Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-26

lutte refusal OF the most pos eru government OF the
old world to negotiate with subject OF nu-
,ual interest, and the Jealous evasion Of our riend
" advances by the conIeteracd government of die
new, with the insults aud outrage5 of one OF them,
(BrG=iO yet unatoned for inlorm:us.
If we then turn 10 the reyers, OF the picture,
10 we not lind every trait Of it alnost literally u
filled in Of. IL present condition.? f. there, not An
,u,iueysd SPIRIT qf disirust and disSGtisjaei
a rapid decay If trade, discussions n al parts
IF tie empire, and almost total loss III res
peel az tie eyes 81 foreign PoUerS? As 10 the
causes OF this decay OF trade and the loss OF res
pect in the eyes OF foreign powers viii only say
that, i'll my opinion they justly chargeable TO
the eTi and blunders OF the present adminiAtra
ton as these subjects, however, have been much
discussed elsewhcre and are necessarily involved
IN srea; deal OF detail, VIII not take up the time
of the House. at this moment, with deveIo9emeni
oi my views in relation 10 them.
But it may be Instructive 20 inquire whence has
arisen the uaccTscl spirit IF diSiuSf and oissa-
fstGctl0G, whence those discussions ia all Dasfs
81 fhc empire, wlich admitted To prevail? IL
i, SIR because tn, people believe that in the last
election of their chef magistrate, the vital pyinGi
pic oil their sovereignty was asssiled In that
lection, they the great principle Oi representa-
tive responsibility openly violated and disregard
ed and that violation forthwith patronized and re-
warded by the chief magistrate, with the first
place In ms cabinet; and subsequently, by bestow-
Ing fvors upon all who, in contributing 10 his elc-
walton, had forfeited ,he confidence and lost the
support OF their constituents. The people, ,noreo-
yer, believe hat in the circumstances of that u
lection, and GIc cabinet ar-dn ;eneEt5 which sue
ceeded IL taken IN come NiOn with certain doc
time Of safe prccedcnts,' then Tor tue FIRST time
avowed, they see, ii not express design an in
herent and Inevitable tendency in the thing ITSELF
TO supeFcedc all -ngency OF the public tciH in the
choice oil the chief executive magistrate, and yir
tuaily TO transfer 70 The incumbent the right Of
iIinaGng his successor.
These, Sir, are some OF the causes of that spirit
! q Identification which now universally prevail.
\ But they are not all. The present chief magis-
! trate is hardly warm in his place before he pio-
claims from the seat Of authority, doctrines in re-
ation TO the powers of this government, incompa-
/ uoie with every notion OF "A lnsted constitution,
| aud which threaten the rights OF the States and
the liberties of the People with total exlirpation
| and after having thus, by lawIess construction,
| indefinitely extended the powers Of the govern
| ment, OF which lie forms a part, he seeks to ap-
propriae TO hiinsct the largest share OF the soil,
, by neg and unprecedented claims os executive
provocative In the true spirit ofdrrogated power,
we then see him, III time of profound peace, and
when there was every reason TO expect q speedy
extraction OF all grounds of controversy, Needless
iy threatening sovereign member of the Union
with the military force of the nation of which Inc
IS, theoretically atleast, the commander in chief
Here, Dir, we see another of those GiSseIl-
sionS-of that spirit of diSts'ust and disSGtiJdc-
ttoP which peryade the land.
But Sir, the people have had still other causes
oil dissatisfaction. They have seen the eXpendi-
lures OF the government rapidly increased; at The
same time that the revenue has been declining,
till the fact has occurred, which the President
himself however disposed 20 palliate, is conpell-
ed to admit-tha the expenditures of the last wear
nave exceeded its income by nine hundred thou
sand dollars. This the President calls .s small
excess''-which may give us some idea OF the
scale by which he graduates his notions Of public
economy. Sir, the people would not complain OF
Tins excess oi expenditure, IL they thought it had
been bestowed on great national objects, connect
ed with the safety or the glory OF tho county,
hn lFnU sal ratt # - -.
lowed, without any adequate consideration OF
public service, in eXtravagnt allowances TO fayo-
rites and rewards 10 paFtisans, in extending the
influence OF the executive through new and costly
modes OF patronage, and with a view to secure
the continuance III Office OF the present iucum-
bents.
Sir, these some of the causes Of that spirii
Of diStIust ami Dissatisfaction which low uni
vcTsaliy prevail; and the yshow, according to the
sagacious remark OF the writer whom have quo
ted, that the original fault is az goreYnmeRt.-
As long as these OF distrust and dissatisiac
ton shall exist, cannot agree with the gentleman
IRON Pennsylvania, that these the pure ana
happy days '9f the Republic! Sir, the day may
come, wheh the present period shall be looked back
to as proud and splendid era; proud and SPLEEN
did Tor having witnessed successful triumph o.
yer the will Of the people and the principles OF the
Constitution. But when thai day arrives, this go
vernment will be a Republic no longer
Sir, am sorry to have been under the neccs-
slty OF making these remarks; But they have been
c~tW sea- oHl me by tlie course Oh The friends oil
the administration in this debate. Their cxtrava-
CANT eulogies of the adininistraiion-thei seduc
sive representations of the present happy cond
ton OF the country, i'll regard TO the enjoyment OF
political blessings, and the security OF political
: rights, are so many accusations against the peo-
pie for causeless discontcnt-for ingrabtude-fo
injustice! As representative of the people have
ieit myself called upon 10 defend them against
those accusations, and to show that their discon-
tents have originated in something more than a
queFuloas spirit Of capricious disloyalty.