Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-06-23


tion; and although they have just been hurled from
their unmerited stations, by an injured and indg
nant people, yet these fatal usurpatons have be-
come so interviewer with the practical administra-
ton of the federal government--haye enlisted so
many local and partial interests i'm their favor that
il is scarcely possible ever completely to eradicate
their fatal effects, and TO restore the Constitution
its original excellence, and pristine purity. The
American people would have been lost to them
selves, to their rights and liberties, and must have
abandoned all pretensions TO capacity for self go
vernment, IT, by the weak, daring, political arti-
fees OF their unworthy, incompetent, videvan,ru-
iers, they had permitted their free, republican
system OF government, 10 be converted into des.
potic, unlimited one.-Hence, in the late contest
for the Presidential Election all the angry passions
OF man were elected put into motion, and actual
Iy incapacitated him from the impartial exercise
Of bis mental faculties. Passion usurped the
throne Of reason; and truth, for time, was seen
to lie PROSTATE at the feet of islsehood. The
cry, interested partizan scribblers, wrote for the
indulgence Of their own passions and for enlsting
on their side the passions of others. Readers be-
came readers, either for their own amusement, or
for the indulgence of their own passions.--The
writer was not impelled by any regard for truth,
nor any design to mpart instruction to others; nor
did the reader condescend 10 read Tor nor M alton,
but for the indulgence OF his own highly excited
feelings. I'm this novel state Of things, both writ
ing & reading became unproductive improbable
equations; hence ,even amidst turbulent passions,
arose the most extraordinary Istlessness nattenton
ioTgetl'1iness ne American people, at the same
time, were buoyed up with the de,usive expecta--
lions OF realizing the unspeakabe blessings OF
perlative wealth and prosperity promised them,
results from the abor,ivc, fantastical schemes for
lettering their condition, and mparing TO the fed
/ eral government, in new national, consolidated
form, incalcuable. advantages, resulting from gilt
| ter, from splendor-from identifying the country
with internal irnprovemenis-from the most
less, extrsvagant imposis, and from the most pro-
| fligate waste of public money What has become
n fhase int AL ft,tr
airy golden projects Where these dreaming vi
sions OF superlative wealth and prosperity -
What the prospects before us Let every farmer,
let every man look TO his condition for replies
So far has this iistessness and forgetfuness been
carried, that it is said official papers laid before
| Congress, have been printed oniy for forms sake;
| at least, not for information 10 the members OF
| Congress. For, except in few instances, they
profess themselves never 10 read these printed
| documents and, in general, know less of their
contents, than their own constituents at a distance.
Hence, the wGsder is lessened, that most learn
ed, continuous, gliitering speeches, should be
made, without the least reference to the docu-
mehts upon which they are founded, and even an
unaccountable iorgetfulness Of the existing laws
| and official documents, has, in several deeply in
ltcrestlng cases, been rendered conspicuous
| Perhaps this remark will apply, in some degree,
to the abortive Panama Congress; but the discus
sion OF the Missouri Question, will be adduced
| as one most conspicuous example--a que siion
which excited so much interest at the time, "a to
shake the Union to its foundation and TO threaten
an actual separation OF the States; when the
! principle upon which that question rested, had
been long since settled. This had been done, both
by legislative Interpretation of the Constitution
in the second session Of the first Congress, and by
another Legislative Interpretation of the Constti
tion on the I'd March. 1901 Extracts there from
will be seen at the end OF this Communication
Ii has occurred TO the writer, that more particu-
| lar retrospect of the important events which have
recently taken place, and the great political prin
ciples which have been brought into view, and "a
vowed by various partZans. would become accept
sble to the American mind, In its present calm
quiescent state; and that greater indulgence and
more pleasure would be derived from bestowing
profound reflection and deliberation upon these
interesting subjects than could be derived from
permitting it to remain longer in its state of Ian
gour, listlessness and observation-disclosures this
impress son, and under the hope Of calling the A
merican people TO profound consideration of SUBJ
jects upon which, not only their own, but the
rights and liberties Of mankind materially depend,
the writer proposes occasionally, during the calm
of Summer, and in the absence of all electonecr-
ing scenes, to select and place before the people
certain great political principles for their consdera-
ton. This task he proposes TO perform under
the head of"Retrospects. 1t is proposed to pre-
sent each point singly, as il may accidentally occur
| without regard to chronology, or any regular
course OF order To prevent the charge of mis-
representation, and to ensure the certainty of facts
solely with the view OF subscribing the cause of
truth, the writer proposes TO make his exhibitions
by compilations, inerspersed with few brief re-
Elections OF his own, so that, if his views should
be mistaken, he will furnish the means for cor.
recting his own aberrations.-The first subject
which shall be presented, will relate to the abor-
tive Panama Congress. To this most eccentric
project, the writer particularly begs the most crit
ical attention of the public. He thinks the SUBJ
ject presents such scene OF ardent, inflated con-
ceptions, and wonderful proceedings the part Of
the cidevant President, and his Secretary of State
that they mist excite the medtaons of all political
economists, IL Tor other purpose than the indui-
gence Of the readers curiosity.
| The Panama Congress.
| Only few days before Mr. Adams retirement
from office, from some inscrutabIe 10 the
writer, he pressed this subject upon the attention
OF the Senate, with view to its publication
The Senate disrelishng the measure, Mr. Adams
forced publication of his instructions 10 his wan
dering Ambassadors, upon his own responsibility
| The writer cannot conceive any motive for this
unprecedented course Of conduct on the part of
| Mr. Adams, unless it arose from having become
enamoured with himself, for the expansive, in
comprehensive wisdom of his conceptions, dis
played in these diplomatic measures and instruc-
TONS Under the influence of sympathetic feel
ings, his pariiZan Editors have triumphanty Iaud.
ed forth these instructions the essence of wis
dom. and oil diplomatic skill; whereas the writer
after the most laborious, impartial examination of
the whole proceedings, is of opinion, that they
display so much Of the fervid, 6elirious efJerves-
ence OF bewdered imagination, and so little OF
the wise results OF sound judgment, as to amount
TO demonstration OF NAL conformation of mind:
at least to all common, practical purposes in hu-
man affairs. They may, indeed, suit the actual
condition Of celestials, not terrestials-Tbev NAV.
indeed, suit the practical condition of the airy
jewellers amongst the clouds-but not of the
substantial sons Of old solid mother Earth One
oil the most singular circumstances however at
tending this proceeding is, that whilst Mr.. Adams
aureat Editors, are roting in their boosted bIan.
dIshments over their antagonists, upon the unfa-
4 nFtah 10 cIa