The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1829-07-30
ADDRESS,

FgLLow. CITizETs-l3aying performed
the duty, entrusted to as by our constitu
ents. in,the selection Of DUrEE J. PEARcE
and TRIsTAm BuRGEs, as candidates tor
representatives to the twenty first Con-
gross, we beg leave to offer, Tor your con-
sideration, few observations on the pre-
sent aspect ofpublic affairs.
By the untoward event Of the last elec :.
ton Of President, a wise and patriotic Chief
Magistrate, TO whose election and admins
tration you had extended your undivided
concurrence and support, was arrested, IN
the full tide Of prosperity which his meas.
ures had secured TO the nation, and, obedI.
ent to the will Of the people, gave place TO
another citizen, who, eminent as he IS by
his military services, is not, for the Office OF
of President, the man Of your choice. You
have acauesced in this unfortunate result,
with that spirit of moderation which, in an
elective government, should induce sub
mission TO the tcit, if not concurrence iD
the yittcs, of majority Of the community !;
and YOU will, we doubt not extend to such
of the measures of The present incumbent
as may be devised and executed IN conform.
ity with the constitution, and for the ad-
vancemcnt Of the public interest, an en-
Here, however, the duty Of acquosccnce
and support must end. Our systemof gov
crnfnent was not conceived, nor can II be
successfully pursued, in tho spirit OF blind
devotion to executive infallibillty. Such a
spirit, if suffered TO prevail, would under.
mine Tho freedom of our institutions, and
produce, IN reality if not in name, that con
centratioD OF power in the hands OF single
person, which we have always been taught
10 fear 81 avoid, as the most hateful despo.
tism. 1t is, then, onr duty, at all times, to
be vigilant and untirng in our scrutiny Of
the measures of the President; and when
ever convinced, by reasonable evidence
that bis measures are wrong, to oppose
them by the constitutional means within
our power. And especially should wo scru-
tinizc his use of the appointing pocer /; tor
II is by the partial and unialthful distribu-
ton Of patronage, chiefly, that designing
President will seek to create, IN the bosom
ofthe nation, q party, attached TO his per.
son, and blndly snbservlent TO his ambitious
views. The patronage Of The federal gov
eminent, dependant, directly or by delega.
tion, upon the will ofthe President, may be
made to increase or diminish in a greater
or smaller degree, the pecuniary or politi,
cal interest Of rnIarY THOUSAND MEN,
scattered throughout the nation, each one
ofthem having frends and relations, ready
10 assist him with their influence, in tho ut
tainmcnt and retention of tho rank and @.
molumcnts Of Office.
Is there no reasonable cause for alarm, In
tho appointments which have signalized
the accession Of tho new President? He
found the Offices at the disposal Of tho exc
cutiyo department already filed, nearly as
they were at tho accession of his prcdeces
sors, by mon, experienced in the duties OF
their respective stations; many OF them
grown grey in the service ofihcir country;
not few Of them bearing the honorable
scars Of wounds, received in two wars, in
the assertion aud defence Of our ndepen.
dence and glory. These mon, whether ia
vorabe. or unfavorabo to the election Of
John Quincy Adams, had been continued
or re appointed by him. While they dis
charged the duties of their Offices with in
lusiry and fidelity, there had been, under
his administration, no inquest as to their
political opinions. They had exercised
with independence, rs we'll as they might,
that unalienabe right oftreemen. the free
dom Of opinion and OF choice What has
beer the conduct of The netc President in
this respect? We blush for freedom and
our country, when we reflect on that "per
version OF the rightful conrse Of appoint
mcnt," which has marked his short career!
We, under heaven, 1--WE still hope a nation
OF freemon, are told, that slavish attach
mcnt 10 the person, and an unhestatng
support of the administration Of General
jackson, be it what il may, nre indispcnsa
Bile recommendations for the Offices, in the
gift ofthc President and his minsters that
opposition to, and even qniet non concur
renee in his election, are valid causes ofro-
movals and appointments, the Ganeial "mN
punish his enemies and reword his friends"
Tho "enemies' OF General Jackson! Who
are his enemies? According to the terms
&c This dcnuncia,ion, more than half a mil
lion Of the fieemen Of America; and you
frcemcp of Rhodc.Island, arc among the
persons, thus in the wantonness OF power
prescribed, because you "dared," yes, tha,
Is the cpithct which his minons have given
TO your exercise of the right Of firage;be
cause you "DAEED" TO vote for John Quip.
cy Adams, in preference 10 Andrew Jack
son,for President ofthc. United States. And
is Il come TO this, in a country whicl, boasts
offrccdcm? Are wc still Americans, and
do we breathe the oir Of liberty? Or arc
cur characters destroyed and our liberties
ex,inguishcd, that q man, elected for only
four years, has thus presumed 20 hold TO us
the language OF a vindictive despot? tits
plainly evident. counting upon his thirty
thousand pensioners for a ra election, he
makes no account cfthe people.
Iftherc were nothing but this pervcrsion
or q the righ,ful course of appsintmen,s'
in the act OF tho President. done or reason
ably apprehended, to which we could OBJ.