Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-06-01


freb. The State Of Delaware. "
SIR.-It cannot have escaped your notice,
Thai unc,asipr efforts have been made by the
nsr,izans Of Gen. jackson, 10 prepare The way
for his retreat from the responsibility which he
has incurred. on account Of the sentiments con-
tanned in his let:ers 10 Mr. Monroe, by means
ofthe odium which attaches TO the folly vt such
of our citizens aspefseyered in their oDposllien
TO the late war: and especially to that portion
of them who gave csunienance 10 that weak
and wicked project which was called the Hart
ford Convention. This is just such a-hresse
as men, in whose characters is combined the
qualities oftyraut and demagogue, might be eX-
pected TO adopt: il is one which suits TO hide
the hIdeous nature Of protested principles, I'M
der the guise Of pretended patriotism: II is the
legitimate offspring Of that intoerant spirit
which, in all past ages, has denounced OPPOSE
ton 70 one error, as proceeding from attach
ment to another of different comp'"xi as
that he Aynvi- opposed 10 Cesar is devoted to
Pompcv: he Who is against the>uSurpatinns and
tyranny Of Bopnaparte. is in ia yor OF the iesto-
ration OF the Bourhons: and he who IS against
Gen. Jackson's procs edl ng BY martial law, TO
TAX the'lves of citizens OF the United States,
under the authority of the I'd section of the act
establishing rules and regulations for the go
vernnent Of the army Of the United States is
in favor.uf the Hartford Convention Bat this
is all false logic; IL is non sequfer-it is one OF
the means by which usurpatIon and Outrage
have been supported in all ages; a means 10 81
leuce honest opposition to- The exercise Of i'll
gotten authority, He who trampl-s upon pub
liz law ands2rivale rights, never fails to amuse
the peop'e~with alarming accounts Of some
dreadful hydra wl,h which the safety and pros
psri,y Of the couRtry is mrnaced; and between
him ana the deslru iion OF which, the provisions
of rhe Constitution, and liberty Of the citizen,
are fnVnd 70 interpose; and must, therefore, yield
s IT, i,,; -, he prodIgaT in promises, that
It,. .,,,y,:r ,h-s.rarpad will be pronp>ip laid
lnyn ssbenever the public safety will warrant
their restoration; but IL has uniformly happened
that such restoration has never been voluntarily
made, where circumstances enabled the usurper
to retain his power. The convention OF sages
who framed The CONSTITUTION of the U. States,
aud the statesmen who have since contributed
10 its amendment, have always been. regarded
as understanding something OF the Science ot
governments and it would, perhaps, not he as
suminr too much TO hazard the assertion, thai
any one Of them was equal in the knowledgeo oil
this science with Gen Jackson himself They
must be supposed 10 have examined every poinl
embraced-in the instrument with care and al
ten,iou: they, from the storm ofthe revolution
through which they had recently passed, must
have been enabled TO contemplate all the crimes
which were evcriikelv 10 be committed against
the country and TO judge what
provisions were best adapted to discourage
their commission, as well as To detect and pun
ish them when committed. From the epoch
in which they lived, and from the situation IN
which they had been placed, they had an equal
opportunity Of experiencing the dangers 10 be
appr.he uded from the i'll application of power
moi properly re stricted, as from the treasoDabe
Inachinations Of the citizens in aid Of a foreign
foe. With that experience they presemted Us
with a constitution, which was accepted and ra-
tiied by the nation, and Is now the supreme
law Of the land--the highest legitimate evil
dence of the public will: and he, who, in pos
session of power, put into his hands TO defend
the country against an invading enemy, shall
ck>io prostitute that power tn'he destruction
Of rights solemnly guaranteed by that constitu-
ton in place of being entitled 10 claim upon
publis-erati,ude ON the score of patriotism, de
serves the excavations Of all good citizens, as q
traitor 20 the most sacred cause that ever en-
gagged the attention Of mankind.
l, has constantly been the policy Of ambitious
men in Pie possession Of power sorreptitoasly
acquired, to laoour TO conceal from the people
both its ex,en, and operation, and be 1t what
might, to proclaim il identified with the best
interests Of the individual members OF The Com
muni,y; and thus associate TO contrast II with
the dangers 10 be apprehended rom foreign
governments, carefully keeping oil o,herconsi-
dera,ions out Of view: in short, 10 represent the
only possible danger 10 civil liberty, as Coming
from foreign conquest and domination When
enever success attends attempts of this kind
the business Of usurpation goes smoothly and
rapidly forwards; pretended necessity super
cedes all the enactments Of the constitution
and The will Of men in power becomes, in time
the paramount law. The founders OF our GO
Yernment, say, had practical lessons on the
subject. and they determined that their fellow,
citizens and pos,erity should prob, byi ii; hence
even for treason, the highest crime recognised
by our laws, they provided that mo person shall
be convicted, unless on the testimony OF two
witnesses TO the same overt act, or confession
in open court They had no, examined the
history of the contentious in England, between