Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-04-01
POLITICAL.

.he ADAMS convention of Richmond, and find II
49, De iaDric OF simulated fears raised ioun-
ua'oh OF anhquated ISLANDERS; void of facts des-
u'uie oil TRUTH and patched up with theologicai
Leai anu forensic stratagem. II reminds me of
ic men oil straw, dressed in cast-n hats and coats
w. s'auoheG as scarccrows in the corn fields of
M Sila' Decked In the stained garments of
'nns, Gales and Hammond it is calculated TO de-
yer very close examination but asi is avowedy the
WORK OF Mr.. johnson, and looked on by him with
re eyes OF Pyaclhhon, risk the disp,easlIre OF
Iasudous readers and undertake to expose it.
But do not the proceedings of this convention
eve plrth 10 reflection too solemn TO be unut-
tered--that in the ruling state of this confederacy
commonwealth teeming with patriotism, and
rich IN renown which, 90 when asked for her lew
els, stu points to her sons''-rnen of hirh station
and rcpnte, should be found, concerting by an Or
ganlzed effort the renova ticfs OF exploded false
hooas' IN order TO tainish the fame OF private
ciuzen whose great exploits and popular Virtues
make him formidable 10 weak and corrupt ed.
sinlstration! And does il not add 10 the loorn of
ms reflection, that the holy places OF PRAYER and
me exalted tribunals Of justice should furnish re-
LUIS 70 ths conspiracy, against the character of
venerable patriot, and tilc liberty of a YOUTH
III! republic? But let not the lovers offrceton ies
fondiet net the votaries of truth despair-le. not
'Ne friends OF the country trenble The pEopI Z
are NOT oniy the fountain OF political power, but of
Pohucal nope. Guarded by the press which in
spite OF the expensive efforts of Mr. CLAY to seuce
or nundate it, is yet free the institutions of our
country viii ind strength and perpctuity against
the Vaccinations OF the few, in the pure love of
freedom which animates the great BODY of the ma
non 10 their sure and sagacious patriotism il ia
perhaps fortunate that frequent appeals are ne
cessary. Even the labors of the Richmond Con-
Fehuoh may 10 this way prove useful, rs the SER
penis which Hercules stranClcd In his cradle ma,
be supposed TO have nvigorated him for the great
er task oil cieansic, the Augean stable. There is
certainly much to admire in the rhetoric and the
reason OF MIR. johnson, in founding a claim for
the convention To peculiar sincerity and particular
] bah
OF January (when they chose TO assembly, being
an " Indictment seasons But he might have
mentioned much more extraordinary circl,n-
stance, and counted on the attraction of more gen
eral notice. He might have told the people of
virginia that he and his compatrots were careful
| 10 select the day which had been consecrated bv
more Than half the nation TO the honor of General
jackson and to public gratitude-the day on which
the affairs OF treemen burn with incense and their
hearts with JOY, for The signal and ernbitter-
ca opportunity OF pouring out upon him, a col
iected torrent OF abuse: That while the people
OF louisiana were hailing him as their saviour.
me legislature as their deliyerer, the ladies az
thelr protector, the children their guard an and
the patriarch" as his friend, they had pre-deter-
mined to be employed in dGnouncing him in the
name OF that very legislature and that very PEG
PEE as the slave OF gnohie passions, the tyrant Of
LOUISIANA, The enemy OF the people he saved and
'he Zoe OF that liberty which ne defended. This
would have constituted effective an appeal to
public notice as the shvering ailusion to Janu-
airy journey.
! This frigid ezordium gives place TO a scale Of
tlelr opinions respecting Mr.. Adams tenderIv
graduated from shade of modest objection to the
horid glow OF courtly aduiation, where the manly
tone Tor which Chapman Johnson once had credit
through Virginia, is arfully lost In the athic and
penSioned phrases of the W hig; and for harsh &
unqualified avowal of their hostility 10 General
jackson Most OF US say they" approve the ge-
neral course ofthe administration have confidence
IN Its virtue, its patriotism, its wisdom and soc
in tho
probation OF the federal constitution The mea-
suFes which sdsapproye in the present admin
lsiration, none could hope to see amended under
that OF General Jackson 60 The constitution
which we would preserve from the too liberal
Interpretation OF Mr.. Adams, we would vet more
| his rival'
with these fair and wen digcsted sentiments,
MT; johnson proceeds TO controvcrt the accuracy
OF the general belief, that Jackson is the fayourie
! OF me people, in doing which, ne falls into what
sosicians call rciOws circle forgetting evidently
That the best possible proof of that fact is the
general oetet OF IT. And it happens accordingly,
that the only reasonable part of his argument on
thls point, IS what he doubles thought no are,1
ment at all-viz: positive denial OF it. He NEXT
endeavors to rebut the objections which have so
"iueiy pFeVaied ana been so completely establish
eu 70 the last election by misTepresentino them nc
OfGck legs give themselves command over fbe
cards by stocking them. sc The fIiendsoG General
Jackson, he asserts, insist that his plurality Of
votes at the last election, proved him to be the
ciiolce Oh me nation" Now, the fact is, the
friends OF Gen. Jackson have done no such tbiner
hey c0ntenGcd and do now contend that his piiI-
rai'y oil votes, placing him nearer to the point of
popular preference, made decisive by the constt,l-
ton, than either OF his competitors il was the duty
OF the representatives. Of the people, when thew
came to estimate the comparative claims of the
candIdates,to allow this circumstance great yyeighf
ana make II overbaauce strong preferences for his
1Ita's' OF strong prepossessions against himself
ihcy further maintained that when the right Of
choice was transferred from electors appointed bv
/ me people, to electors delegated by the states n
iacl which bad not arisen in the first process should
nave had isir operation in the second-yiz: that
IN several OF the western states where jackson was
second 10 clay before the people, he became first
as soon as Clay was withdrawn. Mr. Johnson dos
cflDes The primary election rs popular and the Sc
condary as federal; and he must admit that the mo
inent which advanced tie process from the prima-
4 ~ 10 me secondary stage, cXpunged the name Of
Mr' Clay from the list Of candidates. and left tie
popular viii OF those states 70 operate in favor Of
jackson, Adams or Crawford Their delegations
were bound to give a genuine expression Of that
VIII, and 10 gather IL from such facts as were then
before them. They had todetorinine 1yhovgas most
popular in their respective states, Jackson Adams
OF Crawford. If the Kentucky delegation looked
70 Then polls, they found That the same evidence
which proved MIR. Clay to stsnd before Cen Jack-
son in the popularity Of Kentucky, proved Gene
raj Jackson TO stand before Mr.. Adams or Mr.
| Crawford. They knew that some Of their own
! body preferred him even to Mr.. CLAY: thai
a large majority OF tle legislature OF Kentucky
were IN favor Of his election, and that general
preston resting on mass of undoubted facts ex-
iSted that he vas next 10 MIR. Clay in the estfna-
| ton Of the western people
These were the only facts upon which they could
9und faithful course Of action at the time, and