Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-08-25
POLITICAL.
From the Political arena.
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA


low Citizens, that Gen. Jackson has been totally
regardless of his own public professions we'll as
tho earnest assurances of his friends, relative to
his own re election, to the appointment of mcmbo-s
Of Congress TO Office, TO his power of sending infe.
rior agents abroad without rcquing the concurrence
Of the Senate; and lastly, to the exercise of cor.
rupting influence the press.
To this list may fairly be added the violation of
the Arguments made by his friends, with his &C
quiescence concerning the tariff, and the right of
tho general government to make roads and canals
for although no and they had made contradictory
engagements on these subjects, and he could not
have fulfilled his implied promise &c YOU concern
ing tho tariff, without breaking that made 10 Penn
sylvania, nor the one concerning roads and canals
without offending Ohio and Kentucky, yet he is
not the less exposed to the imputaton of bad faith
in having made or countenanced such conflicting
engagements; do you fluid it less q matter Of
disappointment and complaint, that in violating his
promise to you, he does not violate it to all. Let
US now pass to the next ground of objection.
I'd. He has removed men from Office not for
isconduct, but for their opinions
Public sentiment in this state, to it's credit, is
moro united in conforming this course of proscrip-
ton, than II is in many of the other states, where
successful parties, in the revolutions to which they
are subject, resort to this mode of rewardng adhe.
ronts and Furnishing advcrsaries; and in the warmth
OF thor sympathies or resentments they become
blind to it's injustice and impocy. Yet even there
tbs condemned by every man of liberal feelings and
sound Judgment. The course is unjust, not only
because no man should be controlled in giving his
vote according to his own convictions OF right but
because, in great majority of instances, those
who thus punished for their adherence to par
ticular cause have been led to espouss that cause
by course of natural, and even virtuous feeling.
Though there was no congcnality of sentiment at
the time OF their appointment, men will be apt to
think those right who have been their bono factors
Every officer too, feeling himself to be part of the
government and TO share in its honor disgrace,
his sympathcs will naturally be the side of the
administration; and the very intercourse which
takes place among Thorn for purposes of business,
tends to cement thom together and to beget in all
or
now administration then to remove men from Office
merely because they adhered TO their predecessors
is TO punish them for acting according the laws
OF thsir nature and some of the best principles of
tho humen heart. The course, too, 10 as mpolitic
es 1t is unjust. Instead of men in office, who must
IN the main be regarded intelligent and rcspccta-
bic, contributing their part TO the free expression of
the public will, they will be forced into a timd and
cautious silence, or be induced 10 regulate their
votes and efforts, not according to their sense of
right, but according to the seeming chances of
cess And if, at any time, they have been tempted
to speak OUT they urged to put their official in
huence and ever other means in requsition by the
severe penalty that attends their failure. Such g
system has the effect of dvertng the minds of men
from what is right to what is successful; and by
encouraging tyranncai spirit in those who confer
appointments and hypocrisy aHd ecrvility iii those
who receive them, II IS e4Ga,j corr;;nting to 10th
parties. u Is by relsonso: these consider 4tions
that such course of proscrptoa has never been
tolerated IN virginia. y
'Hhis fact has bes,n notorious, that ,ha admin.
iSl-atCH ha'e pIuQeniiN lOTl.OrDe 10 ofierC Soul
sense of right by pursuing the proscriptive policy
III iEs state. Ji:.lcss the case of Mr.. King Nor
folk may be tound, full investigation, to be o.
that character. But it has been freely exercised
IN other places, particularly in Washington, anc
thu torbearance Of it towards You, ought not to
make you moro tolerant Of ii when practised upcr
otherg,
A policy, which finds support in two such pow
sertni passions as love of gain and revenge, is o
dangerous example, and cannot be too stronpl,
opposed 1t is sure to meet with friends whereve
there are men, and when once it has become famil
iar by general adoption in the other states it may
gradually find its way into this. Ifthen, my conn
trymen, you value the purity of your institutions
and the independent exercise of the right of ~Suf
iTage, you will resist policy which tends Sc
manitesty to impair them.
But fellow citizens, you arc otherwise interested
III putting down the proscripive policy of Genera
Jackson. Mems passions are sufficiently excite,
by mere difference ofopinion about the Interests
of the country, the merits OF the several candi
dates for their favor; but if you in1ame them etil
further, by setting up the public offices, great
small, to be scrambled for every four years, vol
give to party strife tenold bitterness and erceness
The worst passions ofmen--avarice, ambition, en-
Wy, and revenge will be called into play and infus
ing their poison into the already excitable and fe
versh System of the body polite, the whole fer
ments into one corrupt mass of falsehood, defama
tion and malignity
Does the public, would ask, find any compen
sation for this social pestilence, in the improved
character of its officers? Far from it. Nine times
IN ten II is a loser. For, in the first place. the
man who already holds an Office is likely to under
stand its duties better, and to perform them more
ably than he who is inexperienced; and, in the
next, you have security for the diligence and
good conduct Of one who is retained out OF lib
erality and in consideration of his past services,
that you never can have in the case of him who
receives Office as a political reward. The first
knows that it only by his continuingto discharge
his duty with fidelity and ability, that he can con.
tinue to hold his place; while the latter considers
the Office the reward of incorporate zeal, and
will rely on paying in the same coin for want Of
duty or skill of which he may be guilty. This
may be sufficient compensation to those for whom
1t is intended and whom ne is dependent; bu
it is none TO the people, fof supplanting officer
by another inferior TO him in experience diligence
and fidelity.
x But may be asked in turn, If l would allow d
cSass Of men, who have shewn that their senti-
ments not in accordance with those of d ma
jorty, to engrost all the emoluments of Office and
thus the influence which they derive from the
public to Illustrate the will of the pcople7 My an
swer 10, that, general rulo, would. Officers
created for the nation, and for political par
tizsDs. They can be possessed but by one man in
hundred, and in bestowing them wo should less
than the ninety -nine parts who must do without
it. Their interest is best promoted by that plan
which is most likely to officers of diligence
and fidelity, and have seen that this is best
done by dsrcgarding party attachments altogether.
lie will, if their efforts sufficient for that
purpose when they conceded with the administra-
ton, it will be still less adequate when they arc
a 49, -