Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-12-22

assumed . luurU ssngular POSTURE than q does
At present, ssd, Il V with some snxisiy, and
moro surprise. that . great body Of the people.
bsbold . new, and seieisnt ADMINISTRATION, op-
posed with all tho zeal and perseverance, that
an opposiag faction cen conceive. 10 put down
that Administrator. and to establish another,
10 be composed OF the heated. sud violent spir-
its Of the nstion,---of mes, whose motto has
been. "opPoss the Administrations. whether
rs etc be right or wrong. os IL they be ~ pure
God"
Mr.. Adams had hardly taken hs scat. and
formed bic Cabinst-nsy. he had not dono
even bis-bcfvre the Hydra.hsadsd opposition
comuenced its operations, and the Chief Meg
nitrate Of Q great nation. VINO had not rs yet
5oen trisd, was sssailsd with oil the virulencs
Of tho combined "a etion; and though. he had
boen elevated 10 the Presidency, by the legal
provisions Of the Constitution, and by the will
Of The people, tho cry Of down with the
Usurper," was set up BY the Opposition, and
reiterated by prostitnted prosses, from the St.
Lawrence 10 the Sabine, and echoed by all
who had the power, and who possessed the
inclination Of opposing.
Al thu easel. this cry Of proscription-the
exclamation Of " cruelty him, cruelty him.
was looked upon as the pitiful chickering's Of
the disappointed office-hunter-ihe yelpings Of
the minion pimps Of the political adventurers;
and, whilst the friends of the Administrator
listened 10 it, they simply responded. W are
ready to have the Administration judged by its
works, and when it's acts shall have proved
disadvantageou 10 the country, and positively
corrupt, then will We be among the first to de-
pose those who stand high in ofice;-until
then, our ~favoritc Administration, that Admin
~istration which has been the CHOICE OF THE
PEOPLE, shall receive our cordial, and undi-
vided support"
The wheels Of the Administration were put
in motion, and though the machinery Of state,
worked upon those old and popular principles,
which gained for a JEFFERSON, a MADISON,
and a MONROE, a fame as lasting us eternity
itself, its first acts we're met at the threshold
with fire brand and missile, aud combattcd
with a ferocity. and an ardor, which might have
| vel, Lecomo the incorporate zeal Of the lead
crs Of the French Re, ~olution.
Whatever acts were recommended by Mr..
Adams, wero eagerly opposed, no matter
whether they were calculated for the benefit
Of the faction, or the party in power, or mu-
tually for both; for, the Opposition had sworn
that they would oppose him, " right or wrong,
even If his acts were as pure as the angels,
which stand at the right hand of the throne Of
God" Their oath, like that Of the misguided
Hassan, was taken, it was kept, and like that
which was administered to tho hot-blooded
Hannibal, it will, in all human probability be
adhered to, though its keeping, should shake
the Republic TO its centre and ~Overturn the su-
perstructure Of American freedom, and Ameri-
can greatness.
Tho violence Of the Opposition, at first. was
regarded as idle ebullitions, created by those
angry passions, which, when not restrained,
and arc suffered to 60 on, work out their own
destruction, and falling to the earth, visit with
tenfold vengeance, the heads Of their authors.
Thus did tho friends of the Administration
look passingly on;-thoy made no exertions to
repel the attacks Of the foe; and, whilst the
enemy was skulking around their camp, and
circulating his poison, they regarded him not;
but, relying IN their " purity, and the GER
tain pnrity Of the Administra sion, they suffered
him TO carry into execution, bis unhallowed de-
signs.
A degree Of lethargy, Of inaptitude. at once
censurable, If not absolutely criminal, has been
observable in the conduct Of the friends Of the
Administration throughout the whole Of this
political war of prescription; and whilst those
men, who have been elevated 10 the first Offices
in tho gift Of the nation, have toiled in season
and out Of season, to further the happiness Of
the people, they have beheld with deep morii- |
uSatiOh, tbO ouPhhohSD - s'S eetfND
they have seen their professed friends lying
on their oars, and refusing to afford a friendly |
hand to sustain them, whilst the friends Of their
incorrigible opposers, have laborcd in their
unholy war, and fought with the hcrceness of
q Desperate, to attain the ends, aimed ut by
their generalissimos, or political leaders.
To the lc,hargy Of the friends Of the Admin
i~stration, may he ascribed the success Of the
Opposition, and it's accumulation Of power, at
the expense of our party. We have said TO
ourselves, TRUTH IS TRIUMPHANT, N
MUST PREVAIL, and relying on the truth of
the maxim, we have done nothing to strength
en- our cause, or to ward off the assaults of
tho enemy. Though secure in the conviction.
that truth and Justice are almost imprcgnable
structures, they should have remembered, that
falsehocd uncontradicted passes for truth, and
that scandal, when suffered to proceed. often
succeeds in destroying the fairest and most
spotless regulations.
The profsssed friends Of the Administration,
have seen the men they elevated 10 office, as
sailed by a band of political Argonauts, who,
hoping 10 renew their voyage, with their polit-
ical Jason, and to feast on the pap ofthe Treas
ury,' - have resorted to every species of scandal
and detraction, which the m Imagination OF man
could mvoni, to pull down Mr.. ADAMS and
his Cabinet; and what. we ask, in the name Of
/ Heavens m~ercies, has been done to parry the
assault! Nothing, nothing, positively nothing!
| The Press, il is true, has taken sides in the
affay; but two two Of their conductors, too
! timid to be entrusted with tho duties assigned
Thorn, have Of late, been terrified with the
rustling of an aspen leaf, and are ready to de-
scrt their first love, and 20 over, horse, artillery
and foot. to the ranks Of the modern Hero
We disclaim any a~llusion to those presses
which are not timid, the timid will Of course
understand Us.
Il has often been said, with as much truth