Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-09-01

| very little of its interest by not being proceed.
ed by the piece to which it is an answer.
% THE MERCURY.
Mr.. EDITOR: / read in your paper a
few days since, a communication under
the signature of Papirus Cursor, and
l was happy to find that his remarks
were not allowed to go before the COM
munity without a dissent from your,
| self.
GA Plain Man" in the Mercury OF
| Saturday, echoes the feelings and OPT
Mons Of Papirius; and if we are to
surrender our judgments to the views
of these men, it would seem that the
Colossal strides of the Government at
Washington has already trampled un-
derfoot the rights Of individual States;
and that the day is not distant, when
one vast consolidated Government, by
a succession of usurpations, shall rise
in splendor from the ruins of these
Republics.
l am not one Of those who look with
indifference on the jealousy Of the citl-
zen-it is rather 10 be fostered; res
spopsibillly in the ruler to the govern
ed is the main spring of our Govern
ment, and there is a tendency in popu-
lar feeling to waive investigation, un-
less injury and inconvenience are i'm
mediately felt. The ruler, on the 9th
err hand, possesses such means of sup
pressing information, or of giving a
false color to accusation, that it is not
.unfrcquent that vice and crime escape
detection, or if detected, go without
punishment. In u Government then,
each citizen should be a sentinel, and
on every excessive use of power, whe-
Their from the State or General Co
vernment, the alarm should he given
of the danger We are in. | care not
how small the abuse of it may be, it is
the principle l would strike at, and in
dependent of this, it is oltener that
power is established by e~ncroachment
than by extensive usurpation. Under
these views, l cannot say that | object
TO publicity of opinion, however erro-
neous; as / have such confidence i'll the
virtue and intelligence Of the people,
that where fair statements and candid
arguments are submitted, they seldom,
if ever, are in error. 1t is with this
impression that | give my views res
pecting the dispute between Georgia
and the United States.
I / think too, that there is an addition
al call OIL every one of us, from the
fact that Papirius Cursor has gone un-
answered, aud our fellow citizens "a
broad may be induce d to believe that
his opinions are those OF us ar
When then an alarm has been unne-
cessarily excited, when subjects have
been introduced not Immediately con-
nscted with the point in issue, but cal
culated to jaundice the eyes of the
Southern sections Of our couBtsy TO
their best interests and honor-%iien
through such mediums, prejudice may
be distilled into the public ear, it be-
comes every man TO frown on the insti-
gators Of such feelings and opinions,
however honest in intention. .
The dispute between Governor
Troup and the President has been con-
strued INTO an attack, or as being near
" allied to an attack on the feelings
and interests Of the Southern States;
this is Gov. Troup's view; and Papirius
Cursor has followed his footsteps, Sir,
l am not an alarmist nor do | think
such men should be inhuential-it is
not the interest of this country or the
Southern States. Accusation and jea-
lousy can produce in our Northern
brethren no friendly feelings; and the
cords of union when they cease to be
those Of affection, must be sundered
forever. Confidence will not exist
without esteem and love: and when the
East perceives that its motives are
Observation-Disclosures the affection it
processes is treated with jealousy and
doubt-fhere must and will be an alien
alton Of feeling, which will and must
result in a political separation. Where
the sentiments Of our Northern breth-
rem are impartially obtained, they
breathe nothing hostile to our peculiar
intercsts--their feelings are with us;
and so far an l from looking at the
North as a source of apprehension,
that | view it under the Constitution,
as the safeguard of the South. Per-
haps, at this day, the last view may be
deemed singular; but it will be remem-
bered that it vas the argument pressed
on the South for the adoption Of our
present Constitution.
The unpatriotic policy alluded to, is
calculated to complete all that our enc
mics could hope for--all that the
friends of freedom would deprecate.
1t is correct, it is wise, to denounce
sentiments such as we hear frequently,
not even decently whispered amongst
us: such as the following--"that the
Union cannot last"-"Drobably If is