Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-07-28
For THE WING.
NO. IL.
Mr.. Thomas Richie:

IL.
Mr.. ThOmGs Richie:
SIR: owe you apology for my silence: it will
DC found In the declaration that no want of
for you be assured, caused it,
n public journal derives its support from the rea
sonable and Just expectation that the people will be
honestly informed, through it's columns, of passing
events; and moro especially, that they shall be put
III possession of all things connected with the adj
mInlstration of their own government That as
the very existence of the Republic depends mon
the diffusion of truth well in relation to men as
to measures, and truth can only be circuloted
through the press, so the Editor who will either
suppress truth, or assert lsehood for the purpose
OF serving himself, others, is faithess to his nm
dertaklng, and troacherous to the people How far
tins remark may apply to YOURSELF | shall not now
StoP TO nqulre 1T may appear in the sequel However
inconsistent you may have been with YOURSELF
however va" Bmenetic may have been your para
graphs; however pal pable it may be, that you have
over and over again changed your principles both
In regard to men and measures; whatever NAV have
been the war which you have been carryinp on
against political truths, ALL all could have been endu
req, and even forgiven, but for crime which you
nave superadded: you hare eRdenpoured to EeeD
your readers IN the dark, when they nave looked to
you atone for light upon measures deemed vital to
inc rest interest OF the people and the country.
on have done this, too, under circumstances
which deeply aggravate the offence and constitute
1T Il crime. GU have aided much in causino the
present state of public feeling: beware how Won in
crease It, Who in France, during the reign of
excuses which
followed, until they actually Gamer Who. in that
devoted country, ever believed that a Robe sphere
canton, or Il Marat, would have risen from the
flames OF faction? Believe me, sir, that human
nature Is the same every where, however IL may
nave been bent, and put INTO apparently new forms
by the influence of society and education: II is
etasuc, and when once the angry passions are ex-
clted and untramelled, it flies back into its original
crude shape, alike deaf to the elouuence of arru.
inent the dictates of reason, and the mandate of
law You have made the people of Virginia be-
ucve, that the tariff laws are daring invasions Of
the Constitution, prompted by the most unworthv
motives; you have made them believe that they ire
equally lmPolitio and unjust. The good sense Of the
Iand, under the guidance Of the sarcs Of the Re
pubic, has been converted into your antipcdcs
upon the first ground, and the force Of facts which
even yoH dare not deny, has left you without an
argument TO sustain yourself upon the other; vet
you still continue to max g assertions, which YOU
cannot maintain, upon both; the effect of which
y mt desigHed must he to keep up an excitement
pregnant with every danger You recommend q
convention, and for what7 TO concert such mes
sures as will enable the Anti Tariff PARTY 10 make
"a tong pull, sfroHg pull, and n pull aifogefher.p
feTmt me, sir, TO put 70 you a sober question:
w nat g0od is likely TO grow out of a convention
} VIII moi ask you what eUiLs might ensue because
mat is question, too big NTH mighty consequences
LOT wiser men than you TO answer. If a vast ma
lority OF the people, by their representatives in
congress, have, over and over again declared their
determination not 70 abandon the protection of