The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-04-08

contest, To the great agitliion and distrac
lion of thr country, and possibly, To defeat
~ election all"geiher-tli. very worst re-
suit. ! ihnught, that could happen. II APP
pepr,d a. me lhrn. thai sounrr ar later. W.
NEST arrive at the only practical issue al
the cuptes, hrinre Us, aud that vas be
tween Mr.. Adams AID Gen. Jackson, aud
| thpneli that the earlier We got there the
better for the country, aud ipr The House.
l. considering iais Only alternative, VAS
moi unaware af yoar strong desire 10 have
a Western President ; bat Thought that |
knew enough ef YOU patriotism, and mag
nanim'iy, displayed on 81 many occasions,
To believe thai you could rise above the
m.rr qualification of sectional pride, If the
common gnnd of the whole required you
10 ,nakr the sacrifice OF local Partially -
| sol.fnnly believed II did, and this brings
mr to the mist important con.i deration
which belonged To the whole subject that
arising cut Of the respective fitness Of TIM
/ only two red competitors as il appeared
! 10 my hest Judgment. In speaking of Gen
J lckson, am aware Of the d,Iicacy aud
respect which are justly due tO that dis
/ Il gnisI,rd citizen II is far from my pnr
pose IN attempt In dlsparage hun. lcould
not do it If | we're capable of making the
attempt bat shall nevertheless speak of
! vi ! M becomes me-, With truth. did mol
b'llrte him 80 competent to discharge the
nriou intricate aud complex duties Of thu
office ct I hief Magistrate, ~ Ms competl
tor He has displayed great skill aud bra
very rs y mlIILty commander f; aud his re
! nown will endure ~ long ~ the means TX
lst of preserving II recollection of human
| Transactions. But to be qualified t. dis
charge the duties OF President Of the UNI
sed States, the incumbent must have mere
fhan mere military attalnmcnts--he must
be a sidie8pnn. An individual may be
gallant and successful general, an eminent
lawyer, an. e,nqueut divine, learned phys
can, or an accomplished artist aud doubt
less the union of all these characters in
the person Of = Chief Magistrate would be
desirable j; but no one of them, nor all com
bned, will qualify him 10 he President, un
less he supcradds thst indispensable requi
site of being a statesman. Far from mean
ing To say, that il is an objection 10 The ele
yallon, Ia III. chief magIstracy, Of any |
person, that he is military commander, il
hr unItes the other qualifications. only in |
cess or spleudpr of his military achieve
m"nts, L his qualifications be only military,
that ~ an objection, and think decisive
objection to his election IfGensral Jack |
sou has exhibited, either ~ the councils OF |
the tHioU, or in those of his own state, or
III fhosr oi any other state or territory, the |
qualities of statesman, the evidence If the
iact-has escaped my observation Ii would |
he ~ painful as il is unnecessary IL recapi |
lula'e some of the incidents, which must |
ht fresh in your recollection, of his pubic |
llle. Bot ! was greatly deceived IN my |
Judgment II they proved him to be eniow |
ed With dat prudence, temper, and dis
cretiol. which are necessary for civil ADM
nl'tfi tlon 1t Was in VAIN 10 remind me
ot thr lllnstrlous example of Washington. |
There was, III that extraordinary person,
united a serenity of mind, cool and col |
lecfed wisdom, a cautious and deliberate |
Judgment. d perfect command of the pas |
SUNS, aud throughout his whole life ia |
miharlty and acquaintance with business
aad civil transactions, which rarely cha |
ractell2r any human being. No man was 4,
ever more deeply penetrated than he was
with profound respect fo" the safe and ne
cessary principle of the entire suhordina
ton OF the military authority. | hope
do no injustice &c General Jackson, when |
say, that coud not recognize, in his pub
lie conduct, thuse attainmenis for both G,
vii government and military command.
winch contemporaries and posterlty have
alike unanimously cOncurrrd in awarding
ms yet only IN the father OF his country
| was sensible of the gratitude which the
people of tins country justly fprl towards
Gen. Jackson for his brilliant military ser
wires. But the impulse ofpublic gratitude
should he controlled, 1t appeared to me-,
by reason and discretion, and WAS not pre-
pared bhndiy To surrender myself TO the
hazardous Indulgence ofa trrllng, however
am'ahe and excellent that feeling may be
Wien properly directed. Il did not seem
IN me 10 he wise or prudent, if, as | solemn
" believe Grnrral Jacksen's competency
for the office was highly questionable, that
he should be placed in situation where
neither his fame nor the public Interests
would oe advanced. General .yacl.sOn
himself weuld be the last mau to recon
mend 0r "o'c fnr any one for n place, for
which he drought hiu uaht. felt nv
self Sustained by his own reasoning, in his
letter to Mr.. Monroe, in which, speaking Of
thr qualifications of eur venerable Shelh,
for the Department of War, he remarked
" am compcilrd 10 say To you, that the
requirements ot tins worthy man are pot
competent 10 the discharge oi the multi
piled duties of this Department. there
fore hope he may not accept the appoint
ment. | am fearful, if he does, he will not
add much sulpndor tn his urespnt VOL
earned standing as public character. -
Such was my opinion of Grn. Jackson, in
reference to the Presidency. H,scon,ic
lions of Gov. Shelby unitness, by the Ia
bits of his life, Tor the appointment of Sc
cretary Of War, were not more honest nor
stronger than NINE were of his own want