The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-11-01

bv surveying The political characters of many
most 'efisely engaged ~ the oS~>~iioa and
the cika"ns OF hichtnond cznuot bat feel snst,i.
o'oas OF the ehange they propose to bring them
~hfn, TO ebru u. theg have sacrificed their
sgu constituency, aud resersrd the uri.eitIq,
Of Public conduct upon which they had AZ, "a
thai tiiae acted. They oani,ol approve the per.
sonsl and sadictise spirit ia which the oooos,.
ton has heen conducted, and they distragt the
souudnets 81 a Cause Uh eh relies for sucees.
upon disgrscing the Characters of is prominent
| adsetsanes- They di.credt the charges of
bargain aud corruption preferred against the
Pfesideat and Secretary Of State. and depre-
cate the existence Of spirit IN the country
| which, IN deTeliction of Leaevolence and chris
tsn charity, ascribes an action to In. worst and
most dIshonorablr motive which could produce
IL In the vote Of Mr.. Clay for Mr.. Adams
they see nothing but his selection Of on. or two
alternatives from which lie was compelled by
his public duty 20 select, and the choice was
nnivssslly approved IN Virginia at b. time,
aud most comfortable to the principles of h,s
public lite, to his previous sentiments in r.la.
ton TO III. two individuals, and TO tho general
fitness Of fittings.
! In the selection Of Mr.. Clay as Secretary Of
State, they recognize che Presidents concur.
renee With thai general sentiment which assign.
ed Mr. Clay distinguished, ii no, the first rank
smsng American Statesmen IN active HE Ia
his acceptance ofthe appointment. they plainly
perceive the advantage he has given his enc mles
IN bringing his motives under suspicion, but no
Indication whatever, OF the reality nf the allcg-
ed bargain aud corruption. They cannot con
sen tor character to be held by so ifail a tenure
that regulations identified for twenty years with
| b. history OF the country, shall he overihrown
| by nsidions Deductions from actions erpca.
bic upon honest aud patriotic grounds, or by
| the passionate denunciatious of di appointed
men-ln these charges rejecting upon the char
! sster Of the Country as much as upon the distin.
gui,hed Individual, themselves they repeat their
utter disbelief; a disbelief corroborated by ev-
cry successive attempt TO establish them.
OF the people Of Virginia, the citizens here as.
sembled, enquire. what benefit they expect to
| derive what triumph of principle they expect
| 10 achieve by the election Of Gen. Jackson
| What sympathy exists between them aud him.
! on those great constitutional questions for
which they hnve so long aud so nobly contend.
cd' They are opposed to enlarged construc.
| lions OF the federal compact--Gen Jackson hs,
supported such constructions by his votes In the
Senate efthe United States. They are mimi.
cal 10 protecting 1nrfl--hc having sanctioned
hat of 1924, now shrouds his opinions IN npen.
ctrnblr mystery They esteem the Constitution
altered bni by the will of the people he has
| broken into IFS sanctuary with arms in hi,
hands. They esteem the writ Of Habeas Cor
pns the great safeguard of individual liberty
not TO be- suspended but by law-he has srspen-
! ded II upon his individual authority They con.
| sider the freedom ofihc citizen a. the end of the
! constitution, aud not TO be invaded but by indg-
~ent OF his peers, and the law fthe land--Gen-
| srnl jackson has thrown them INTO prison al his
| arbitrary will and pleasure. They have en-.
trusted the power of peace and war, to their
| representatives IN Congress asscmbIed-Gener-
rral Jackson has invaded neutral country in
defiance of orders and in violation Of this con.
silIutional provision. They have guaranteed the
| freedom of the Press as essential 10 public Ii.
herty--Gen. Jackson has punished its ererc,se
| by imprisonment. Where then is the cauYe f,r
sympathy ia his behalf
The citizens here assembled recur to tbeIe
examples of unconstitutional violence with re-
luctance. They would Chilly draw vel over
transactions, so painful from the dishonou they
Inflicted on the constitution, If il were possible
but the time has arrived, when silence would
be treachcry. Nothing less is now Atiemntsd
than the elevation OF the agent ofso many lille.
gal enorm,trs To the Office OF the pt.atrst re-
sponslbillty md the greatest power in the conn.
! try. With no other passport bat his niitnry re.
putation. General jackson Laws claim TO rule
a Republic founded in the supremacy of law
and thousands OF his teliow.ctiHens. IoroctioI al
| the fate OF other Republics, and worshippmg in
! his person that military principle. which sue
rrssvely laid Greece, Rome EDpland and
France, IN chains at the feet of n master. ar.
| found 10 support his pretcnsions II is this nd
| mlIation of the military character and this dis
position to elevate il over the less splendid and
snobtrusiyc, but more safe prelensinns of civil
| merit, that we deplorc ~ the alarming charnc.
| terlstc which has but now displayed itself in
| our country From General Jackson. we an
frohend no attack upon public lib~rty-it would
be valueless indeed. and not worth the defence
| II fell before the first example Of a military
ruler States do not rush ut once from liberty
TO despotlsm---the seeds OF the latter are sowu
IN long nntecedeut events. II is against sowing
them, even III The qualification Of feeling OF
patrnshfm and gratlude-li is against taking
that FIST step, whehis often fatal. that We
| respectfully caution our fellow-ciizpns In the
general constitution Of things the military prin-
ciple seemed designed by fate, 10 lie the lrr.-
conclIeablo foe the destroyer of Liberty. The
liberties Of Greere fell before Alrxandcr-thos-
of Rome, before Sylla aud Cesar--of England
before Cromwell-ot rance before Konaparte
why, tello" citizens should we not profit by
The example Of those celebrated aud mfnr-
tunaIe states Why should We by the ecc.
ton of citizen AS our ruler Whose claims
are derived exclusively from the sword, sumo.
ton the principle that military is greater
than civil merit Why should We establish II
precedent which althn II may prove harmless,
m liz own case, may prove iatalin its next re-
lpeiltlon Why should We hold out the idea To
the turbulent and ambitious, that the surest and
speedlest rnad TO the first houours is thro'
blood and carnage, aud that the PIcsdcni.,
OF the United otutes may bc'conqnered ON the
held OF battle These Rre The views which an
impartial consideration ef this interesting ques.
ton presents 10 the people OF Richmond
Resolved, Therefore. That ", view the cleo.
ton OF citizen 10 the Presidency whose claims
are founded exclusively upon military achie,.
ments AS most dangerous precedent TO public
liberty, aud thatwe impIorc such OF our fellow
citizens as concur in this opinion, TO unite with
us ayerting so great an evil by all legal and
Ill.