The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-02-16
FEBRUARY le. laeC.

opened dfr"sh his batteries upuu Mr. Mon.
roe, since which tune ~ has poured forth
against that ssnrrated patriot nfihp Rrro.
luton sncli torrent of malignant abuse rs
To convince thu world that. howp.er ave
may have let IFS impress IN his frame and
features. IT has not been able to soften h,s
ssprrlIes or to mingie Chart, with his
jnds .nents.-Wr have always thought Il
singular, that Mr. Monroe should BIZ made
a sort Of butt against whom Disappointed
politicians of every description. and of al
most every grade, aim their attacks. His
destiny, throughout his long and laborious
life, has been more cheqaeIed than that of
any politician whose rame is conspicuous
in the annals IF the sane eVentfal period
to-day, cast int" the shade, aud ever, OPP
problous epithet whicl malic~ could de, isr,
heaped upon his name ; tomorro" idoll-
zed by the very Sd II, men who had de
bounced him. and crosdng honors heaprd
upon him. II only slows that in times of
great political excitement, when parties
are arrayed against eich other, it is diff
cult for the purest mn Ia pass unspspect-
ed, aud for the most honest To escape a
buse. Was not Wahing on, ut the very
moment when he WIS heading the armies
of the revolution, AMI laying the founda-
'ion ofths Republic abused and viIlfed -
accused of traitoros designs, and well
nigh dragged from tie office which he fill
, ed 81 ably and so seriously, by the erie
of faction and the giGces of unballowed
ambition ? What nan, that ever flied
large space in the public eye, hu' drew
down upon himself the open attacks al
ayowed hostility, and felt tn. shifts ut
lurking envy SIch men, " though pure
as ice, shall not escape calumny.' The
cry constitutional hsman nature torbids
the hope that any man, however he may
devote bis TIM his talents and his for
tune to the service oil hs county, can
pass thrnugl lite, without, at some period
of his existence, being denounced and
abnsed. Envy, ambition, and a the pas
sions which ster nen's blood, aud throw
them toto error, b.gin to work as soon as
some men see a cote npo,ary, whom tanl-
Ity leads them tothi0k Infinitely Inferior to
,h".,,sol, a., rising to honprs in the state,
while they are sdiered to remain AT home
i'm their palaces ad wigwams. They love
10 strike at a aiming mark, hoping to
throw iustre aDund themselves, by re.
lection from thdr adversary, which there
o~n merits nevr could acquire. Such
has been the cse with Mr.. Monroe,-
Such are the cases which have led To the
abuse 50 profusIy heaped upon his aged
bead-such the principles by which his
adversarlps have been stirred to action
The end Trey nope to accomplish Is be
you'd our ken. What do they propose to
themselves ? Suppose they succeed in
hunting down Mr. Nonroe-S0ppose they
blackPn his reputation and send him TO his
grave loaded with 'nfamy suppose they
prove him to have been dishonest in his
peeuoIary cnrrupt n his PO
! IiticaI lfe-a coward IN the Rev olutlonary
war aud at Bidcnsbarg inc ompetent to
perform the duties winch his countrymen
nave 81 frequently imposed on him by
heir free suffrages--Sappose all this ac-
compiished by Messrs. Giles, Floyd Il Go.
and what then, VIII they have accom-
/ pllshed a very honorable and landahIe
work : Even could they effect all this,
they may depend on II, that they would
be more scorned for their malisnity than
applanded for their sagacity. But let
them go on III the dirty work of detraC-
ton--Iet them take advantage, the one OF
| his disease and retirement, and the other
OF his official Station, t. ann their spears at
she breast of Mr.. Monroe. lie stands Sc
cure in bis honesty OF pnPose--ln the a
hillly and tirnness which have distinguish
I'd every act of his ife--and IN the atfcc-
! tions and confidence Of his countrymen.-
He may bid defiance alike to the spleen of
Nr. Giles and the pptuant littleness of Mr..
Flm d. lie is armed in panuply lnrul
nerabIe to such weapons.-Nr. Giles well
knows that there iCGS time when 10 in
suit which Mr. Mon, oe could have given
him would have Induced him to take the
stand he has lately done. There was a
time when he would not have dared 10 as
sail that gentleman. The personal firm
ness of Mr.. VI. (as Mr.. Giles well knows
has ever been prnverblaI, and would have