The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-11-30
an r,rr r,noMrAs-No 8.

" -. other ~hateseT thai iiperts cannot
.,r...f.,. ed. ans more than Il can lie ael"'eei
..,to,t active aud Jealous eseihohS 81 inc part
-. ,,.,ple; aud there never has bSsh tiule
. So, rms lsrcat maSm was more obvious ~ Us
s...,,,,z or inore necessary III itS application
80, the present Degeneraey aud corruption
I'm" - fortunate aud inherent evils To which
n human Governments naturally tend. Against
:" "a r,p ,cttuenees. the seaeraed trainers OF
U .t,tntiou eadeavorcd 10 provide an adc-
o' r.,neay. bv ordainine frequent elections
49,. ,eriodical return OF rulers 70 the bosom
sp1 comic. They well knew the fatal capacl-
= ,o,yer to corrupt every one with whom II
- !, contact. The existing crisis demands,
-, one did, the exercise OF the sell preserving
I'D ,af protecting faculties OF popular soVe-
AM The present rulers OF the country have
-, "a long in the habit of welding power, IN
-, hane OF another, that they have literally a.
1.,,,,.1 and acted on the principle that the VIII
- tbe peoplc is 10 nave no influence ON their
hi. conduct. This viii be at once manifest If
r. revert to the last presidential election, as well
a. 10 some subsequent transactions The real
ai'.octer oftIat election, x the porientous dere
,;.,;an of prnciple involved in il, cannot be too
' "'r,,,oly impressed on the public attention It
g.. ,1c FIRST successful attempt ever Witnessed in
~ .onntry to defeat the wishes of the people,
IA ;,i. this circumstance which has stamped the
T,,r with the uuequisocal seal of popular repro
haton For the FIRST time since the foundation
oftbe Government, We are now under the doml-
oat;on of a minority president. Neare told, in
aooI il was "A constitutional election, because il
"a. IN compliance with the forms of the conStitu-
ton. And. on the same principles Aaron Burr,
,cbc had succeeded, would have been a constitu-
,ional president. There isnota single argument
,hat would ustitythe one case, that would not APP
nly with equal or more force 10 the other THERE'S
besame evidence ofcorrupton-- both violate
,be same sacred principle y the analogy is srlk-
inoincyery way withthis only essential difference
that what Burr merely attempted, Messrs. Ad-
INNS and CLAY have contaminated. But these
latter gentlemen modestiy claim the indemnity
of reelection, while the former, with his aSso-
eates. have been consigned 10 political intamy
In reference to the reelection of Mr.. Adams,
the extraordinary and insdlous doctrine is in
oulcated. that the administration must be judy
ed Nv its lneasures--but can good measures wipe
out the stain of an impure election, or can good
measures restore the violated rights of the pco-
plel Admit the doctrine aud what loilowsi 1t
follows that, if BY any MEANS man can get ln-
10 power he must be sustained there provided
he has capacity enough to go through the routine
OF ollical duties. Upon this principle corup-
ton may be rc-clected-upon this principle, u
fore the public Is not, however,, whether the
measures of the administration are good or bad,
wise or feeble. 1t ought never to be forgotten
that the great and only question is, whether the
people snail elect the president or not. II Is,
then, wholly lnmateriai whether Mr.. Adams be
d man OF transcendant talents or absolutely in
competent; or what may be the character OF his
measures.
not only agree to the proposition that the
people are competent to choose the president
but 20 further and assert that according to the
principles OF this government, no other power,
either on earth or IN heaven, is competent--no,
not even congress OF Cruds would be competent
--,uy other mode of election will be ever under
circumstances that must inevitably produce COR
ruptl0n. No executive coming into power, e1-
cept in conformity with the popular voice, ought
u be retained there, no matter what its merits or
talents may be, QUE moment longer than the
constitution has rendered absolutely necessary
Ii any other theory Is maintained, il would tie
Just as well 10 dispense altogether with the agCh-
y otthc people, and suffer the president TO be
dominated by caucus, or appointed by his pre-
deccsSor. The administration has protested a
willingness to stand or fall by the wisdom Of It's
measures but let US first ascertain what are
properly its measures 10 say that they are
internal impro' elncnts and certain other objects
otnatIonal policy, would be to place the opposl-
ton on grounds that ii docs not IN fact rest on.
Those measures were introduced before the adj
mmlstration came into political exstcnce-they
were demanded by the people, and have been
sanctioned by the people Let us then dis
claim the lllibcralIiy OF making the executive re-
sponSble for any but its own SINS, for it has
committed enough 10 annihilate every shadow OF
title TO public confidence. Have We not seen IA
system oil intrigue and patronage set on foot that
threatens universal corruption--the wide spread
ramliications of which no eye hath seen, nor
ear hath heard nor lounge eau adequately tell -
Have not bad men been appointed to Office,
and the important interests OF the country put TO
hazard by an anomalous aud unnecessary and
dangerous mission And has not all the nilu-
ence OF the administration been arrdYed against
giving the election of president to the people,
thc most important measure proposed since the
adoption OF the CONSTITUTIONS measure upon
whose ultimate success depends the political sal
'ahon OF the country? Aud. Ia addition 10 this,
nave We MOI seen the president asserting arbl-
trary doctrines and heh presogatvc notions
NJ only Tor monarchy lie trlls the rcpre.
sentative he Is not to be pasied by the viii o his
constituents. tic assumes the power of appoint
ing ministers without check or responsibility
anu goes TO the high heavens 10 derive the ten
ue OF ms power, thus rcyiAing the old doctrine
OF the divine right rhcse are rmphaticaly
'hemeasnres aud principles ofthc administration
'of these 1t IS responsible and they demon
Su"c concinsnrlr that il is ms oftny oi conf
Nfite' It cannoi he denied on doubted that The
Gu contest Of % Is revived though undrra form
S''He"hat different II was then, rs il is now. a
@'A'es' between the people aud Il set OF men who
'SoItea 10 be independent ofthcn. 1hen the
Nu'n'lon was openly trampied on--now if
more dangerouslt, because more secretly as
s"lfd' The friends ofdcmocracv and the ad,o.
""'S OIL aristocraue power are again arraycd u
sa'''teach other, and all who love their country
y '''ue her institutions are called on to rescue
IN Hoin unworthy hands The enemies Of
iS'l'S OF the people are again our rulers
prs nave changed, but the same principles are
o'nlnant, under different names tan re-
|'hs forget the struggle of IS, and their
,. ""np o'er the high-handed advocates ofpow.
Same He mol We, are not they, any more the
o,a ,ng men The great cause now pending. is
,apR''cally the cause of the people To pro-
, ,,r nfiiclently they mus: rally around An
, ,,N JACKSON. In electmg him they will be bu,
he