Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-09-01

by the same soft OF material, 10 mako tho Same vi
client explosion, alarming to those 1t touches, and
ridiculous TO all besides.
The character them of tho present Cabinet, sup
posing it to deserve all that the friends of the adj
;uistration say of it, and ten times more, affords
no more security that Gen. jackson will not be
guided by evil councils than the iatc Cabinet: for
they stand 10 higher in his estimation than their
predecessors and though they stand higher now,
we can't be sure assaublc he is, and assaulted as
he certainly will be- that they will So stand ono or
two years hence.
have now fellow citizens, finished the first part
of my task | have said enough to satisfy the
mos, sccptical that Gen. jackson has not proved
himself the man which the greater part of YOU
generously yavc him credit for. Addressing myself
TO your understanding rather than your passions,
referring Only TO facts of general notorictv, and
cndeayoIng neither to misrcpresent nor cNagger-
ate have shcwn that Gen. Jackson has violated
the plchr.s either expressed or implied, which he
had given to the nation before he was elected, iii
being a candidate for Il second tcrm--in appoint
ing members of Congress to Office, and greater
number than any of his prcdoc in doing more
to buy up the press than done before
in removing experienced and faithful officers,
for no other reason than they had voted Tor
tho administration under which they had ser
vcd--thut he has huublod the independent
spirit OF the nation at the footstool OF British
power-.hat he has made himself party III the
private quarros of his favorites, and used his Off
cial power to crafty these petty resentmcnts-and
that Inc has suffered himself to be guided i'll his adj
mnistration, not by his constitutional advisers, but
by obscure without responsibility and even
OF tainted morals, who have brought disgrace on
hmsclfand through him on the nation.
If [ chose to enter dcbacablc ground, it
would be easy enlarge this list of Gen. Jacksons
violations of duty proprcty. l might refer to
his arrogant course pursued towards Nr. Calhoun
Tor having many years before, questioned the legal
~ of his conduct i'll the Seminole war, though that
gentleman had been easily pursuaded 10 withdraw
his opposition, and had been his steady friend cv
since; to his indecent zeal for the conviction of
Judge Peck; TO his undignifed intermcddling with
the Cherokee agents for the purpose of dsappoint-
ing their counsel of their fees; to his countenancc
of the deception that practiscd on the Ameri-
people to the of the resignation of his
cabinet; and to his lending his name and influence
to the scheme of Treasury Bank, we'll calcu-
lated, and doubt intended by its trainers, to give
corrupting influence to the government. have
desstcd however from these topics, because there
room for diversity of opinion concerning
them, either as to fact principles and have con-
fined myself 10 the acts, about which Nirgnians
looking only to the interest and honor OF their
country, could not materially differ.
am aware that allowance must be made for the
! reluctance it'll which men admit they have been
mistaken, especially where the acknowledgment of
this error may afford triumph to their adverse
ries. 1t is this pride of opinion which makes ma
ny late supporter of the administration refrain
|
mprcsses all with delusive notions of popularity.
But beg them who thus halt between their pride
and patriotism, to recoect their original opinion
of Gen. Jackson; that the bare supposition of one
becoming President of the United States who was so
little fitted for it by talents, temper, education,
at first treated with general ridcule and that
at the time he received the vote of Virginia, he
was pronounced in language of more frankness
than courtesy, to be ga choice of evils, and that
the hest qualification he possessed in this State was
/ hat of rtIn Mr. oflir bn
has effected this purpose, earnestly desired by
you, and for which he has received his appropr-
ate reward, be consistent with yourselves, and pun
ish the disregard of your wishes in him. which
you punished in his predeccssor-or rather punish
him net merely for what you ccnsured in Mr. A.
dams, but :ar the far greater and more numerous
transgressons OF us own.
! The time has been When Virginia was among the
quickest to discern and the most reward 10 speak
whenever the public interests national honor
were put in hazard. Not even Washington, her
pride and boast, when invested with the dignity of
chief magistrate, could prevent her expressing
iety and doubt about the policy ofsome OF his
sures. She feared that some of his cabinet favored
the consolidation of the states, and she prompt
and decisive in her endeavours TO counteract them.
She doubted the proprety of compromising the
i aZoo fraud and she fully said But OF late
years she had none of the ardent patriotism,
and she seems to have given up the labor and duty
of thinking for herself TO few shallow editors and
the politicians who guide them. Is it that she is
stated with her past honors, and since her dis
tngulshed sons have ceased to fill the presidential
chair she take less interest in the measures of the
general government or has she degeneratcd, and
as her iustrous sons have disappeared from the
stage oflife, silently sinking into the tomb,
nave none of the present generation their patriotic
devotion, and have they not the talents to make
themselves heard and felt by the nation? ] will
s"t readily believe this, but will expect, until
have melancholy experience TO the contrary that
the same enlightened love Of county which ANNA
ted the bosoms Of your forcfathers, Fellow citizens,
still burns in your own. Believing, in that case,
! that you Will discard Gen. Jackson, 1 shall in my
next number, offer you my opinions of the course
! You ought then to pursue. WYTHE.