The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-02-27

I H4Nt
Among the follies and absurdities of the cue
mics of the present administration of the Gen.
cral Government, we are frequently struck
with the imputation TO il of the present de-
pressed state of commerce in the u. States,
and all its concoIuitant evils. Indeed, no SUD.
lcct OF opposition IN u flee and commercial Re
public could be imagined better calculated 10
answer the ends of the present opposltionists.
However, IN the present instance, the most
superficial politician may detect the Incorrect
ness and fallacy of their grounds. From the
commencement of the French Revolution,
| which embraced nearly three successive admin
iStratons Of the government of the U. States,
the position of this country in relation to thu
world was peculiarly aasplc,ous in a CONNER.
cial point ofyiew. All Europe in arms for
nearly twenty years, with four OF five millions
of men taken from agriculture, produced an
unprecedented demand for all the productions
of the earth. Owing to the restrictions impos-
ed on the commerce of every European State
by the British orders in council aud the French
DEGREES we became the workers and carriers
| for all Europe. The effective labor of the
| whole United States, being all put IN requisi-
ton, produced an uncxampled state of prospe-
rity and activity. During the continuance of
the Wars ofthe French REVOLUTION, it is not al
all wonderful, then, that money should have
been abundant, property very high, labor in
demand, andth Revenue OF the u. S government
most ample. Napoleon, the master rspirit Of Eu-
rope who directed all tins strife beng overthrow
on the field of Waterloo, the general pacifcation
of Europe succeeded, ano we certainly all
know the consequences on the commerce al
| world. The immense force that had been sub
tracted from agriculture so long, and which had
been supplied with the necessarics of life by the
labor of the United states, was suddenly con.
vertcd into husmandmen, and so far from want
ing our commodities, was able in a short time to
turn the tables upon us. and in their turn, If
we had needed them, bring us many of the
staples of our own country. In the organiza-
ton of our Federal Government il has been We
ry wisely provided, that the revenue, except
in cases of emergency, should be drawn from
duties on imports and exports. Now, consi-
derine the great dinnnution in our
arising evidently from the causes just mentioned,
and entirely beyond the control of our govern
ment, is it not very astonishing, is it not disin-
gcnuouS IN the opposition, TO seize upon the pre-
sent opportunity 10 reproach the administration
with the deficit in the revenue, and the general
stagnation in our trade am aware that 1t
may be retorted, that the Tariff imposed by the
last Congress, has aided in bringing about the
present disastrous state of things. The policy
of the great American system, TO which the
administration is said to beso partial is too much
in the womb of time for the writer to spend an
opinion upon. Certain it is, that Mr.. Jefferson,
whose opinions are equally revered by all par
ties, gave n strong indication of his partiality
TO the system, when during his presidency. he
decIaredthat he should hail the time when the sal
lor & the farmerw ouldb be planted side by side up
on their own native terra firma. 1t is very unna-
tural that this great Republic should be depcn-
dant upon any foreign country for any fabrics
Of necessity, or even any article OF luxury, ii
WI consider the great extent OF its territory or
the variety of its climate. And therefore, ANY
system ofmeasures adopted by the general go
vernment, with a view TO husband our own re-
sources, TO nationalize the people of the United
States i'll their pursuits, habits, manners, and
customs at the same time keeping in view the
popularity of our conicderated government,
and the consequent municipal rights claimed by
the States under the general compact; ought
and no doubt willGn the course of time, meet the
appreciation of the enlightened people of Anne
RIGA. The orthodoxy of MIR. Adams's political
text cannot be controverted, namely, that the
people of the United States in framing the pre-
sent Constitution, would have performed their
work ~ineffably stupid, if they had denied them
selves the right of lettering their own condi-
ton.
This doctrine ofthe Presidents has been much
perverted by the oppositionists. hr. Adams no
doubt meantto vouch for an enlarged and lib
eral policy ; but that he intended TO pave the
way for usurpation, as the Virginia party would
contend, or that such doctrine would lead to
consolidation, has TO be demonstr ated. The
administration has come into power c%onstitu-
tionally. But the circumstance of Mr.. Adams's
election, added TO the present depression Of
trade throughout the world, producing a cor.
Z fpSnOuUnDf lImInutiou in fba national rpypuup
will he seized upon by the opposition to defeat
his reelection it possible. Even in this cnlight-
ened country, no doubt some honest cotton or
tobacco planter will be persuaded that his
crop will command a much better price if Gen.
Jackson should be elected President. John
Randolph never made a better observation,
than when he declared 1t was impossible to 90
ycrn a people in debt. Such stagnation in trade
as now exists, would render any administration
under which 1t might occur, obnoxious to the
people. For there never Will be wanting aspi-
. rants TO office, with their minions at hand. to
avail themselves of so favorable an opportunity
of incorporating the true state of things, To o.
v%erthrow the ruling party, thatthey in their turn
may obtain the vacant slippers. Every admin
istration under this Constitution has had its OPP
position. VI ashlngton was reyiled in his ma
tive State by William b. Giles and others, then
aspiring to head the rising Republican party.
The elder Adams and his party we all know,
were overthrow on account of the adoption of
the alien and sedition laws, which probably
were intended solely TO restrain the violent and
ungovernable Irish then pouring into the United
States jefferson had his opposition in New
England. as rancorous as the present Virginia
party is towards Clay and Adams. Madison
for recommending and carrying on the late war,
had to encounter the most deadly opposition,
/ and Y Monroe, that wise and rood man. under
whose a administration the people of the United
States, enjoyed more happiness than under any
other, about the close of his public life shared
the fate Of his predecessors. The Virginia par
ty are unmindful or they affect to be so, of the