Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-05-10


greatly deceived in my Judgment II they
proved bila 10 be endowed With that pru-
deDce, temper, and discretion, which are
Necessary Tor civil administration. IL
was in vain 10 remind me OF the llius'rl-
Gus example of Washington here
vas, IN that extraordinary person, united
0 serenity of mind, cool aud COLLECTED
wisdom. cautious and deliberate Judg
sncni, a perfect command OF Inc passions
and throughout his whole lie, iamlil-
sriiy and acqualnance with business aua
civil transactions, which rarely chaiac
terize any human beng. No man was
ever more deeply penetrated thsn nc
was, with profound respect for the safe
and necessary principle OF The entire so-
bordInalion OF the military 10 The civil
authority. hope do no injustice TO
Gen. Jackson, when say, that 1 could
not recognize, in his public conduct
those aIlainmen,s for both civil govern
ment and military command, which con-
tenn poraries and posierity have alike
unanimously concurred IN awarding as
get only TO the father o. bis country. /
was sensible of the gratitude which the
people Of this country justly feel towards
Gen. Jackson for his brilliant military
services. But the impulses OF pubic
gratitude should be controlled, IT appear
ed to me, by reason and discretion aud
I was not prepared blindly to surrender
myself to the hazardous indu lgence oil
Tee ling, however amable and excellent
that feeling may be when properly d.
rected. 1t did not seem to me 10 be
wise or prudent, if, as sosmnly believ-
ed, Gen. Jackson's competency for the
office was highly questionable, that he
should be placed in situation where
neither his fame nor the public interests
would be advanced
General Jackson himself would be the
last man TO recommend or vote for any
one for place for which he thought him
unfit. feel myself sustained by his own
reasoning, 10 his letter to Mr. Monroe,
in which, speaking Of the quaiific atoms
OF our venerable Shelby for The Depart
fnent Of War, he remarked: Il am
compelled to say o you, thai The acquire
rnonls of this worthy man are no, COM
petent to the discharge of the multiplied
duties Of this Department, therefore
hope he may not accept the appoint
ment. | am fearful, il he does, he will
not add much splendor to his present
well earned standing as public cha
racler." Such was my opinion Of Gen.
Jackson, in reference 10 the Presidency.
His convictions Of Governor She ,by's
unfiness, by the habits of his life, for
the appointment of Secretary of War,
were not more honest nor stronger than
mine were OF his own want of expert
once, and the necessary civil qualifica-
tlons to discharge the duties of Presi-
sfeot of the United States. In his eleva-
ton TO this Office, too, thought per-
Ceived the establishment of a fearful
precedent; and am mistaken in all the
warnings of instructive history, il | erred
IN my judgment. Undoubtedly there are
other and many dangers to public liber-
ty, besides that which proceeds from
military idolatry, bu, have yet to &C
quire the knowledge oil 1t, iftherc be one
more perilous or more frequent.
Whether Mr.. Adams would or would
not have been my choice of President,
If | had been left freely to select from
the whole mass of American ci,izen,,
was not the question submitted to my de-
Cision. l had no such liberty: but
was circumscrlbed, in the selection
had to make, to one OF the three gentle
men, whom the people themselves bad
thought proper to presen; TO the House
OF Representatives. Whatever objec-
tions might be supposed to exist against
him, still greater appeared to me to ap.
ply to this competitor OF Mr.. Adams,
il IS but truth and justice to say, that be
is highly gifted, profoundly learned, and
long and greatly experienced IN public
affairs, al home and abroad. Ultimately
conversant with the rise and progress Of
every negotiation with foreign powers,
pending or concluded; personally ac-
quainied with the capacity and attain
ments OF most Of the public men OF this
country, whom it might be proper to em-
ploy in the public service; extensively
possessed of much Of thai valuable kind
OF information, which is 10 be acquired
neither from books nor tradition, but
which is the fruit OF largely participating
in public affairs; discreet and saga
cioos; he would enteron the duties of the
Office with grea, advantages. l saw in
his election the establishment Of no dam
yerous example saw in it, on the
Contrary, only conformity to the safe pre-
reden,s which had been established in