Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-04-01
Extract Of q letter from a gentleman in Wash
ingfon to aJiicnd on the South side Of James


ingfon to aJricnd on the South side Of James
Rirer
WASHINGTON, March 20, ls2S-FTiday.
'Jhy Dear Sir IL have this moment read, and
with no small degree oil surprise, your letter OF the
9th. Before / read il, L could not have deemed
1t possible, that man possessing the tythe of your
understanding could have imputed to me the fol-
ly, as we'll as the malignity of attacking, wanton-
ly, and personally, our good friends VIM. ID. and
Z. j.. or any body else, but those whom have
attacked, in a manner not to be misunderstood by
friend or foe and if that sagacious gentleman, the
Public, Will do me the favour to take the plain inn
port OF my words, without looking for latent sub
tie and Interior meanings, that they were never
lntended TO convey, it wilibe nearly impossible
Tor him to misunderstood me, to misnterpret
the words OF Euclid when he describes equi-
lateral triangle upon given finite straight line.
Look at Hogarths election. Is it satire upon
this or that candidate, or freebooter, When,
therefore, speak of the Ermine OF Justice reek-
ing with the fumes of whskey and tobacco do
not mean to iInpute, even to Messrs. b. and c., |
who are the immediate objects of my recrimina- |
ton, and with whose habits am entirely unac
9uah.eq, any propensity to excess OF any sort ex
II not necessary consequences of bringing the Err
mine into contact with the impurities OF an cleo
ton, and the defiement which il must incur if the
wearer, losing sight of what is due to the priest
hood OF Justice, descends from the high dignity of
ms junction to the level OF eectioneerng par
tizan. You will see this sentiment embodied by
me twenty-four years ago, in an article ofimpeach
ment against Judge, second to none for ability
mat has ever sat upon the Bench of the Supreme
Court; adorned as ii has been by Jay, and it
is, by Marshall. My opinions upon the subject of
seI-created Conventions and bodies usurping, or
attempting to usurP, or TO encroach upon, the
functions oil the government or TO infiamc and mis-
lead the people; you may pourtrayedin a let
| ter written by me to Mr.. Chapman johnson, the
craftsman of the Adams Convention, eleven years
ago.
My opinions are notof first impression, taken up
on the spur Of the occasion; to serve turn. They
are principles, which have been formed, and have
grown, and have been matured and incorporated
INTO my very nature, of which they constitute the
best part. And shall not now compromise the
least OF them, even to insure what have most at
heart OF all attanable public Objects the election
OF Gen. Jackson. When drew the sword against
the Coalition, and threw away the scabbard, i
counted upon drawing upon me the fire of all their
fTdiHeurs and vOitigetus and light troops, as well
as the shock of their whole phalanX of corruption
which moves as one man" breathing united
| iorce, with fixed thought" from Sagadaock to
Attakapas. This forlorn hope i selected as the
post OF honour not from fool-hardiness, but with
cool estimate of the risk to be incurred, and
zeal for the service that sets all dangers at nought
did expect somewhat more of support than
have met with on the floor of Congress, and from
the Press that part of it mean that is not in the
enemies pay. But confidently looked forward
ana IN this reliance have not been disappointed,
to Jealous cooperation the part of my fellow
stockholders-the People who, hoping nothing,
expecting nothing, and fearing nothing from the
President, Directors, Cashiers and Tellers, have
an interest In keeping down, as low possible, all
their squanderings OF our substance, upon one an
other, tor this plain reason; that every dollar I'M
necessarily expended by them, upon no matter
what specious purposes and pretexts, is so much
taken out OF our dvidend-out of the profits of our
stock. know how easy it is to bear with forti-
tude the misfortunes of other people, and to be
generous at our neighbour expense. know that
nothing Anglers men more Gt is, indeed, highly
1 and alInt fr ta 10.
their rage)-than that you should take of your
estators wards estate, instead of letting them
plumber tor that you should be unreasonable
as TO keep your money, or spend it yourself upon
your own purposes instead of letting them, under
whatever pretext of charity, religion or lberality
spend it themselves For, so long as you give it
away you are fine open-hearted free spirited mo
BILE fellow until il is all gone-and then you may
see, as If in mirror (uelItS IN specuiO) what you
are, in the cold, ayerted eye of all your former
| acquaintance.
Liberality too, of the peoples moncy,is so cheap
a mode OF being generous, that (after voting it
way in donatives and in satisfaction of pretended
claims, settled" upon principles of equity by
special tribunals got up for the express purpose Of
I passing them; and at the time of saving APP
pearances)--itis ten TO one but your turn at
last; and you finger your share OF the treasure,
| which you have so literally and magnanimously
transferred to those, who give you their votes
III return.
should have been altogether disappointed and
not little mortified,if had not drawn down upon
myself, the united wrath of the Coalition | should
have thought myself defrauded ofmy dues if had
not encountered the full fury of their unhoy zeal;
or rather, should have sat down under the mort-
Tying consciousness, that 1 had not earned my
wages for to him that does earn them by faith
fui discharge of his duty 10 his country they will
most assuredly be paid. know that there is way
OF doing these things, with much ofthe suGuiteT
IN DlodO as to disaTm Tesentment-but it is by
exciting it. would be perfect if could would
unite in my own person, if it were practicable,
| the most discordant qualities, and become " some
faultless monster that the world ne er saw" But,
| as this is beyond my power, must say TO my
friends I" preIldS moi tel que je Stis"-Take me
! such as l am--take me leave me-Do not
/ be so childish as TO expect incompatible quail
! tiles in the same character-and while you
reap the benefit Of the one, grumble that you can
not at the same time enjoy the pleasantness Of the
I 9th err
| To those who are subject TO severe fits fmode-
rati on and candour, ! would recommend two con-
sderations first that our Notable Presidents of the
Richmond Conventions have subjected themselves
TO Indictment, or action for libel; and that Judges
OF our highest court of law aud equity would look
awkwardly under conviction, or even Indictment
! for libel
! Secondly, the offended friends OF one Of them,
would venture TO remind, that Col. Samuel Jordan
Cabell, (son of old Col Will. Cabell of Union HID
who had fought in the war Of our Independence,
and with whom I had the pleasure TO serve in
Congress, was, at the inflanmatOry insigation Of
a federal associate Judge Of the Supreme Court,
/ who gave the Sedition Law in charge TO the Grand
/ Jury at Richmond, presented under that law, for
q circular letter 10 his constituents Of Amherst,
/ fold AmhersD Aibemarle and Fluvannab: In other
I words, for giving an account Of his Stewardship
TO the people, whose servant he was. This pass