invisible to the eye OF the political ento-
no!osst, subjected by him TO a lens of extra
ordinary power under which, like insect under
microscope, II appears formidable and complicated
monster, all Blistles scales and claws, with " hls
| about n, like chesnut.''
l. though young in lie, can tell Mr.. Mercer that
no man need ever expect 10 convert the world 10
MS doctrines, who has manifested consistency IN
them hmselt.-Proselytes axe only made by an I'M
nrlhg zeal in the support OF one set of opinions;
change Ii The very death OF faith, and when it has
not been the work of experience upon The crude mis-
conceptions oi early days but has happened in that
maturity which sup posed fix principles ofmen,
The world Is not apt to be in love with change,
\
oil OF prudent men from Improbable virtne. 1t has
oeeh tue hard fortune of MIR. Mercer, 10 be guided
always by sSh'less wisdom which has we'd 20
ms age the errors of his youth, and has converted
| him iEom some correct opinions, which, he dis
carded them al a time when he should best have
known their value, lac mus; in the first instance have
owed 10 chance. lie still appeals to the system OF
paper credit in Great Britain, (o bind our afTec-
tlons to his scheme which, in its original nsiitu
t!"n, good and wise men who loved their country
better than themselves, denounced an evil big
| WIN future misery and ruin How those prophecies
nave been fulfilled let the present of that coun-
| Try, (Which Mr.. Mercer depicts in his last Free
Inah as nouristing) in an awful voice.
Where Is tho limit 20 the raging mania of'' Re
ionn: feel no evil resulting from the Inequalities
oil representation, and laugh to the idea that
me men o. these days are better fitted To compose
Faine oil civil poy than were those great men who
came to the work with hearts chastened and purified
Dy The ire OF the revolution The scio!is in politics
KNOWS that The laws in free country, derive more
i OF their tone and character from public opinion.
u!an they mpart 10 it; and for ,l>~t -aason serve
more 10 preserve state In that degree of virtue
! which attended their enactment, than to make
! better Was there ever time, will ask when
! the hearts OF public were filled with pure
love OF country than in the year 20? When the
soul OF every was that of Bfutus--and will
our country ever give birth TO ADLER statesmen than
those who houriShed at that period? Ii, then we
seek 70 change a constitution framed at such time,
and by such hands, it is only because we find it too
! good for us. We have not that degree OF virtue
when attended its enactment.
Mason, Henry, and Lee are gone from among
us and all that is left of them we are Fastening TO
destroy. They lived 10 be The saviours of their
country and she has wept requiem to the
memory of each patriot shade for the feelings
that once warmed the bosons of those illustrious
oe"d SUI animated her surviving sons. We
never rob them of their lane,-but how far distant
IS The day oil remorse for sacregious interference
wIIh the last remaining monument of their worth
and genius When we have visited ourselves
with the curse of Universal suffrage, we may well
blush to call upon then names PHlIO-MASON.
! british minister a,riged at flashing ton.
| Mr.. Vaughan, Envoy Extraordinary and Minis
ter Plenipotenriary from his Britannia Majesty to
the United States, and Mr.. Doyle, Secretary Of
l-ess>iion, with Captain Stuart, of the British
ingate Phnton, arrived in this city last evening,
from Annapolis, where they landed on Friday
evening last, and have taken lodings at Gadsby's
Franklin hoUse Hotel
We understand that Mr. VAUGHAN, the new
minister, Is a gent cman Of fine education, Of So
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