Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-06-11

| citizens of our country--it was then that Mr..
Clark left the 'hero's' standard. He prcfer
ed peace and good order to dIscord and con-
fusion -and he had the manly firmness TO say
| so-not in chamber whispers, but openly anu
fairly. But on this as upon all other occasions,
Mr.. Clark expressed his opinion with temper
| ance and moderation nor has the tongue oil
slander ever dared to impufe TO this man sell
fish, sordid. or impure motive in forsaking the
| cause Of ia ckson and the conspirators. The
| indulgence of those motives would have induc-
| ed him either to have remained silent, or have
went with you, the majority, 'to do evil But
| for this modest avowal of his sentiments, and
| for tbs alone, you have at critical Juncture'
| deprived The state of the services OF one OF It's
most useful, experienced and efficient officers
| Nor is this the darkest feature in this case, IN
relation to your conduct. A few days previous
| to the election, you, in writing, requested him
I to say explicitly whether he would or would
not vote for Jackson. Had you considered
him Jacksonite tho question would have been
unnecessary. But you knew he was not-and
had his answer been in the affirmative, and up
| or this pledge you had elected him, all con-
| cerned would have been equally involved in
| guilt and crime you for offering, and Clark
for accepting the bribe. If to escape the diem
| ma, you ovow the design ofoliciting from HIM
a negative answer, this precludes the necessity
| Of asking the question at all--and to have re-
jected him when this negative answer had
I been given, would have discovered species OF
moral dcpravity similar TO that displayed by
Potipbars wife in her charge against Joseph.
His incorruptiblo virtue had near proved his
| ruin; you would have destroyed the man whom
you had in vain attempted to seducc. There
| is but one rational way Of accounting for your
| motives and conduct in relation to Mr.. Clark
| and pity you from my soul when mention
| it fifty years will not throw the mantle of OBJ
lvion Yer this foul transaction. You ap-
preached Mr.. Clark under the treacherous
guise of friendship you held the olive branch
in one hand and concealed dagger in the 9TH
! er You offer HIM a brbe 10 corrupt him,
without any view Of Guillng your promise or
| Of bestowIng the expected reward. You had
| marked you victim for destruction, and were
determined if possible to make him :he author
Of his own ruin; the better way, you thought,
TO prevent the operation of public sympathy,
and to overthrow his character and influence
and this, you lost all regird for your own
cbara cters you abandoned all principles of
morality and justice. The divine adage, lead
us not into temptation was unEecdcd by you,
and the denunciation, cursed is he that pre-
scn,s the cup to his neighbours lips was. in
like manner, passed by with reckless indler-
encc. And for what purpose did You make this
mighty sacrlHcc OF conscience, TcUHon anu
morality? Why did you eventually immediate an
man, faithtll servant, a consistent rcpuhlI-
can, that YOU found too wise to be cnsuarGd,
and too honest to be corrupted? II was rot
from personal dislike this man had no person.
al enemies. No, 1t was because you had, at
the insi igation ofthe conspirators at Washing
ton city, voluntarily chaineL Yourselves to the
car Of the military chieftan,' and still coa'in-
nc in the harness, and like tho s,ecds of Phr-
ton Uhc Jackson OF fabulous history you have
taken tho bit in your teeth, and are plungng
on 10 your own ruin, and that OF your coun-
try.
And will nothing, gentlemen, arrest your
mad, wild and desperate career? Let nc con-
juse you to hold in moment, while | attempt
to reason with you. Suppose you should sue
cecd, by the unrghteous means adopted, in
the cle"iion of General Jackson suppose fur
= thcr (anl it is what you wish, and somo o!
your leading prints have avowcd it) that you
ciact tho rejection of our present mild, in,clli-
gent and peace loving governor, and substitute
one of your own choosing, of he real JacliSon
, stump, who can 'look. with complacency Oh
scenes Of blood, and carnage in and out Of
oar capols, and courts of Justice and that
: yoa secure the whole patronage ofthe cener-
f al and state governments. Suppose all this
for Il inoiacnt--will you the sleep on beds of
followed by others, Will not the same means
s by which you shall have obtained power, be
rosofcd to by other iaciionIsis? And will not
you be ANNOYED and disturbed IN the possession
of your Ill acquired power and patrona ge? Have
YOU no. read, that the dagger OF CdHppuUde-
signed for tho heart of another, drank tho
blood Of his own-and that the inventor of the
suo inc was made head shorter by the very
ma ch nc he designed for the erciusipe use OF
others,
In your struggle to obtain Office and power,
and 10 eject those in possession, you VIII have
, furnished The Instruments Of self destruction.
When you attain your object, will yon, hercaf-
ter, when prescribed, denounced and accused,
condemned without, or against evidence will
> you, for yourselves, dare 10 invoke the Just ice
you have cruelty withheld and are still with
holding from olhers' Rely on il, there will be
no mistakc--' with whatsoever measure you
meet, tho same shall be measured to you
again Encouraged by your success, and for
titled by your example, the measure Of retri-
; buiive justice will be hurled upon your heads
With rcdoublod force and violence.
The government, gentlemen, can only be
sustained by perscvering mutual confidence be-
tween the people and their rulers and by the
exercise of charity, iorjeirancc, MODERATION
and good will among ourselves. These are
the political ana moral ligatures that bind us
together as ono people; and those you seem
determined TO cut asunder. regardless OF all
consequences. | am anxious. gentlemen, that
you should think seriously upon these lmpor-
tant subjects, aud take a retrospective view Of
your past conduct. III have, by the honest
freedom Of my remarks, given you offence.
regret sincerely the occasion shat has render
cd them necessary; and desire ,on 10 bear
carefully in mind, that have, so FAR. acted
only on the defensive"
THE SCHOOL MASTER