Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-09-15
grue CONSTITUTIONAL sgatlto.
EOLIwECAr,
From Tie National H,teiligcater.
TIE STANDARD Or INTELLECT

SHOULD say that the brightest
| which EXHIBITS iiseifi action"
Mr.. .ueOr(es Haa,gurg .SDcech
o' all .iie theories which have recently been adyan
ced for The purpose ofsusaniug the military claim,
OF Senerai y To the Chief Magistracy OF the Union
mere Us none more bold. newell or daprerous than
The graduation of the hunac mind proposed nv Nc
he. eli were called upon (says be) 10 graduate
he hurnanmind, should say that the 6rietfe,t or
o' human intellect is that which c-ihiis itself
III GCfo" the neS:, that which exhibits itself in g,.jIic
snea8ois; and the next. the forrest Of the brce
'Nuat winch exhibits itself in ,c,!!inqD
In proposing this standard, by vlich the relative
qiaIcations oil all rival candidates NAV in future he
determined, Alr. Nc Du(fie appears 10 have been A.
ware 'nal he was running t against the iudsuen;
o' preceding ages tic consent of n,ank ind
anu especially a6ainst The opinions and practice OF the
american people, for IN ushcrng into existence he
observes that, 'ere is country in ,cltica an eJro
ne0s Sin1;rd as 50 ceaerGy ddopfcd for eS;11,ino.
ne character end GI Er0l;OuS Of public aneam as our
own! "'e arc almost universally il tie habit NJ sur
1s2 That has Guieaiv f- cgcs:nina. in 0yoDor
'''4," "!' "SefS iG' I1"ot S,edEag Srrfa
Postoa.' Eut THIS, seems is a dellson The
o!'ghes order Nfintelcct has been exhibited in
WtitoG or speaSinS but in action; and, there
lore, writers and orators must not, in future be
selected tor OFFICERS TcGairiDg eminent ah!iiy.-The
ua%'m of riato y not ne that shut State The han
pest {" hose philosophers were kings or whose lzpps
were philosophers" The world has been mistaken in
assigning the inst order of intellect 10 Homer Milton
Shakespeare, LcclSe, Bacon, I .arsiut,e-abo onI,
eX"'ed their talents in written composition; or to
l)ein"siienes. Cicero, Burke and Chatham because
ihe 'Eor OF their minds displayed in public speak
ing. he preicnsions of Jefferson, Henry Madison
IONS, and Franklin, still! more eposterous for
anlI! placed authority, they we're ONLY known as
writers OF pnhlc speakers Henceorth action is TO be
The test OF itelcct; and, consgnng these names TO oh
security, and their works oblivion the youth of OIL,
country Hns' hereafter be taught that they may omit
Their eoiies ate pursuits throw away their musty vol
nnies or resign them 10 The inferior orders Of wsi-
iois ana orators; discipline their minds without study
improve i'eIr faculties without labor, acquire kna,yi
edge by intuition, abandon the beaten path of fame
aud assert their claims to Intellectual superiority y
boldly vcbtnring on the great theatre Of action.
| Eut, before abaiilOn The preuGlces which seem
10 have ePrung from the dawn o: civilization, ami re
vert TO ma xins OF the savage state, the Chief
was chosen o' the Yi&or OF his arm, lis proyuess in
battle may II not be well 20 inInire what spe
ccs oil ACTON which alone exhibit this in!.i!-
Tie standard Of intellectual superiority?
Ii there be any obscurity in Mr. RicHuiie's r,ean-
ing ii ha7 oig!ated from the OF general term
express an idea Intended be more limited. Sneak
ns and writing, beng only notifications of action il
would seem, at first vie.N that the distinction temp
'ed 10 be drawn is merely verbal; and that the EFFORT
OF Tie "SI by which the proceedings of Senate
oeterihe Is 40 much his action, the command OF
general Which results in victory. II Obvious how
ever, that This term has been intended TO express
something 6tfe'est from either writing speaking,
and TO apply to one who is neither crater nor
writer.
lsit then Ire actions or farmer mechanic, or rner
chant, 10 which III hci)u!+c ,cfcrs:-t However hon.
oTabe and usell. they cannot be considered "a y,
Ting more intellect ihan the pctions of iose who are
engaged in many other pursuits and know not thai
General Jacksou mas been distinguished by his attain
mens IN any OF these professions Is il the action of
Howard who penetrated the dungeons and HOSPITALS
Of Europe for the purpose Of iininislpor Tie sr, of
human misery? Certainly not, even in the opinion of
Nr hicDuiEe: for, in Whatever estimation Howard
might have been held for his services in the cause
OF bnG'an'ty, mo EasiiShman would have thought
that the heneT oent Sheriff OF Bedford possessed
the qualification requisite for Prime Minister
the actual Executive of Great Britain; aud doubt.
lac ltoT TprN 4 ~ = n
ica Is it the action of Alcibadrs dire elca. proiovpe
Of ambitious dema sogUes who times an Ai!pnau
Spartan, Thessa!an, and Persian; was ready. at the
ca 81 interest TO abandon friend serie enemy;
desert support opinions which he had before deiheIatc
~ Svo"ed 'oisht for or against his country with equal
Indifference whose 1--we of distinction inrtsd him, :, one
le, of the tail of his dog in order t. fix upom him
self the attention of the n'utpde, aud at another To in
Vovt his country III which proved ex-
Sence whose Inconsistency Of rcnduci oay oGualcd
by DIS contempt ioF human slaughter; aud whose military
talents give success to the cause in
o'hirh caprice might incline, 70 uns compel him to ~
gage Hr'T 'a ACTIONS however GazZIug, are no: 10 be
ncd up for i'na tjnu sd much less standard Of in
i"Iectu" superiority: j IL the action Of Catiae who
designed, Cesar who accomplsed, the rl,in Of his
in his shoulders from the flames uf 'Tcv: Of rf Penn
who the Est 10 found CornuuucaltI ri,pn tie ba
SIS ofTrGcc md iusijcc? Perhaps may said that
is to of these actions that Mr. 2cDue refers; since
some Of them might not tie applicable Cen JacRson
and = the me' of others his modcsy would not permit
him TO lay claim. Let then, give this term the 0r.ly
meaning hat MI ncDufhe could have intended: let me
assume the only rational construction, that he meant
military, in contradiction to GIRL acons aud that has
openly ayowcd the broad principle, HniLiyry &C.
INNS G6Ord ic-i II iUfCAccni SVreriorilV Ha2
cir actions NE acccs soiicr ought 10 he roi,ea n ne
hightsi ErccufiJe 0pGoninHs in Drfrlacc IN he DIS
/ GHg,Vabfd stai'sm9p."
This distinct and plain proposition, proceeding from
Irresponsible organ Of great opposing party, is surely
deserving Of the attention rhcIc Americ an Peop
Sufficient jealous apprehension Of everv
frirad n freedom. Aud because consider il rrnete
with danger 10 our country containing fanctansd tho
] rHr of f.rf Ffsrft