Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-07-17

Ftem Ne Pe.srss@r Intelligeneer.

m
those principles Of selfrespect which induce honora
bic minds to rspe the ISLANDERS of who perceive
in the ldefenslbc course they have been pursuing
striking evidences OF their own degradation When
we see print ut time confidently predicting that
the election OF a certain individual would be "a
CURsZ upon the country and at another, after this
same individual had been clothed with the charms of
power filling its columns with servie praises to his
name, aud abuse of his opponents ut one time pro |
claiming It's candidate to be but choice of too eps
and at another hailing him almost a guardian
angel of the liberties of the country ut time |
declaring its intention of suspending sentence upon
the cba racter of the present administration until
their measures had been fully developed, and
Their, before, these Developments las contends have
taken place, defending, with the violence of devo-
Ted partzan which strike at the very foundation
upon which rest the permancncy Of the Republic.
We repeat, that, when we see print thus charac-
terized by many deviatons from the paths of prn
cplc, coming forth with such bitter and indiscrim-
nate denunciatons of party--te which we became
attached by unbiased conviction that the interests
at the country would be better subserved by con-
tnuance In power--as did the Richmond Enquirer
OF Friday last, longer forbearance would be
virtue After giving vent 10 It's deep rooted malig
nty towards Mr.. Clay and his friends, in that chasfe
and d.gaifed style, for which it has lately become so
conspicuous, the Enquirer says
No friend OF the liberty of the press contemplate the
present degradation OF the Coalition Presses deepest
loath'ng aud regret"
Mercy us! Who can hear up against so serere
sentence! pronounced, too through the pure and
unbtemished columns OF the Enquirer, lattery the
constant retailer of the ISLANDERS of the Telep aph
the weak and puerile inventions of the Baltimore
Republican, aud the playhouse lobby witticsms of
Its namesake of New York 1t would appear that
the desperation of the Editor of the Enquirer has
Increased with the size Of his sheet. He can no
longer perceive the least shade of purity that class
OF papers which have had the efrontery differ from
hirn an his opinion of an Executive officer, whom he
once openly he'd up the execraon of his country
men-but proponnces Judgnent upon all alike wheth-
er located In his immediate neighborood, scatter
ed>over the broad expanse of the Union. He will |
4 he Slnndpr
IS made to recoil upon its author. He, who can |
dehounee as corrupt proflgate, without ex cepton
prints that have distinguished themselves as warm
advocates OF their colntrys rights whenever those
rights have been IN jeopardy merely because by the
steainess of their course, they may have eclipsed
ms iavorte standard-must prepare to receive, with
the best possible grace, the flood of light which these
denounced prints may be able to shed upon his own
errors and his Inconsistencies. If the Editor of
the Enquirer will place in the hands of one of his
e"fnends OF the liberty of the press file of his own
journal for comparison with any one of these dees
ted "Coalition Presses" and if the 'loathino and
regret of this selected friend not divided between
the two then will we still cherish the opinion we
entertained of his political Course from which we
part with unaffected regret,) when we saw him
sentinel upon the battlements of freedom, guarding
with jealous vigilance, the rights of the People.
Passing over this denunciation (which, as far as
our portion oft is concerned, snail treat with the
contempt 1t deseTves,l we must briefly notice the
complaint of the Enquirer that
"They the Coalition PYeses will not wal, until the ec,,
course of Gen Jackson's Administration fairly deveIoed
Does the Editor ofthe Enquirer wish to induce !
his readers to believe that great and dangerous |
course of action has not been fairly developed, |
Docs lac perceive cause for alarm complaint in
the operations of his favorite work Of reform? Does
he not believe that the system If persevered in will
ultimately destroy all freedom of opinion i'm the pub-
lie officer, as well as IN those who may be seeking
some mark OF Executive favor, and thus as a natu.
raj consequence, dffuse its whitening influence
through all classes of society, and through every
section ofthe country And, seeing all these things
has he any to expect that the people or the
press will remain silent until the evil takes deep root
and effects the purposes for which il was intended
before they ask the permission of the dictatoridL
prints 10 give utterance to their fears? d
The Enquirer knows, though it may affect TO believe
otherwise, that 1t Is not because sot is removed
from Office "a fathless and incompetent agent
told to give way to man of honor and CAPACITY
6r "a defaulter swept from public employment that
the Opposition complaint; but because these dis
qualifications do not appear to enter into the Pres
ideHts of that principle which he saws is go
'egiby Inscribed on the list of Executive duties c
The fact is too self-cvident be deried by any
person possessing the common means of information
that public officers daily put under the bans of
prescription Tor having entertained opinions adverse
TO the elevation of the present Administration. And
yet, the People enjOined TO stay their sentence
and shut their eyes upon the effects of system,
which is a. dangerous to the perpetuty of Republi
canism it has, thus far been partial and vindc
tive In s operations. until the great course of the
Administration has been FAIRLY developed When
ever the Enquirer and the prints in its confidence
can satisfactorily show that removals have been
made for opinions sake and that all the changes
have had the public good solely in view, may expect
TO stop the tide of public opinion which is setting in
so strongly against principle which at present ap
pears odious to all rejecting men. The favorite
siratagem ofthc leading administration presses, Of
crying out Watkins! Watkins! Wotkhsl! whenever
pressed for evidence Of the unworthiness Of the nu-
discarded officers cannot prevail much lon-
ger. Something more will be required than the
mere naked assertions OF the 'oilcal organ.'-
but perhaps, the coalition presses may have erred
10 fan
gled principles of reform. II So it will be an easy
matter for the Enquirer TO correct the error For
this purpose II is challenged to give statement Of
tho number Of persons removed from office who snp-
ported the election of Gen. Jackson with like state
ment OF the number appointed who openly expressed
their preference for his distinguished competitor and
f the result should prove that obvious distinction
bas been made, may then claim for itself the credit
ofhaving removed the main canse Of opposition TO the