The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1827-10-18
POLITICAL.
CFrom the Richmond Whig.J
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA No. V

from office at the end of one term, contrary
TO the usage established by Washington,
Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, each oil
whom was elected for two torms The IN
ference too plainly to drawn from our yio'
lent opposition to Adams-since his Ad-
ministra,ion has been conducted in the
true spirit Of his predecessors--is, that he
is not one of us. mot n Virginlan, but
Yankee ! II this be really the only ground
of our opposition, il is far more dlshonora'
BILE to MS than TO him.
There is no part of the Constitution, per-
haps, which more fully vindicates ,he wis,
dom of its authors, than the arrangement OF
this delicate and difficult subject. IL was
found by those sages, that the election Of
the President, who by his power ofuppoint-
ment was To be the dispenser ofhonors and
emouments, would be productive of CON
sequences dangerous to our peace, and ev-
en- to the duration of our free institutions.
The term was therefore, properly limited
to four years. Usage came in aid of the
constitutional provision 10 re- electior Sc.
cond term. While the violence Of con
tending parties was diminished by the
shortness of the term prescribed by the
| Constitution, and wholesome check re.
! served to the People against lni9rule on the
one hand, on the other the usage eslab
lished by such authority offered every IN
/ ducement To the individual who held that
eminent station, to discharge his duties
with fidelity, SO as to merit re election ;
and RI election in snch case has seemed to
follow as n thing Of course. The odvon.
! tage of this is, that instead Of one contin-
ued conflict between rival candidates for
the Office, the public mind IL permitted 10
settle down in composure for eight years,
and f0r that period to divote itself tn the
iurthorancc of the business and the inter
csts of the nation.
What has been tue practical result Of
this usage Let every mans recollection
and our history answer. On The CONTRARY.
what has already occurred from the effort
| now making TO depart from this usage
! The answer 20 this will be found in the
sad condition ofsociety, os have endeiv-
CURED family TO depict 1t in my Introductory
num0er. Violent excitement being Deces-
sary to change the settled usagcs Ola coun-
F, try--usages which have been founded IN
! ,hc best feelings utout naturc--thc meors
afcoursc, whichore re soited 10 FOR that e.'k
are Of the most improper and lndcfens,ble
character; and the People become SO &C
customed TO see The plainest preccpts oi
morality distorted and perverted, that they
can at least hear without Indignation, the
avowal Of the sentiment that alFs fair III
politics r'-fhr this has been avoWed by
some of the Opposition. Nor are we left
TO the charitable conjecture that this is n
mere vapouring Not many weeks have
elapsed since a, foreigner, cherished and
honored by his adopted country, dared, be-
fore an assembly OF the People, in The pre
sence of the constituted authorities Of one
of the States of this Republic, and todh0m
rebuke, 10 declare that the time had arrived
when the South must decide whether to
submit 10 oppression or TO n separation In
this audacity we see tho sage consuls Of
the Father of his country set al nanght
He warned us against the coming of such
demagogues. who would seek the accom-
plishment of their own schemes by attempt.
ing the dsunion of the States. Will you
cling to the advice Of Washington, or viii
you follow this disorganZing denagogue,
this foreign EXETER Of sectional prCjudlces
But TO return 10 our old and faithful ser
want mr.. Adams. What has he done amiss,
that we should seek to degrade him, and
promote another? Our Republican friends
of the East rebuke us. and with some rea
son, for our sifshnesS and ingTaftude.
They tell us that when Jefferson and Mad
ison were bcset by combination like that
which now exists, TO obsiruct the salutary
measures Of their administrations when
some of the most desperate malcontents
then, as now, threatened disunion rather
than submit TO their government, they cor.
daily supported our Virginia Presidents
tbx a, ,,,I
and we passed the perilous crisis in safety,
They say 10 us, and they say truly We,
after induIglng you for thlrty-two years
ont Of the thirty. six since the adoption Of
the Constitution. have placed one of our
own citizens IN the post ofhonor--and how
have you treated him? What return have
you made us for our cordial support Of the
citizens Of your choice We speak not Of
those reckless disorganizers who foretell
disunion, and rejoice at its approach, pub. |
lickiy declared that they prefer George |
the Fourth 10 a Yankee President: nor Of
those who proclaim that they will not pay
tribute. II is a matter ofindifferenco whoth-
er Old or New England shall be our car.
rlers But we speak Of the unkindness
and hostility Of the great body Of your cit !
izens who though STOPPING far short Of
these cxtravsgancies, still 80 far unite with |
their authors ss to give them countenancc
and support Had we so acted--for we,
too, had our demagogues--in the days Of
jefferson and Madison, what would have |
been your fate 2"
What reply, my fcllow-citizers, can we
make to this severe, but deserved Eeproacb ? |
know of none. The existence Of this u |
Mon, let me assure you, does not depend |
on parchment, bot in cherishing kind and |
brotherly feelings, in spirit Of compro-
mise. dispensing with equal hand. as far as