The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-05-04
WHO'S IN FAULT :

the controversy between Messrs. Johnson
.,d Seaton, although it has assumed personal
..,,racirr. is Of public interest, and belongs TO
Oh. history of the times, we lay their eorrespon-
.,,nce before the puhhc--and, we ask the read
er. ghos in fault
OCCol. johnson we cannot speak in any other
,ut the most exalted terms. We desp.se that
spirit which makes political Partially the critic
,;op Of moral honesty, and which dubs man
cool or knaye as he happens to prefer A or b.
As public opinion is at once a combination aud
diffusion of individual sentiment and aS its dc
cree is omnipotent, men ought to weigh well their
cause before they present to the world astate-
ment of their fancied wrongs For, il they who
complain of injury do not show good cause--it,
IN the contrary they throw OF their defensive
character, and assume an Qfcilsire attitude -
tAeynust at least show that their own hands are
clean. With all our respect for Col johnson,
we must say that he does not thus appear His
remark, as admitted by himself, IS tar tamount to
that attributed TO him by MIR. Seatca He was
himself aware of this fact, and sougEt TO escape
from its consequcncesb by charging HI Antagonist
with a breach of confidence! We ar astonished
that the good sense of Col. johnson saasl1 thus
have lost its power Let Us state the facts
plain way:
/ Mr.. seaton charges Col. johnson with lav-
ing said lin allnsiop to the administrator
"By the ',ernal, if they act as pu,e as the
angels at the right hand of the Throne OF
God, we'll put them down"
Q MIR. johnson gives this version TO his remark;
that he would vote for Gen. Jackson :. the
polls although the administration might be as
pure as the angels in heaven"
And thus the parties stand before the public
Looking at the inten., and not the profanity OF
the remark, we would ask, whether one is more
Objectionable than the oth,rl
Hhat mighty difference can there be
"'1'utrt tweedie-dim and tucedle-dee -
Viewed in eitherlght, il amounts TO the same
thing il is a declaration of war against the ad-
mnisration, right or wrong. 1t is bold avow-
al of the spirit which gave birth 10 the Opposi-
that animate its antagonist constituents Bot,
if they succeedin their object, WI tl.all DO
they expect to cling together, even aur : a four
years reignf Aud if they shout do hey not
may answer themselves--the las We W. answer
for them. They have called into exc. Use the
most ymdictivc and the basest passions winch
stir mcn on to action; and they must not be sur
prised in case of success, If, from frequent con-
tact, their opponentS should imbibe a large ror-
ton of the spirit they display, aud that that gp,-
nit should be invigoratcd by revenge. hey
have Invoked the demon ofdiscord-We bid thcu.
beware, lest they become the first victims of MS
wrath.
There is sentence in Col Johnson's letter to
which we would direct the especial attention of
,he reader 1t is that part in which he speaks Of
bis perfect respect aud sincere personal friend
chip tor every member Of the administration
What! Col. johnson, who has known Henry
Clay and John Quincy Adams for tweaty years
Tb2 "aS member of Congress at the time of
che Presidential election, and was certainly as
abe to detect rascality in its management as the
etdpd hfemer, unhestatingly and proudly pro-
claims his respect and esteem for them, while
others Of his party are unbushingly accusing
them OF the basost acts of corruption Accor-
ding to letter, which has gone the rounds ii
che Opposition prints, and which, with tac retu-
taton of IFS fdlsehoods, we to-day publish, Gen.
Jackson has himself descended to do the dirty
work of slandercr! Aye, he who. according
10 his own declaration, never sought an nlice, is
now openly ialsiiying the sentiment which he
borrowed hom the illustlious Lowndes He u
seeking am oliice--and he is seeking IT, too, in
'emost dlshonorable and ndi5nltied way--by
uampihg on the regulations Of the men who
stand IN the way of his ambition. Against The
assertions OF George kremer, add the batch of
sandcrers who have borrowed their cant from
nm, we place the TESTIMONY of Col. JonnSon,-
aud tearlessiv appeal to the good sense of the
people to deci lie. Are Adams and Clay corrupt
''uo they who say speak falsely 7