Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-04-12

feed upon the tented field. What 4 gross
! conception is this, founded entirely upon the
animal preponderance in man
Does he risk nothing who directs the mea.
sures that involve the fate of his country Is
there no toll in the council, or in the cabinets
Is there no responsibility but in the field Of
blood
Did Mr.. Clay risk nothing in advocating the
declaration of war, that furnished the occasion
in which the General distinguished himself
Did Mr.. Clay make no sacrifice of repose
when he stood forward in Congress exposed
TO the attacks of Quincy, and Webster, and
| Grosyernor, and Hanson, of John Randolph
and Daniel Sheffeyl Was there no risk in
maintaining a course of measures condemned,
nav, reprobated by men like thesel Could
his pillow be that of undisturbed repose, who
had daily to combat the intelligence, the ar
gument, the sarcasm, of men whose powers,
| zeal and frmness, were almost unequalledl
| Did Mr. Clay not risk himself for his country,
when he became one Of her negociators for
peace, when it was made his duty to abandon
the question of impressmcnt, the main ground
u,on which the war was decEaredi Surely
General Jackson can know nothing of the anx-
| iety felt by an honorable mind in the success
| of measures upon which his own credit, and
/ his country's honor and prosperity, must de-
pendl The coward fear Of death n base
and grovcllns mind, is no doubt most excru-
ciatihg; bat among men Of higher cast, bodily
pain is much less affecting than mental an
| g,iish 4 brave soldier can sleep in the pre-
! sence of an enemy; but for care and anxiety of
mind there is no refreshing rcpose. Shame
on the man who, assuming station among
the statesmen and patriots, of a country, can
deliberately assert that one of the most dis
ltinguished, most laborious, most Jealous of
her Legislators and negociators, has never risk
ed himself, nor sacrificed his repose for j..
| country!
Gwen General Washington, coa'A he ar-
! pear again among us, might he considered Ia
military chieftain, because he DARED to be a
yirtuous and successful soldier, correct man,
and honest statesman" So says Gen. Jack
son; and his saving so admits of no other read
! ing than this-'T, like Washington, am called
| military ehieftain, because, l, like Washing
ton, DARED to be rirfvOus and successful SOL
der, a correct man, and an honest stdfesma,a. {"
| A poet Of some fame has said:
"0f Boosting more than of a bomb afraid,
4 should be modest as a maid"
The Generals notions of propriety seem to
be formed upon very different model.
In the same strain of Boosting, but in much
more reprehensible spirit, the General thus
vaunts himself:
''No one beheld me seeking, through art
! or management, to entice any representative
| in Congress from conscientious responsible
! itv to his own, or the wishes Of his constitu-
ents. No midnight taper burnt by me; no Sc
| cret copclaves were held, nor cabals entered
Unto, to persuade any one to violation of
fpledges given or instructions received. BY
me no plans were concerted to impair the
pure principles Of our republican institutions.
norto PROSTATE that fundamental maxim which
maintains the supremacy ofthe peoples will"
This tissue Of self panegyric is equally Of
| fensive for its inflated erotism and unfounded
insinuation. In declaring himself free from
the practices here'statcd, he indirectly asserts
! that they were resorted to by others. Does
General Jackson belevs that Mr.. Clay pus-
sued the course here described He ought
, to say SO without periphrasis Does he be-
! lieve that the election OF Mr. Adams was effect
ed by the practices he here intmatesi Does
he believe that secret concIaves were heidi
| that cabals were entered into,-that plans
were concerted to impair the pure principles
of our republican institutions Does he be-
lieve this, and yet be among the first to press
forward and take Mr.. Adams by the hand, in
the face of his assembled country He can
not be less base than those whom he accuses.
1t cannot be said, that these practices were
the work of Mr.. Clay and not Of Mr.. Adams.
Dir. Adams takes the benefit of these cabals,
OF this conspiracy. Nay, he constitutes the
chief perpetrator his most confidential adviser.
In morals, as well as in law, he who receives
the goods and rewards the thief, is princi-
pal culprit.
General Jackson penned this accusation on
the Esd of February. Nine days afterwards,
on the 4th Of March, in the Capitol of the ma
ton, upon the contamination Of these nefari-
Gus practices, the General was present, and
bis conducts thus described: "Gen. Jackson,
We were pleased to observe, ,cas among the
earliest Of those tcho took the hand of the Pre-
siden', and their looks and department towards
each other were rebuke to that bitterness of
party spirit which can see no merit i'll 4 rival,
and feel no joy in the honor of competitor"
If such were his conduct, the General must
be a cons,lmmate hypocrite. Take by the
hand, with look Of graduation, the man who \
had gained the high office of President by
art, management, eaticemenf, secret conclares,
cabaLs, tfoiated pledges, and plans concerted to
fMp0T INC P"e ""CtPfeSy oWTepcONCdN III
shiutions Take such character joyfully
by the hand AS soon would an honest man
take by the hand the incendiary who had
wrapt city in fames-the parricidc reeking
with the blood of his father.
This demonstration of respect for Mr..
Adams, places General Jackson in a dilemma,
neither horn of which can do him much Gre
dit If he believes that Mr.. Adams was made
President by the means he has intimated, and
has rewarded the principal contriver with his
confidence and respect, his display of regard
was any thing but correct. Ifhe does not be-
lieve this, what shall we say of his veracityl
When the General recapitulates his mite of
service in the revolutionary war-when he sets
out his exploits in the late war-his leading
5000 citizens to the field to support the eagles
of his country-his success in protecting the
frontier border from sayages, and in defending
an important and valuable point of the Union
when he adds to these the risk Of the
privation endured, the sacrifice made; and
closes with declaring martial law, and asks,
s.does this constitute O. military chieffnin?" tits