Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-10-25
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THE COALITION.

THE COALITION.
10 J. Sergeant, Manuel Egre, Laurence Le7ris
&C. Biddfe,and Joseph p. Norris, ir Esqrs
authors IF an -dddress udoPted at The Gd
ministrdtion torn meeting Of the an Juiy.
LETTER XII.
GfNTLxMEN-Thc question, to which, in the
present letter, we beg leave 10 call your own and
The public attention, is this. JThy did Mr. II.
1cms desert the FederJi PdTty? To suppose
that YOU, the ardent advocates OF Mr.. Adams and
one of you his confidential friend, he ig-
norant, upon the most extraordinary event in Lis
poiiicsllitc, is TO do violence TO all parties: he
would not think u. soliciting, prong by your
zeal, without confidence on his part; and, surely
you would not support him, whilst loaded will
Suspicion We pray you, them TO remove p veil
that has hitherto concealed transactions, involving
not merely the reputation OF Mr.. Adams, but the
po!itcal'intcgrity and personal honor Of a con
siderable portion of the people CT the United
States.
-. In our last Letter VIC reached the spring oil
5sO7, the fortieih year, we think, of Mr.. Adams's
life: At that time, we saw him, like determin-
cd and skilful general, marshaliing the federal
ISIS Of Massachusetts,, IN preparation for the inn
portant state election, then at hand: The cleo
ton took place, and, tor the first time in Massa-
chusetts, the entire federal force routed, and
the positions of governor, legislature, and all
others dependent upon them, fell into repubii-
can hands. The JOY that beamsi unon the coun-
tenance OF one party, was signaly contrasted
with the gloom that overcast those o. the other:
The mass of federalists, every where, regarded
Massachusetts, their citadel, and when that fell,
many among them relinquished all hopes Of tu-
ture political ascendancy.
Nor were these prognostics confined TO The state
of things, in Massachusetts: No Indication was
given any where, that an attempt, even TO noni
nate a federal candidate 10 the presidency, would
be madc-publc opinion had settled down upon
Mr. Madison, the successor Of Mr.. Jefferson,
and although there were some vagTant wishes
for George Clinton of New York, his republican
cd of 10 Io.J-..
son policy, ia public affairs, foreign and domestic.
Such then, was the condition Of the two parties
in 1907 the republicans, every where trium-
phant, with a certainty hat power would rest in
their hands until 1916, AT least: The icdcralists,
every where in the minority; and although. with
their aggregate minoriiies, still respectable in
numbers as well as energy, destitute OF the power,
which alone attaches meTcenary men, to pay in Of
fees for integrity to their cause.
II must be confessed, that, at such time as
:his no man of good and generous feelings, 10 say
nothing OF political honesty, would sit down and
deliberately weigh the chances OF personal benefit,
from an adherence TO old friends, or de3ertion 10
hereditary enemies: The wreck OF once pow
erful, and in talent at least respectable party,
now scattered upon the political breakers
would have aroused the sympat!lies, even OF OPP
ronents to protect the scattered crew, from inju-
nv and insult, rather than to pluck from them
The only treasure that they hau been able 10 pre-
serve
And if such should have been the conduct oil
republicans, in relation to their powcr!ess
opponents; If it would have been patriotic, and
kind in them, to concilate men long estranged-to
nroye that difference in political sentiment did
not render the heart callous, what ought 10 have
been the conduct of Mr.. John O. Adams? II he
Possessed any power, influence, or wealth, tC
whom was he indebted for il: Wasis lot to the
very party, which he now saw ia the deepest adj
yersity? IL that party had sunk into public obi
nm had not the passions Of his own father great
~ contributed to their fall? Had they not, but
lately before, given him most striking proof oil
confidence and favor by sending him 10 the Senate
Of the United States, IN preference even 10 their
veteran, Mr.. Pickering!
Yet, unmiDdiu Of all this, it was in this hour
cl deep dependency, that Mr.. Adams fed irorl
The colors OF his political house, and entered the
ranks of is uniform opponents!
( of il not be supposed, gentlemen. that we
censure the abandonment Of measures Of men,
found TO be rniscbievous: let say, that we
object TO tire conversion OF those, who differ
from US ia political sentiment on The contrary, we
hail honest conversion beneficial to the pOliti-
cai institutions, and 10 the social happiness Of our
country. we know many, very many, who, hav
inc become convinced Of error, ~ 10 the views
md feelings Of the republican party are now al
isohed 20 IT, But we are not abe to see, IN ihC
IN DriaeiDIes or acts, OF Mr.. Adams, those ia
iicauons, which pTecedc, accompany, aud fot
i,3v conversion: we have not seen III bIm con
vert, but an nlorner against one party, IN ofde
20 be received into abd destroy aDoiher-a descr
ter, not Disguised WIN ms on PLhViPes, nu' .
sarned at the political nakedness Of his old friend
an ally, not attracted by republican simplicity
but.by the capacity 10 CRAFTY liz inss'iable Iu7
Of ambition aud avatice.
We have already shown, d,st from bi
youth to his forticth year, Mr. Adam pTofe
r ooke, and acted against republican principles
u, sasnyes and n1en. He had never, we believe
ou weakness Of nerves, or mildncss of III posi-
t;on. halted between two opinions. he had neyei
been known to change sentiment, as men Of mo
dera,ion do, gradually, or as men Of ardent tam
permanent do, suddenly 90 lar az we can Judge, h'
lad been, from nature snd eouc'uon "h''