The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-04-06
THE PRE- sIDENCY.

INTO court With cfeFn HAMS III oulei words, thft
"a man who charges anoihcr with the commission
JSa wrong must be himself not only clear of any
participation in the actual guilt which attaches
10 it, but he must be also free from the prompt
ings of selEinterest in the testimony which he
gives. II this be mol bis situation, no matter
whether be appear in the light of a prosecutor or
witness, whatever he may say is Justly regard
ed with suspicion, and his testimony weighs but
as a feather IN the scale. ifthis be true IN taw,
it ought 10 be much more so in conscience. lfit
be Of binding force in matters of mere indieiduai
concern, II certainly ought 10 carry with it an
influence almost beyond computation, when it is
made applicable to national matters-when the
character, the prosperity and the Liberties ofa
whole people are in controversy.
We have regarded the progress of the present
contest forthe Presidential office between Aessrs.
Adams and jackson, with intense anxiety. We
have seen during its progress, such an utter and
absolute abandonment of consistency and prin
chile; such an entire surrender of reason and
temper: such prostitution Of good feeling and
decencv; such glarng appeals to local feeling,
aud atei bold GitemPtsat a sererance ojihe U,ioa.
that we have almost come 10 the conclusion that
patriotism and love of country are empty boasts !
that political principle IS nothing more than
cab;Lstic watchword, which mighty minds
To control snbscryicnt mhions; aud thai liberty
itself is but another name for profigacy and IL
ceniiousncss. When we see two individuals
brought forward for the highest office in the L.
Mon, each ofthem advocated by large number
offri' MS, who, in their private capacity Ger
family possess every qualification which renders
man valuable as a citizen estiinalAe
friend; and when the two parties, thus formed,
constitute, on each side, about one-half of the
whole population of the country, it ought to be
ceded, for the sake of our common nature.
that these mn ar not so extremely vicious as
factous partizaas and men without principle
themselves, represent hem to be, bui that OH the
contrary, they possess much more virtue than
flls to the 1t of mortaIS ordinarily: or they ne
ver could be brought forward as candidates for
such dsungu shed Donors i ants may be
discerned II their ary lives, which passion may
have premptcd--or it. in later yeas. an ardent
tempera ucnt, chaed II amer BY READ or tanced
wrong. may have led lis pc essor to the comms-
sion If ros, ouiragrs on in liyidual risht and
constitutional rrosis' rs we should secollect that
no man ever breathcd, whose actions could abide
the scrutiny of am uncompromis ing nyestiea.
ton. Strange would it be, indeed, If, out ofa
population of millions, We cannot fnd ran T..
rule over us, who is not mass of crime and cor
ruption And IS not this said 10 be the case viii
John @. Adam, and Henry Clay! Doeot then
enemies brand them with every epithet which
they can borrow from the BimgsSate yocabula
~ and which their own ingenuity frame?
Do they not say that, in the vote which Nj
Clay gave 10 MIR. adams, he sold himself his
honor his fame, his c0lufry2 Do they not. in
dspite Of reason and common sense, aver that
ne battered the "miehty NEED of his large no.
n0rsn for an Office, which requires labor without
comforting distinction, and which, at the same
time is calculated to test all his talent AMI TO
expose all his ignorance II is enough to sick
en- the heart Of the patriot and TO induce relin-
quishment of all the honors to which an able -
giruous man NAV aspire, when he views the
condition TO which his honorable ambition expo.
ses him Let him do what he may for his coun-
try, even q in her hour Of utmost need let him
traverse oceans TO advance her interests-let
him pore over his studies night and day, 10 add
70 her stock Of knowledge--let him lead her ar.
miss TO victoly--he must be contented with hav-
I
reward to which these services are supposed to
constitute a claim The moment he aspires to
Office, the whirlwind of passion begins to rage
the spirit Of discord Is evoked, aud men - no arc
+ themselves ft only for the gibbet, assume to
themselves the high prcrogatsc of caivmniaiing
hun. His most trivial doings arc reported to the
world distorted and exaggerated BY malice and
fa'sehood his character is hlaukened by Sian
der and detractiou; and every whipster, who
can say his \ c, deems himselfq qualified to de-
eide on political and literary character!
We do not wish to be misunderstood In a
free country; and 10 an elective government,
ihsc vei $ 40 . dtus wnIIh e,erg u4,n owes
to himself, TO examine the proceedings Of pub
lie officers, and &c accord to them praise OF CEN
sure, as their actions deserve. Bat there is a
wide difference between a course of this sort,
and that ss sicmatie and vulgar abnse which so
frequently passes for it. There is IN essential
difference betwsen a candid and free discussion
of the bearing and propriety of measures and
the unceremonous arraignment of the motives %
those who advocate or oppose them. For +
stance, the question of the Tariff is one ON With
: nen necessarily diIier-.we say necessarily, not
) III exclusive reference to the immedia' and
{ ncrceptibe interests which are to be H'aneed
or checked by large or small dnty n lnpor-s
tatons, but because, viewed as f" abstract
I question of Political Economy, the'ture inhn-
0 euee ofwhch on the prosperity Q'he country
mortal intellect cannot grasp, itbresents itself
and is