The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-02-23

md nov hopeless b.. ! hopr and believe
that the history Of 1~ifxinia will sh,v ira, her
a'tions have ever been dictated b, a aobler and
a better motive than that winch r,nId reentn.
mend 50 piuful a subferfuee. In Inc trHe spirit
OF liberty. aud Of the Ameriran r,n.tffuiioD.
sue has eveT regarded the preservation Of her
o"1 sovereignty, and that OF he, sister State,
is the sufest pledge of the continuance aud
prosperity OF the Union. And | depfecale tie
thonght tbo't cannot but fem. that tte time will
come when nh will concur in The admiration Of
het sacred and perpetual attachment to thc
rlehtsand liberties Of the States. Every thing
winch Is now said Of Virginia. lnieh, have been
sud with equal appearance Of reason in the
gloomy day of the " reign Of tcrrnra-yet who
As there So dead 70 all The Inspirations of Justice
that would deny the signal success and ~lllustri-
Gus services which attendend her efforts IN that
j celebrated period OF our history ?
believe. that with Virginia. | have eyer APP
p%rcciatcd the rig hts of the States. as the only
lasting materials of which tins Union is com
posed. have looked npon them as the begin
nmg and the end, the purpose and the object.
the cause and the effect, of the American con-
%stftutlon And | cannot hut regard with am eve
otlealousy and suspicion that power which will
most likely, ultimately ahsoI them forever. In
stead ofbeing mortified out Of nv presnt at
tachment to them, I hope1 shall forever keep
an - eye single and open 10 that iusidions spi-
ut, waich may come IN the garb Of Sleeps cloth
ing, and Wrest them away from those whose We
ry existence has been supported by them. I
could Wish that the history of the federal gov-
eminent could induce me 10 feel more coat
dence than do in its future administration But
in the absence ofeyery thing which can operate
such an influence on my mind, J must continue
totcoi and to cherish my present suspicious.
And fit be necessary to offer an excuse for my
misgiyings, | hope shall find it in the language
of the departed sage Of Monticello. lie la, told
you that - Republics were founded in jealousy ="
Aud in compliance with tins principle, | feel a
jealousy even Of our STATE officers. How much
more then. should distrust those, the very ma
turc OF whose organization, might inspire them
To encroach upon my liberties and whose Sc.
cret Vaccinations ar more difficult to detect
and 10 delcnt{ The moment You surrender
your entire confidence to those who direct your
political d%cstlnies, you give up your liberties
forever and Your government Is Immediately
transformed into any other shape. than that
of a free and enlightened Republic. Govern
mcnt we've not necessary but for the injustice
and dcprayity Humankind And though | do
not mean 10 make any inYidious distinction, vet
| Will presume to remark that we're 10 set out
IN the search of moral aud political virtue, |
would rather seek for IT in the middle circles OF
society, where the Inducements ofpoWcr had not
yet penetrated, than among those, whose secret
aud mSaiIate anlhltloD perhaps, had led them
on to the highest elnincnccs o. human life. Pow
er, my friends, Is perhaps the most insidious con-
t2munator thai eyer attracted aud delighted the
raiity of the human heart II will operate
more or less upon the purest mind aud faaIy
when it has maturcd all the secret springs Of
its operations, it w~ilioiten break down the strong
est barriers that virtue and innocence may have
rhared 10 defend them from corruption, And
though | have heard ofmany individuals in my
life who nave been celebrated for the purity of
their official conduct and their patriotism, yeti
have mover been acquainted with the character
OF a solitary one, towards whom | would not
have felt thai jealousy winch is ever due to the
natural weakness OF mankind Indeed, that
country Is ~ Republic at all, in which the pco-
pie nave surrendered their entire confidence 10
tlrr governmental officers. It's Il Monarchy,
an Aristocracy, an Autocracy, or what you viii
wherein the SERVANTS of the people have become
their masters. and care not whether the re
Signation Of tiot Jealousy which is the soul Of
Democracy. and OF all rational governments,
has been voluntary or compulsory. Perhaps
ia the first stage otthe existence Of every GOV
ernmcut 1t has been voluntary but was after
waId, neld N Scrslle Subsection by the fortunate
few, who IN the ignorance OF the human race
had secured 10 themselves the uIimatam of pow
Pr. AgoICtmment, onry established, will not be
varied d 'urlight and transient causes: and a
Republic wh1ciis composed ofpeopie ealightcn-
ed and %virtuons, who keep a Warchtul eye over
thcil political agents, would uspcr perhaps ar
rive at "A cause for its revolution, aud in my Re
Elections on the probable continuance Of our
state Governments, | nave thought aud bclior-
ed, that, should they keep themselves secure
from federal usirpation, they may prolong
their existence TO a period As distant as the pre-
sent genep alton may require or expect.
You are pen tectly iuslnlaole IN feeling that
saiuttry suspicion Of your State officers, which
wi impose a restraint upon then ambition, and
rendcr hem conscious OF then dependence upon
you. But you have an additional motive and
incentive to be- Jealous Of the officers OF the iCd-
erHi Government, SEATING actual experience n
SIDE. forgetting the imposition and oppression
OF tn Alien and oedition laws, and the present
operation Of n powerful and corruptlng Bank,
tnelc alerrasons III unpraclised theory which
should induce Us TO be strictly watchtul OF all
the movements and operations OF that aspiring
body. Inc limits in which they are confined
are i'll narrower than those Of the state GOV
ernncut and in the exercise Of Human faulty
over Their peculiar organization, they will seek
ta arrive at least 10 that point OF liberty and
power which would exhibit an equality with o.
ther governments. Nor Is II probable they will
be easily detected in ANY usurpation which they
II.ay attempt. The mas, Of The people are con-
sriJas Of the relations which cN,-t between
thcms Ives and the immediate government of
the .tases ;-ou the principles Of the Federal
Government are SO mt icate and complicated,