Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-04-28
THE VICE PRESIDENT.

THE VICE PRESIDENT.
The papers dGroted to the administration are
striving, not so much defend its measures a. to
tack those who do not approve them. Their
sAiIi In this warfare is more Ing ious than us;
ihey pursue 1t according to Il system, which was
begun at Washington, and is now prosecuted by
All the authority" presses throughout the Union.
Ihey wish to make out, that there is a systematic
opposition TO the administration, that The Vice
President is the head OF il; that he has been spar
Ing OF no trick however subtle, of no stroke how
ever desperate, which may effect the object and
mat dlNpassiona;e people will scout this factious
opposition; and that therefor the administration
ought TO be supported. Such is the mode of tao
Ties pursued by most of the Swiss ofthe Admins
traten:-But there are two weak points in it,
which require very little ingenuity to detect and
expose
We think it very probable, that Mr. Calhoun
Is opposed to the present administration. He may
mol IKE the Men who compose it, He may dis
IKE The manner in which the President was elected
the miserable manner in which Mr. Clay was
made the Secretary of State: He may dislike the
patchwork, the piece of Mosaic, I" here bit of
black stone, and there bit of whte,'' OF which
the Cabinet is made up. He may honestly dislike
their measures: Or he may wish them fairly out Of
the way, either 10 make room for Gen. jackson,
or TO make room for himself. Yet, by whatever
motives he may be actuated whether a. wicked or
charitable, we have no hesitation in believing
that he has no objections to set his face against
them and their schemes. And John c. Calhoun is
not person to be despised. lie is a man of genius,
early distinguished IL public life and not easily TO
be KEPT IN the back ground by all the puppets of
the administration. Yet with all these probable
dispositions anu these actual powers the Vice Pre-
sdent Is not the source of the opposition which
The Administration has met with. 1t is TO be
iouhu Independently OF the private interests
n h., hAa, ct \ &.
dent himself; In the appointments which he has
made; in the measures which he has adopt ed; in ME
principles, which he has boldly preached up, in the
race OF the constitutions the want of consistency in
the composition of his Cabinet; and in the vav bv
whlch they are trying to get on: the President
himself thinking 10 do almost cry thing by his men
ana his Secretary, By management and address. -
bu' Oh all these objections, the strongest is TO the
principles which Mr.. Adams has avowed They
are sufficient to arouse the jealousy OF free people
ne attempt, 10 palm the opposition principally
upon MIR. Calhoun will, of course be defeated
MIR. Adams should look 10 himself not to him. for
the objections which have been raised against his
administration. We speak particularly of the
things within our own knowledge. The Virgini-
ans who are not devoted to the administration are
not more the rartizaas of Mr.. Calhoun, than of
himself. They do not rally under Mr.. C's. banner :
but they take their own ground, and will pursue
their own course. We say with Mr.. Dickcrson-
we are not of his school, But we have tried
to Judge the tree by its fruit; the administration by
It's measures; and though many of them are not
soodly to the sight, very disagreeable to the taste
we shall try tojudge of them still in the same man
ner
his is one fault, therefore, into hich the
sworn friends OF Sc the powers that he,'' have fall
ZEN Another Is in painting Mr. Calhoun worse
IMAM he really Is. We all remember the CRY which
was raised against him for taking his seal ON the
hrst day OF the session; if he ought not 10 FIJI the
chair and do the duties 10 which he had been an
pointed. His early discharge of the Office was
ascElDed only to sinister desire to fill the Com
mittees to his own taste = We remember too how
he was charged with making overtures to Mr.
ADAMS: ana we all remember how triumphantly
one OF his friends refuted the aspersion I,aterly
we have seen hin charged with permitting Mr.
itandoIpht to run on, as he pleased, with his own
structures on The administration; in particular with
permitting hl'n TO speak, and at the same time
stopping Mir. Dickerson; and in fact, with Eeepicg
no order In the Senate, and letting the shafts iy
on all sides, without once attempting to arrest
them' IL turns out, however, that in the particular
case most relied upon for the proof, Mr. RrndoInb
was not abusing the 'powers that be, but taking
ground that might rather be pleasing TO Mr.
Adams II also turns out, that Mr.. DicIerson i,
scarcely more the partisan OF Mr.. Adams, than Mr..
randolph himself; and that instead of thinlino
himself wronsed by Mr.. c. he has made the follow
ing explanation to exculpate him. As to theuueston
OF order, Mr. Calhoun has been severely assailed g
though 1t is possible, he may have erred in the con-
sTucton OF his powers, yet it seems really sfrange
enough, That his construction goes not TO extend
ms powers, but to limit them; not to limi, those
OF the Senate, but to extend them. This too would
appear tobe less eXceptionable in an officer who
holds his Office, as Mr.. Burke woudisay in con-
tempt oil the Senate for, he is not elected b,
them nor responsible TO them. After all, the posj-
ton which he has taken in his late Address ,o
the Senate, is dtbsteable question, resting more
upon rules, than reasons; more than upon what is
than what ought 10 be. In the II. OF r. the rule i.
express in favor of the power of the Chair: the I0b
hule OF that House declaring that Z" If any Mem
Der, in speaking or otherwise tTsnsgress the rules
OF the House, the Speaker shall or am .iIen7bgy
may, call TO order; in which case the Member so
eaiedio order shall Immediately sit down, unless
permitted to explain," &c Bat no such exn,oss
rule is found among those of the Sen..e; the 9th
one saying WheH a MemJcr shuH be cQiied to |
order be shall sit down until the President shall
nave determined whether he is in order or not -
&c. his rule does not say, that either the
Speaker or Member may call to order. W.
think, that such power should be in the Chair.
II the Senate think so, some member seeing
in what way Nh Calhoun inlerpresi their rules.
may now move TO explain or amend them
but surely it is queer enough 10 blame him for
not telling them beforehand, that such was his
understanding Of their rule, and therefore they
had better amend it. Yet, 20 harsh has been the
to Mr.. C., that he has actually been
'ensued Tor not calling their attention to the allied
5ed deiect-But to Mr.. Dickerson's piece:
:. FROM the National H7tcijgcncer.
MessFs. GALES s. SEAroN: The Alexandra /
HhGnX Gazette, of slst Instant has lust been mn,
alto my hands, in which find three columns filled
7ith remarks, original and quoted upon the sub. |
Get oil noIlnn rnaLe Lr. AZ !