Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-02-21

ly informed, and had acknowledged, that an
open charge against Governor Barbour, eqiva-
lent to the indirect one, would not only be un-
gust, but ungenerous. In other words, he re-
fused 10 withhold the charge after he knew it
to be false. He may have reasoned in this
manEer:-"The contents Of my letter will be
universally known to the people Of the United
States, and will excite the sympathy even Of
my enemies. The conversation between Col
Johnson and myself will be known only to
few, or if il should hereafter be made public,
it will not be published until the desired i'm
preston is already produced, and the mischief,
in great measure, irreparable. My fortunes
are now growing desperate, and here is an OPP
portunity Of administering kind Of indirec,
stimulus to my reputation. 1t will not do to
lose it, l; is true that Governor Barbour has
acted towards me in frank, honorable, and
friendly manner 1t is true that the falsity Of
the accusation will be Immediately exposed
But still, even il I should not have made the in
ucndo sufficiently obscure TO conceal my real
intentions, no blame will fall on me. No one
will venture to accuse me of meanne ss;--they
will not do that for their own sakes, because it
would strengthen the impression which wish
istration. Besides, many will attribute il to
mistake in me,--to the effervescence OF the mo-
men,,-,o an impetuous, honest indignation
which prevented me from being aware Of the
;n.n hat ,rnitfino IN lot ne
send the letter"
Such motives, and such logic might be at
tributed to Mr.. Calhoun, were he not Vice Pres
ident of the United States. The station in
which he is placed, however, makes very es-
sential difference in the criterion, by which We
ought to Judge Of his acts.-lt becomes US TO
find, or five cannot find, TO imagine, pure and
honorable motives, for those acts which, in
common man, would at least seem susceptible
Of two constructions.
Mr.. Calhoun at the present moment, would
glory in persecution lie is aware that he is
sinking rapidly into obscurty. He cannot re-
trace the steps by which he first arrived at the
eminence from which his own want Of true
wisdom precipitated him: that would be- lite
rally degradation. He is still young, bu: he is
too old, and perhaps too proud, to go back to
the House Of Representatives and talk himself
second time into popularity and InAuenoe -
The Office which he now holds is generally con-
sidercd as political grave: II affords him no
scope for the exercise of his talents and i, rare
ly yields him, spontaneously, an opportunity
even for making a noise. He is, as il were,
buried alive He holds the second station in
the government, but that station is not the or
binary s,epping-s'one to the frsti and though he
has lost all reasonable hope Of reaching the
first, he is still tormented by vain longings for
it. What is to be done in such case? Why
catch at s,raws-comPonndw with his dignity and
even his conscience. He must, by some means
or other, keep his head above water, in order
that the public may not totally forget the beau
tiful appari,on which once attracted all eyes.
He will even fence with his own shadow, for
the sake Of employment. He has an active
mind-and an active mind without occupation,
is dangerous both to lis possessor and TO others.
1t will sometimes busy itself with mischief.
Mr. Calhoun knows very well that the admi-
nistration could not more effec,ually check their
popularity and bring themselves into odlum,
than by advancing false charges against the
prominent members of the opposlion;-and it
is for this very reason that he and his friends
are anxious to trace the late accusation against
him-if indeed it were any other than self-ac-
cusalion-to some member Of the cabinet
The fact is, that the administration ought to
(if they do no,) look upon the influence and OPP
position CT Mr. Calhoun as meIe matter of
moonshine And if it were not moonshine,
they do not depend for support, either upon the
forbearance Of their enemies, or the blind zeal
of their friends, leven if their friends were mis-
taken in their zeal); bu, upon that uprightness,
industry and patriotism in themselves, which
will, sooner or later, he acknowledged and APP
precia,ed by every sensible man in the Union,
to whatever party he may belong. They know
that the grea, body Of the people Of tine United
States does not consist Of men like Mr.. Cal
Pp,he oF he