Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-03-21
From the National Intelligencer.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

",he Signs Of the Times" we shave reacheo
nine mortal columns" IF we understand the
point of this remark, it is in the objection 10
the number nine We will give them ano'ner
| column, then, to make up ten, which we sup
pose will bring all RICH, agaia.
The supporters Of the accumulation" Judge
US by themselves when they suppose that the
! Printing Of the Senate has any concern with
our exposition OF the intrigues, the existence OF
| which were FIST fairly disclosed by the vote on
tina, question. AS God is our Judge, our first
sensation on hearing Of the vote in the Senate,
was that Of sorrowfor The Senate: for we had not
then heard Of or seen the Speech oil Mr. VAN
; buren,, by which, in connection with that vote
he so unwiscy barred his projects 20 the public
view |, was only after hearing Of what had
passed, of Mr. VAN BuREN's menace Of the Ma.
tional In,ellgencer, and Of the deep interest
which other "leading" gentlemen took in the
matter, that we began 10 compare times, pla-
ces, and circumstances, one with another, and,
BY the aid Of subsequent incidents, to arrive at
the conclusions which we have presented to
our readers.
We were sorry, indred 10 have 10 refer, in
any manner, TO the vote upon that trivial sub
ject. Ii derived all its importance from the
| fac, that the speech and the vote on that oeca-
sion were the fash and the report (not exactly
| from Heavens concave) which announced the
| storm that had been silently, secretly, and un-
expeciedy brewing, and was first 10 burst on
our he ads, because it was found that we were
no, imp, orabie, according 10 the sense which
that word bears in the dialect and discipline OF
party The incident was fortsnae one
Without it, the People would have remained IN
ignorance OF what is made so plain by concurr-
ing circumstances, that II can neither be mis-
taken nor denied. But for this incidcat-but
for Mr. VAN BUREN's for once losing sight OF
his polar s,ar-lorgetting the habitual caution
and reserve Of his profound and wary policy
we should soon, without the least suspicion o.
the cause, have found the whole country in
chaos of opinion; party presses starllAg up IN
every direc ton, as if spontaneously; welleslab-
Iished- national principles decried and ttodden
down; and well-esteemed and tried presses and
public servants prescribed, by all the means and
Instruments which the party could "organize"
for the purpose. Happily, by this premature
disclosure, we are PIT in possession. oil the Key
to what would otherwise have been uninlelIigi-
ble-of the clue without which the labyrinth Of
this political arrangement would have been i'm
peneirabe to any but the initiated.
AS no consideration Of interes: moves US in
this matter, any more than il deters us, Tar less
does any feeling Of hostility or vindctiveness
towards Mr.. VAN buren, personally. 1t is not
against the man, but against his political pro-
iects, and his schemes for executing them, that
we protest. We have no more enmity 10 him,
than he to US; and we feel as much regret on
his account, as we are sure he did on ours when
he set hi: face againstus, that our duty ob!lges
US 10 expose the nature Of the combination,
which compelled plurality Of the Senate Of
the United States 10 follow Mr.. VAN BUREN's
lead.
Every thing shews the vote to have been
test Of party strength; and, if circumstances
admitted the least doubt of.the fact, we could
furnish direct testimony on that head, which
Mr.. VAN BuREN would be the last to discredil.
Why should we waste more words 10 prove
what is as clear as the sun at MONDAY? The
New-York Enquirer itself does rot deny The or
ganiza,ion or the violence Of the Opposition to
this Administration, whilst it does no, pretend !
to assign the shadow Of ground for that vio-
IeLce or that opposition We quote the very |
words Of the Enquirer: "rhere u.s." says the
Enquirer Of Friday, "a deep rooted and wide
spread opposition to him Mr.. ADAMS in the
country, ,chich is duly assuming stronger and
MORE FIERCE character, and the public inter"
est and public tranquility will be sci iously in
JuTca Wy retaining hi'h ih I)o"cT scCohu tci".
Now we ask, who has better right to know
what is the character Of this "growing opposi-
ton" than one Of its avowed supporters! Re-
collect, reader, that ii is not we, but the Enqu-
rer, that clothes it with the character Of fierce
ness Before the Enquirer ventures to turn up
on Us, by the way, il had better attempt some
thing like plausible explanation Of the cha
raeter which it gave Of Mr.. VAN buren, few
months ago, when, with the rest Of the world,
The Editor was in doubt to which side that gen.
tleman might finally incline. We should be |
sorry to speak Of that distinguished individual
half as harshy as he has done.
We have been, and expect to be, plentirully |
despatched with abuse by venal pens, for ven
turing to oppose ourselves TO the "ierceness"
Of this organized party. We shall never stoop
or stop to notice any such illusions, blu, pro-
coed on the even tenor Of our way, "unmovcd !
by party rage" For the displeasure Of honest
opponents we shall be sorry, but it cannot di.
vert us from the path Of duty.
In the following letter, which reached US by
the las, mail from Harrisburg, from a source en-
titled to full credit, our readers will find other
"signs Of the times" not less striking than any
we have yet spread before them. /