Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-03-22

G.. i. D.
emy, should, by uniting Arti6ce with
popularity, secure il to himself. Nc
time was to be lost-and upon little
reflection, I resolved to strive for the
office; upon which ! directed my ad.
herents in the Tennessee Legislature to
pass the resolutions they did on the
subject. was well aware, however,
continued he, that my defective educa-
ton would, in some degree, render me
obnoxious to those poignant shafts OF
satire and derision which the event.
thus far, has realised"
l merely limited my sentiments Of
his abilities in general terms, and re-
marked, without having particular
allusion to his case-that a mans ele-
walton to any office which is filed by a
general suffrage of the people, could
NOT, in the nature OF things, depend SO
much upon his peculiar fitness for that
office, as upon the management Of par
tizans among the canaille, and the pos
session of some shining excellence,
calculated to captivate the passions OF
the lower order of politicians, which
constitutes the elective strength not
only Of legislative bodies, but Of the
whole nation.
"WouId 10 God!" said the general,
"it were otherwise. He whose breast
glows with pure amor pratria, and in
all his political relations acts accord
ingly, will seldom be exalted by his
fellow-citizens. In the first place, it
requires no small share of address and
perseverance to make ones self a pro-
minent object in the public eye. This,
once effected, he may ride in the
whirlwind and direct the storm But
unobtrusive merit is always too merito-
rions to be sought by the vulgar, or to
go itself, begging for public honors.-
Whilst this state of things exist, you
may be assured, that the space be-
tween order and anarchy in this repub-
lie, is not so great as may generally be
be imagined.
"There is tide in the affairs of men,
(which, taken at the food, leads on to for
tune"
The emphasis with which the gene
raj pronounced this Shakesperian quo
tation, and that peculiar flash of his
eye, so usual with him when excited,
me that he had no very re-
mote reference to his own prospects,
He asked me if did not believe that
of the citizens of the Unit
ed States were at all times ripe
Ior revolution. And on my answering
IN the negative, he rose on his feet and
sesticulated with great earnestness-
{ The mass Of the people, said he, are
'ipe, always ripe for novelty and inno-
'ation-but they do not know it,
They may have pure hearts and real
But mere name-a he,
o, can "wind himself among the null
itude." captivate the imagination, and
ay the judgment asleep. A popular
hobby will carry him to the highest
lestiuy known to the constitution, and
Is much higher as his ambition may
prompt him to go. have little faith
continued he) in the stability Of re-
,ublics. They fall an easy prey to the
passions of ambitious rivals for power.
Twas once tempted,by the impudence Of
governor Rabun, of Georgia to march
/ hostile army into that state
Had l done so, it would have been in
pursuit of personal revenge; / should
nave had no other motive. But if the
work of revenge had been began, other
and other motives would have
arisen out Of the contest. Heaven only
could predict the catastrophe -