Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-21
Tte Constitutional 2gIDiD.
Saturday Erentsss. Ee1. is.
A Recipe to make "pubic opinion"

A Recipe to make "pubic opinion"
Mr.. Van Buren, being rejected, and the time be.
ing though suspicious to push his Presidential
pretensions the first step is to get up u popular
excitement IN his favor. This Is u very simple
matter. Let any one person who has attached his
future hope ofpreiermcnt to the kite of the Dutch
man foruncs-who would like to be Judge or a
mnistcr-so himself quietly by his fresidc, and
trrite for the Enquirer. Let him sign one piece
Cato-anothcr Crito-another Cicero-another
Plato-occupymg all the signatures mcritorous in
themselves, and therefore somewhat imposing 10
the multitude. Let him date Cato at Albemarle-
Critic in Standardization at Halfax-Plato in
Washington-so as to cover all the strong points
nf the Commonwealth A "voicc from Spottsyl.
vania'' or Orange will help-and the more the bet
tcr-and as said writer is supposed to have learn
cd leisure, and is stimulated on one side, by
knowledge Of the sweets Of office, and tho other
by expectations ofincreasmg and prolonging those
sweets, ho has the means and the ,notire, to null
tiply his voices, Catos Crtos, Ciceros, and Patos
ud infinitum. word as TO the ingredients. Make
them bitter. Elegance of style, beauty of classic
allusion, refinement of wit, pungoncy of satyrc,
are needless. BE abusire-bo personal-that is all
the secret. Throw explosives at Henry Clay
squirt frothy adjectives at John C.. Cahoun-heap
opprobrious epithcts upon Webster-(an acquaint.
ance with James River boatmcn, will supply CO.
pious and inexhaustibo funds Of Billingsgate.)
This is all that is required. The thing is done.
You have the indication of public opinion.
Let us sec how this will work, Gas it is intend
ed to work. distance. We will suppose that
tho Richmond Enquirer arrives at Washington, TO
the address of that interchangeable officer, the Trca-
surer ofthc U. States. He sees Cato, Critic, Plato
and Cicero, dated hithcr and thither, over the
broad face of the Ancient Dominion. He hast
ems to the Palace. and having the entire at
all hours, rushes in peasurable agitation,
into the presence of the Hero, who happens
at the moment, to DO engaged in discussing
the relative talents Of Clay and Calhoun, with
Kenda and Lewis. Convinced from his beaming
physiognomy, that ho is the bearer of glad tidngs
rather unusual of ate-thc two eagerly demand
the news. "Virgnia is in motion-in arms
With voice, she resents the rejection of Van
Buren,, and isprepared to sustain him for the Vice
Presidency" Kendall posts off to indite line
bearing the pleasing intelligence,te Shadrach Penn
and the Argus. Lewis retires into the bed cham
Der, to commune with Noah, and Capt. Harding
of the Pennsylvania Inquirer. Thus left tete
tste the Hero and the Treasurer hold sweet dis
course on divers subjects, which would exceeding
ly interest the reader if VIC only had tho time to
detail it.
The Enquirer gots to Baltimore, and the Re-
publican the next morning speaks thus:
''Virgina. Considerable excitement appears TO
prevail in this noble old State at the rejection of
Mr.. Van Buren,. The people will avenge a wrong
cd statesman, and the President of their CHOICE in
suited by the triumvrate in the Senate"
Arrived at Philadelphia, the Inquirer says:
'sVirginia. Tho greatest excitcment prevails in
the land of the Jehersons and Madsons, at the re-
lection Of Mr. Van Buren,. To that ancient Com
monwcath, we over look for honorable and cor
rect political feeling"
We next got to New York, where the Richmond
Enquirer with Cato, Critic, and the rest, falling in
to the hands of our friend Noah, that facetious ct
gen pens paragraph for the Courier d Enquirer, in
his best mendacious style. "TREMENDoUs excite
ment in Virginia. Agitatod and indignant as the
people are every where at the unparalleled out
rage o ffered our venerable President in the recc-
ton of his minister, the commotion in the great
State OF Virginia appears greater than even in N.
York. That faithful exponent of public opinion,
the Richmond Enquirer, groans under the load of
the patriotic indignation of the of the Old
Dominion. Meetings have been held in 70 coun-
ties, at all of which Webster, Clay, and Calhoun
were denounced in strong language, and the Old
Hero and Van Buren, sustained. Forty papers-of
which we have only room to mention t,co, the Sen
tinel of the Valley and Winchester Virginian-
have placed the name Of Van Buren, in tho mast
head, as Vice President"
Thus we go, reader. Behold tho recipe for maxi
ing "Public opinion Upon evidence like this,
Virginia is regarded in other States, as agitated to
her centre, at the rejection of the Hero of Kinder
hook; and as her opinions have influence, the inn
preston is realizing its truth, in other States