Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1829-07-24

| o. JSo'o, CfCtJ vi ma
tioh mas been postponed in the compare
tVeiy inferior concern o. choosing Pre-
s!dent. The national legislature, forget
ing It's appointment to watch over the ge-
neral veal, has wasted, and worse than
wasted ITS annual sessions in intrigues for
the advancement of rival candidates. The
most important measures have been dis
cussed and decided, no, with reference to
the country, but chiefly according to their
bearings upon what has been called the
PRESIDENTIAL election. So sadly have we
wanted the. selt-respect which belongs to
ireemen! In these disgraceful transactions.
III this shameful excitement spread through
| inc community, we have not drunk as
| deep'y as we imagine of the lofty spirit of
liberty. In proportion as people become
| Tree, IN proportion as public sentiment
reiSns, office ceases to be a distinction.
political ambition expires, the prizes of
political ambition are withdrawn, the self
respect OF the people preserves it from
boWing to favorItes or to idols. Willis,
Is the characteristic Of despotism, that
the ruler is every thing and the people
comparatively nothing, the reverse is the
grand distinction of free state. This
distinction we have vet to learn: and if
cannot be learned too thoroughly. Unless
we are preserved by a Just selcrespect
from dividing into factions for the eleva-
tion OF leaders, we shall hold our union
and our rights by very uncertain tenure,
Better were 1t to choose President by lot
rom hundred names, to which each state
snail contribute its fair proportion, than
repeat the degrading struggle through
"nI ., we nave recently passed.
| we close this topic by enireating our
chizens 20 remember the great argument
IN FAVOR Of a hereditary monarchy. 1t
may be expressed in a few words: "The
highest office in a nation" says the mon
archIst, Fought to be hereditary, because
1t Is an object too dazzling and exciting to
be held up for competition. Such prize
offered to the aspiring must inhame to
madness the lust of power, and engender
perpetual strife. Apeople having such a
gilt to bestow, will be exposed to perpetu-
ual arts and Vaccinations. Its passions
will never be allowed to sleep Factions,
headed by popular chiefs and cxasperated
by conflict, will at length resort to force.
and in the storms which will follow, the
Constitution will be Frustrated, and the
supreme power be the prey of a success
full usurper. The peace and stability of a
nation demand, that the supreme power
should be placed above rivalry, and beyond
the hopes of ambition, and this can only
be done by making it hereditary" Such
is the grand argument in favor Of monar-
chy. AS people we have done too much
to confirm 1t. 1t is time that we prove our
selves more loyal to freedom. We shall
DO well to remember that a republic, bro
ken into parties which have the chief ma
gistracy TOR their aim, and thrown into
perpetual agitation by the rivalry of pop
ular leaders, IS lending mournful testi-
mony to the reasonings of monarchis,s,
and accelerating the fulflment of their
sinister forebodings
| Much remains to be said Of the means
OF perpetuatiDg the Union, and of the dan
gers TO which it is exposed. But we want
time to prosecute the subject. The iniu-
rIes with which the confederation is me-
naced by party spirit, and a sectional spi-
rIt, are too obvious to need exposition.
The Importance OF a national literature to
our Union anu honor, deserves particular
consideration. But the topic is too great
ioi our present limits, and we reserve 1t for
future discussion.
We intended TO close this article with
some remarks on the conduct Of the diff
le' mt parties in this country, in relation
20 the Union, for the purpose of showing
that all have occasionally been wanting
IN fidelity to it, But the subject would ne
cessarlly expand itself beyond the space
allowed us. Still we cannot wholly abaD-
don 1t. One brauch Of it is particularly re-
commended to US by the correspondence
at the head of this review. The merits or
dement's OF the Federal party in respect to
our Union, seem TO be, In a measure, fore
, ed upon our consideration: and we are the
more willing to give few thoughts to the
topic, because we think We understand it
and because we trust we can treat it dis
passlonately Our attachment to this par.
W we have no desire to conceal but oul
ideas OF allegiance due to our party are
exceedingly liberal We claim the priyi
lege Of censuriDg those with whom we
generally agree and we Indignantly dis
claim the obligation Of jusuGyiDg the mas.
whatever they may please to do. OF the
FederaliSts, therefore, we shall speak free
ly. We have no desire to hide what we
deem to be their errors. They belong
now to history, and the only question is
how their history may be made most use.
iul to their country and to the cause OF
freedom. Before we proceed, however,
@e beg to remark, that in this, as in eyery
otherPart of the present review, we write
from our own convictions alone, that we
hold no communication with political
leaders, and that we are far from being