Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-08-25
From Me Richmond Wing.
TO. TIE PEOPLE OF VIRGLNL3.


pur3ose of ascertainiug their respective quail
hcalions for lhePresidency, purposely avoided
referring either 10 the merifof the. General Tor
his military success, or to the deD,erit al,ribu-
fed 10 Mr. Adams in the manner Of his obtain
ing the Presidency. intending 10 make these
noin,s the subject of distinct and separate re-
view.
The signal success OF Jackson at New Or
leans merited and received the applause oil the
nation, and 10 man more cheerfnlly joined IN &C
cording it to him than myself. Il .erminaIed the
incidents Of the war in a manner The most glo-
rious for the country, and did much to blot oui
the stain Of our previous disasters. rJoieed
at the moment in the homer awarded him by
the representatives Of the people, as well as by
the people themselves. Nor VIII disguise
that, although lcould but deeply regret the
breaches he had made upon the constitution,
vel / approved the indulgenl silence with which
they were treated. | should have been more
.raiifrd ,coulu they have been blotledou, Forever
from our recollection. Ii is most cheer!ully
confessed, that for this victory, Jackson had
claims on nations gratitude, and so had his
brave companions in arms. While we readily
award 10 the commanding General the greater
share of praise, it would be injustice 10 make
him the exclusive object Of ouI gratitude. Ma
Nv brave and patriotic hero must have been
with him, whose arm and whose intelligence
aided in the achievement, and who have there
fore equal clamson our best feelings. But the
victory OF New Orleans was not the only viclo-
nv achieved during the war. ln other imPoi'
,ant portions Of our territory, bloody battles
were fought and signal successes gained, indi-
Gazing equal chivalry, skill and patriotism
Niagara, Erie, Plattsbnrg, are alike The thea
tres Of our glory in arms. The Ocean presents
no less Distinguished proofs Of The most heroic
enterprise The heroes who directed these dill
ferent conflicts are, equally with General jack
son, entitled TO our gratitude. But how shali
j, be manif sled?--by making them all Pres-
dents? Is it Just, that the whole Of our favors
should DE lavished on one? Who now talks of
any other battle, or ofany other hero, than those
of New Oreans9 Have all others been forgot
ten? Have the names Of Brown, Scott, Hull,
Bainbridge, been presented to you for the Pre-
sidenoy! No. they are all consigned 10 OBJ
liyion that thcglory of Jackson may shine with
brighter lustre. And yet they fought as vail
antly, are at least as competent as the hero OF
Orleans, and their moral characters are unex-
cep,ionable. But who ever thought Of confer
ring the highes, civil office on a military man,
brcause Of his fitness Tor command, or his sue
cess in battle! IL is urged, indeed, by some Of
the overzealous partiZans Of Jackson, that a
man who is greatdn The field, must be great al
so in The cabinet. lfthcre is truth in this pro-
position, The converse Of it must be equally
true, and great man in the cabinet must be a
great man in the field. But what figure do you
think Mr. Adams would make at the head OF an
army? Surely not a more ridiculous one than
General Jackson in the cabinet Both would
be "out Of their element" and nothing but blind
partially could place either ofthem in SO false
position. Again it is said, our FIRST President
had been successful General, aud Jackson is
a second Washington. am free to admit, my
fellow citizens, that Cannot dispassionately |
advert 10 this fragrant & inipious outrage COM
milted on the memory of Washington by The |
sycophanlic followers of Jackson. IL cannot be
necessary, with you, to draw the contrast. 1t |
would be blasphemy against the Father OF his |
Country, and an insult TO your understandings,
to point out wherein they differ. Your heart
and your head will sustain me in this declara-
ton, and no matter what your wishes may be in I
regard TO the pending election, you viii irown
OH the renegade from virtue and pa |
triotism who dares 10 assert a resemblance
Gen. Jackson was entitled TO the gratitude OF
the nation. Has he netreceiyed il? Congress
voted him the thanks of the people: he was con-
linued In command till the disbandment Of the
army in 1921, receiving his annual thousands,
while at the same lime he enjoyed the undi s.
turbed retirement OF the Neutrality-suspicious.
cd, with the exception of few months Of active I
military service, in a period Of six years. In
common with every other officer, be received
The additional compensation Of three months
pay, granted by Congress 10 Ill those, Sho,
hike himself, had been disbanded, while AZ The
same time he was receiving The salary of a new
and honorable appointment as Governor ofFlo-
rida..
These evidences Of nations gratitude were
cheerfully awarded TO him. And yet, il has
been gravely asserted that he retired from Of
ice Immediately after The war; and like Cimcin-
natas converted his sword into ploughshare
thus leaving 1t to be Inferred thai, though he
still held his commission, he received no paw.
while The Official accounts communicated 10 |.
Congress show tina, during his retirement he re-
;elyed nearly Fifty thousand dollars!
This fact is adyerted tonow only for the sake
u truth, and 10 disabuse the public mind from