Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-06-25
Eyom tie Democratic Press.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. No /

Gentlemen, With The indulgence oil your
columns propose in a few occasional papers
to give some views on thu great question winch
now ayiiates the nation. To correct some er-
rors into which all parties appear 10 have run
in Pennsylvania, in regard to the character o,
Mr.. Adams will be my first attempt. In all
your controversies you seem 10 take IL ior
granted, that MIR. Adams once acted with the
federal party and afterwards left that party ana
Joined The republicans. Those OF you who are
his friends assert that he was convinced OF the
elsors of associates and Quilted thean from
patriotic views; others, who are his opponents,
accuse him of a assertion of OLD friends from
selfish & personal motives.
There is no quality more cstimable in the
character Of man, than an ingenious mind
ready TO yield us opinions on conviction that
they are erroneous All ofus who are not made
Of s,ubbornsss itself must recollect many opn-
ions w. once foudy cherished which we have
abandoned as unsound The writer rec objects
perfectly that he, with. other republicans, once
felt hostility to the Navy which Is now chang
ed TO friendship, and also in 800 very differ
ent sentiment in relaiionto the Iudiriary from
that he now en;erains. Blu, as.hghly as inee-
nuous actions are esieemed, SO are false, tieach'
erous ones despised: Aud no man is more des-
picable than he who deserts his friends from
mean, sordid and seEsa motives. Probably
there is no concern in lie where SO much sell
6shness is discovered as IN politics. Certainly
there is none where suspicion Of motive is so
universal, No man who quits his political
sect and party from the NOS, exalted patriotism
but is sure 10 bt branded by his old associates
with infamy-and 10 be the mark for suspicion
in all.
Mr.. Adams we repeat has been charged with
apos,acy and desertion of his party and princi
Piles by his opponents, * this charge his friends
have generally admitted but for jusi6aDlc Cause.
As the friend and avowrd advocate of Mr. Adj
ans cleo ton we deny the charge and defy the
proof. We assert that Mr.. Adams principles
are the same now that they were in 1898 That
if others have changed their principles he has
not. Nothing we believe would wound his sen
sibililv more than the serious repetition Of this
charge TO him personally. The truth is Mr.
Adams never did act on party grounds and new
er was the slave Of any sect. No party could
ever claim him, and he was always as truly re-
publican through his whole life as when sus
tanning the measures and administration OF Mr.
Jefferson. This may be considered bold ground
but we will maintain il and we challenge any
evidence against il. We say in the language
of Mr.. Adams himself in private letter (from
which we have been permitted to copy) written
four years since to friend who had written to
him in relation 10 the SANDERS against hi, char
acer. "rhat characters of persons presented
'to.,he public for election 10. Offices Of trust,
Should be slrictlv and even severely scrut-
'niztd is both just and equitable. Far from
.sohj cling TO the exerc OF this censorial pow
'er as i, respects myself do not complain that
IL is extended TO the ti"os Of my private
fife, and reaches nv religious opinions s..fThat
Gil disc my manners. my department, my
"temper, and enquiries even of The order OF my
"domesic economy, and the principles upon
(which receive and return visits, not that
'haye the presumption 10 Imagine that In the
tissue of this examination can escape the de-
"tec lion of errors and infrmlies; but because
"l is necessary TO the full and perfect de,cl-
"oprment Of the elective franchise aid because
"relying Upon the justice of the people,, can
"nelher refuse TO abide by The sert;ncc OF er
"iudgm nor be reluctant at tn. exhibition
"hefore them of all the evidence which may
"tend to enligh,en their decision. II is not 10
"he expected tina, under the excitement Of all
''the passions, incidental to popular election,
"the laws OF truth will Ne observed in the charg
"es OF heated partizals; and amidst all the bit
'ierDeSS Witn winch rave Detn aSSaiIeu, !
shave derived much satisfaction, BY inferriDg
"from the nature Of the charges brought a.
against me tho absence Of snch as might have
"been less answerable "
During the last election when the above letter
was written, Mr.. Adams character underwent
a scrutiny most severe, ard such will be our
scrutiny Of his conduct on all occasions TO es-
tablish beyond question the consistency Of his
conduct and principles. Before we enter on
this examination in order to prevent dispute
we shall endeavor TO fix the meaning OF words.
The epi,bets federal and republican applied
to the parties which have divided this country
bring win them, no very definite meaning, as
every one who is really friendly to our constiiu-
ton is entitled TO Both. Each party aseribed TO
the other principles which neither professed.-
That MIR Adams may have al one time been
called federalist and at later date republi-
can, we do no, deny because men are designat-
ed by others and no, by themselves. And cir
cumstances at one period Of his life threw Mr.
Adams into the company of associates who in
after times left him, and by their associations
men are often designated Our ground in rela-
lion TO Mr.. Adams is that he wa. always re
publican however named, and that his actions
I hrouph every year ne hrs life after the forma.