Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-10-07
: THE COALITION.

Cc'Hcnfn:-ln the speech of Mr. Hopkinson
20 which, III our last letter, took the freedom
60 refer, that gentleman very correctly said that
the sense OF people Is not TO be ascertained from
" the incorporate addresses Of self-called meet
mgs, or the mere intempciate harangues OF in
tanned and swelling orators" 1t would, indeed
be blot upon the reputation of Philadelphia, il
any portion OF our community had deliberately
sanctioned your address; and il is due to that com
munty to say, that il bears no more resemblance
TO the acts Of our citizens calmly executed than
the harangues 10 which MIR. lIopkinson referred
do 10 the exalted feeling oil the people of the South
What part did your meeting, what part did even
you, gentlemen, take in the formation Of your
address! You were appointed upon the spot TO re-
port an address; your chairman, Mr.. Sergeant
produced one already written, but which none of
you, committee at least even considered in the
haste ans hustle, incident 60 the meeting, the ad
dress was read by you, or perhaps not read at all;
with the exception OF your chairman, YOU had no
sort OF opportunity to consider the nature of the
charges made in il; but, relying on him. YOU a.
greed To report the instrument your deliberate
act the selt-caled meeting, then adopted en-
mdsSc, the baranguc OF its ''intlaIned" author
and thus gave the world of the most gross
productions, that the intemperance of any faction
has ever sanctioned.
Is such course consistent with the character of
Philadelphia is il SUCH in private life, any Of
you would venture TO pursue? is there of YOU
even the chairman himself, who would charge any
Citizen with w5nton and deliberate murder!
II any OF you believed, that any murders had been
committed would you not consider il solemn du-
ty to pursucthe offender!
Upon what principle, then, is it that you Justify
your doing politicians, what YOU would not dare
or what you would blush 10 do, as private menu
Would you not feel yourselves in an awkward pre-
dicament, if called upon TO subsantiate before u-
ny, the foul crimes you impute TO General Jackson
before the public? But, gentlemen, you fancy
that you are safe, because conscious innocence is
shield sufficiently ample to protect General Jackson
itom all aspersons, because his country has alrea-
dy refused TO him, and you really were not
aware OF the extent OF your denunciaticn-is il not
so,
For our own part, we entirely acquit all of you,
except your chairman, OF responsibility for your
address; we do not believe, that, your chairman
excepted, any OF you understood its real character,
and we shall be able to show that your chairman
himself, either did not believe what he has now
when intiamcd, written, that il lie did believe it,
he has most grossly abused the confidence placed
IN him by this district.
The third branch OF your address embraces &C.
currences subsequent TO The peace of 1915, in the
Indian and Spanish settlements: you are not indeed,
as precise as men, writing solemn subject,
and appearing before the public, ought to be; you
do not mention dates, places, persons; but in
sweeping terms, you assert, that General Jackson
has looked upon blood and carnage with compo-
sure, II not enjoyment; and that he has eagerly
caught at every opportunity TO shed American
blood, without any authority but arbitrary powcr
This picture, you must confess, could not have
sent ruiiian, whose propensiies were more
atrocious thsn those attributed TO General Jackson
Such of you, gentlemen, as really desire TO be es-
teemed and beloved, as good and intelligent men,
cannot but feel some compunctous yisitings" as
yol look upon the hdeous object, which all ii fam
ed temperament has thus seduced you to present
10 the public eyei at least you ought to have enGu-
red-and cOmpared-and given .facts and evil
dence; but you disdain the performance of such
duties, and offer bare asseronsi
mi II he hat ia uff
possible for us to meet sweeping allegation, ex
cept by positive denial Of its truth: if you had gil
ven dates, names, and places. we would have
entered upon the enquiry; but there is not man
III the pcnitentiary, who would not justly consi-
der himself injured and abused if you had appli-
ell TO him the terms which you rcckiessy employ
against patriot who stands hi CHEST in the hearts
OF his countrymen. We fling back then, all such
imputations as foul and slanderous.
-. When General j Eek ;on had defeated, on the
plain OF Orleans, the best appointed army en-
bottled in ATnerica-when his own army, uninjur
cd, saw the remnant oil their enemies in disorder
and flight, and sought 10 pursue them, what was
the conduct OF Gen. Jackson! Did he who
you say, enjoys the sight OF blood then assent to
the wishes OF his troops' Did he desire, i'll pursuit
OF military renown, to slaughter tie fugitives OF
panic stricken enemy: What commander, all cir
curstances considered, would have checked his
own and his army's thirst for still greater results?
Far from indulging any such vain. glorious and
cruel inclinations, he forbade all pursuit-and by
doing so, he incurred the resentment and dsplca-
sure OF some oil his ardent aoops.
We next see him entering upon a campaign a
gafnst the ruthless Indians, who give no quarter
and their cruel allies who aroused all their
ferccious passions. Instead OF suffering his troops
to obey the law of retaliation, he thus in his orders
to them, nculcaes the soundest principles Of hu
mainly and dscipine:-
" How shall war" said General Jackson, " 90
long forborne, and So loudly called for by retrbu-
tive justice, be waged? Shall we imatate the ex.
ample OF our enc Giies, in the disorder Of their
movement, and saYageness Of their dispositions
$ il worthy OF the character Of American soldiers
who take arms 10 redress the wrongs Of an injured
country, 10 assume no better model thai. that fur
Iished them by barbarians? Noi fellow soldiers
great as are he grievances that have called us froH
our homes, we must not permit disOrdery passion
10 tarnish the reputation shall carry along will
us; we must and viii be victorious--but, we mus
conquer men, who owe nothiDg-to chance; an,
who, IN the midst Of victory, can sill be Mindful
81 what is due 10 humanity"
Let ", not, hotgcver, appeal 20 tie public adj
dresses Of General Jack son 20 his troops empha
&c az they are. Let us enquire what bis countr,
thought Of his acts, when they were fresh in me
inory and closely scrutinzed Let Us see gha
your own candidate, MIR. (ohn q Adams said
what was the solemn conviction Of Thomas Jef
Jsrson, whom you, gentlemen, joined in euioei
zing-shd what were the conduct and opinion o
your own chairman, mn, J0bn Sergeant.
There seems 10 be some excuse for Spanish Mi
listers and the British journalists, who ceBsure,
t'sc csf5uctof fserertl jackson In fhc war in M,