Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-03-11

"NPe so"'' su" '""S"Is super oihia b-Ei5-
"Intcnccns palmas, Pro dirs Barbara fac,s
"Pro crudelis, all mandate PARENTS
''Cun' lacrymis moveye pills. cura sororis,
Nee mea ViFsintas, nee coujusiara jna'
COMMA tur,asi. pelex ego ilcta soTor:
"fu scmins coniuT. Non hare mihi deba poen1
owe some apology to the reader, who may not nm
derstand it, for tins long qIoaton, bat the reader
who shall understand it, Will not be, ut all at loss
10 discover Its force and application. What answer
Chartres make? Not the gold of Peru redeem
his character, the streams of the Gangcs wash
away its pollution He has been banshcd by gen
people from the crilites of social intercourse
and yet by administration he is considered worthy
of Office Is not this insult offered to the moral
feelings oftiie community VIII it be asked, What
has the private vices or do with their fitness for
otiicca" Much; were it but for the sake of example,
When boy. great master in politics taught me this
maxim, There 10 better rule, by which to form
an opinion of mans fitness for public trust, than
by observing his. common c"nduc' IN private life -
That master DemOstheneS, whose renown will.
perhaps, not suffer dsparagement by comparison
with that of come o the members of the present adj
TRinistration. Shall the Senate of the u States be
asked to sanction the appointment of such men?
Shall moral people be asked to approve it? When
Cesar ovcrcame his opponents, he endea vourcd to
reconcile them to their fate by temperate use of his
Success and the ildness and clemency of his bea ring
towards them, and no! by an lndscrImnate proscrlp
zion of ALL whether vlrtuo''s or vicious, who had
sisted him Il was for such 'uan as Otho to perse-
cute his fallen enemies, and reward his vicious and
profgate dependents the expense If his country.
In looking into the catalogue of the late appoint
ments is naturally led to ask the question, For
what public servIces-ior what privare virtues, have
many these been elevated TO ofii,eP But fat
teers and parishes, must be rewarded for in
the election
90 "qu in,crGrerant 1ui vere qui
'(also, puchrum memorable facinus iactabaut
Sab aqua norabem lila die opeam Vi,ciiue pos,ea invent
"Aliun credens senatum, alum popuIum'-TAc.
Among the candidates for appointment none have
Il 81,
ed their former friends became spies. informers and
calumnlators against them. The desolati0n hlch
has been spread among the unfortunate, has been
embttered by the elevation, in many instances Of
ruined rakes, prol!gate sycophants TO ell heir
places. In former times the honest yeomanry of this
country regarded an Office held under the govern
rnent, atfording some evidence of respectaby;
but at least extent, tie inferior grades of
civil officers, looked upon the mere verrnin who
feeduPon the treasuryas the mental slaves of the de-
;,artments which they serve without the freedom of
speech or action. The opin is beginning spread
to some extent that unlimited submission, and the
render of the rights of feemen, is the condition upon
which appointments made, and those only will
ceiVe appointments who will submit to degradation
This sentim like the cancer in the body, will spread
till its ramfcations extend to the whole country, and
the consequence will be, that mon of honour and n>
tegrity will decline the acceptance of Offices, which
are debased in public opinion and bring disgrace upon
those who fill them. The people sometimes urged by
passion, and mised by intrigue, do injustice to ndivd
nails, but il is Illuminating to liberia! mind the
Chief Magistrate of the nation, engaged in 4 petty
warfare of pique Snd resentment aud when the pop
ular favour has given him "the fortune of Agamem-
non acting the part of Thersites." Before General
Jacksons election, he proeSsed himself to b the adj
of principles din ectly the reverse fthose which
he has pursued in his Administrations In which has lie
erred, IN his principles his practice? IF man avow
principles which liberal, just and patriotic, and in
his conduct depar from them, what motives are we
TO ascrbe his practice? may sometimes find an
excuse in the benevolence and humanity of his inten
ton, for departure from the rgour of principle, but
here the order is reversed Nay not say
General jackson, he has lately said to Mr.. Calhoun
"heTetofore we did not know you, but we know sou
now"
Whittier do these things tend? To the corruption
of our nstitutons-o lessen the respect of the people
for the excellence of our government-to make the
administration mere machine of intrigue and decep-
tonic raise vice, and depress virtue, level with
iand to overurn all distinctions but those of party.
Though much has been done of late, TO dcmoralze
the people of this country, their moral is yet
eXtingushed, and we may yet look forward with hope,
for regeneration Of beraty and patriotism integrity
and virtue. The weakness of this administration must
tend to its own destruction, and produce a change
which the opposition could have effected. With
respect to several of their avourite schemes their
friends have been obliged oppose them. They have
dsarmed their asprants and added vigor and strength
and numbers to the opposition. The progress Of opin-
ion is against them, and the time is approaching for
their overthrow, and in this still entertain hopes
for the country PHiLODEMUS.