Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-16
NO. IL
ia audi aNerana pqrtenl.

~ N~@t OttefON YUIICNl-
These gentlemen say that sc a capacity for civil
employment in country like ours, where The
! road to preferment is open TO merit i'm every cas
! of society, is never long concealed and seldom
| left in retirement" And they also inform YOU
that General jackson filed successfully the . of
fee of member of the Tennessee Convention
which framed their State Constituton-represen.
tative and Senator in Congress--Judge of the Su-
preme Court OF Tennessee, and again Senator in
| the Congress of the United States:'' and
viii add, that subsequently, bIr. Monroe appoint.
ed him Governor of Florida and anXiousIv pressed
upon him the appointment of Minister to Mexico.
But his ancient Roman spirit revoted at the id ca
OF appearing rs the representative Of 4 repubii.
can government, at the court of a military usurp-
or aud imperial despot. Was it his merit or his TO.
tai untiness for the performance OF all civil du-
ties, that thus drew him from " retirement" and
placed him in the first Offices within the gift OF
the people--nOt mere snecuTes, where he might
at the same time enrich himself and his family
and smuse his idle hours with visionary theories
OF Philosophy, or in composing panegyrcs on he
reditary governments, or by lampooning in dog.
grel numbers, the Wisest and most unblernished
mOralists OF the country: In discharging the du.
ties of these high and responsible Offices no mat
ter for how short period, II would have been i'm.
possible for him to have concealed the wretched
ignorance which has been imputed to him. If the
fact had been so. AS member OF that conyen-
ton, which was to provide for the people of Ten.
nessee solid foundation upon which to erect tn,
superstructure OF her civil Institutions, he evinced
the same hatred OF aristocracy, and the same de-
yotion TO the principles Of popular govern
ment, which have marked his onward course a,
the immediate representative of the people, he
sluInbering sentinel upon the political watch
tower, and though he moved in silence he watch
ed with sieegiess vigilance, every hostile approach
TO the fame of their liberties As the representa-
tive Of his State in her sovereign capacity, so far
from placing her rights offerings upon the altar
OF federal usurpatiOn he preserved her sovereign
ty unimPaired, and her political character unfair
nished. As a Judge, il ever said even by
his enemies, that he permitted trembling poverty
to suffer from the "prOud mans contumey, and
the oppressor's wrOng|' Has he ever been ac-
cused of permitting justice TO sleep when her pun
ishneDt should have fallen upon the guilty head
Aud cruel they would make him, they have
never dared TO affirm that his ermiue was ever
soiled by the blood OF the innocent I.aboriug UNI
der this total unfiness for civil employment, can
these gentlemen suppose the people of Tennessee
10 have been $50 nefiaby stupid az thus to per-
sist in " bucklng fortune on his back" or that
Mr.. Monroe, real diplomatist, and profound
statesman, should have committed the rights the
interests, and political standing Of these u. States
10 an individual so utterly destitute Of capacity,
and whose moral character, according TO the state
ment Of the Convention, was depraved 20 the last
extreme! After dlscharging the duties Of these
high Offices, 70 the entire satisfaction Of his con-
sttuents, aud with such increasing reputation rs
10 render him the dreaded rival Of John Quincy
Adams, we are called upon Tor the evidences OF
his distinguished talents. They may read them in
nations history: because he shot not &c madly
from his sphere" TO commit some daring act Of
notoriety, it is said that he has LEFT "snge act
no trace behind, which stamps his qualifications
above nediocrty." If you were called upon for
evidences Of the distinguished talents Of our coun-
try's father, that man whose memory must live tlI
liberty virtue, and patriotism die, would you point
10 bis speeches in Congress, aud in the Convention
n-f nj afIf
claim TO 'alents (nnd il was claim never yet con-
troverteC) was founded on something more sub
stantial ihan popular hsranguos, or congressional
declam atom. And if extraordinary vig0ur Of in
teliect quick 90 perceive, accurate in discriminate
ing, ompt i'm decision, and firm in resolve, dis
tingui he'd the &" Military Chieftain," WHO A.
chicytd our Independence, against tue armed
bands Of foreign despotism, we trust that IL will
not Je less successful in preserving il from the
s,o7~, crn-ns ~ i-si'i-rs cnefoarhTcnts Of civil