Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-07-27
COMMUNICATIONS.
FoR THE WING.
TO ANDREW JACKSON, PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES

|
TO ANDREW JACKSON, PRESIDENT OF
| THE UNITED STATES.
My two last letters relate to subjects that more
properly belong to history than to the transactions
OF the Gay. ihey sorve, however to illustrate your
character, which is generally unders God by tho
Intelligent and rejecting, Il in time the know ledge
OF 1T will reach the huniblcst intellect. Arbitrary
ungovernable temper, consummate deceit and n.y.
pocrcy, low cunning, ignorant illiberal prejudice
insaliats revenge, and unbounded lust of power are
the prominent points OF character sustained alone
at present, by vulgar popularity. But reputation
with no other support must soon pass away. Unless
it be based on the approval of the virtue and good
sense ofthe country, its existence will be but
days date; future times will determine its true va
lue, and that value, will he weighed in other scales
| than those of your ephemeral popularity. The de.
spcabie appeals In your recent MESSAGE, suf.
heently sheW tchere YOU, and your wire-workers
expect to find approval. Most sincerely did wish
that you could obtain the applause of that portion
of your countrynen, hose good opinion is intrin-
scally valuable; the shout, and the huzza, will be
forgotten; but the written testimony of Your rood
| or evil deeds, will reman and il is these which
must stamp your name with inGImy or renown
Your popularity is no mystery to one who looks
into the history of other nations, and reflects upon
human nature Military reputation under all forms
| of government and among all people, has possess
cd decided advantages over every other. There are
two for ts te first is that is more east.
ly understood, and the full value only more ca
silly assigned, but in addition, the people are prone
l.
pie untaught man, who cannot comprehend the OK.
cellence and the merit of statesman or philoso-
pher, like Bacon Chatham, because that excel
lente arises from nOrat attributes, and thereorc
an object of sight Of hearing, can readily place
before his imagination the incidents Of battles, and
| distinctions while those engaged in them become
| demigods in his esteem, when in truth, they may
| have been nothing more than ignorant rufTians-
That man can readily comprehend the services Of
the brave officer, who has been placed at tho head
of body Of troops, Who has exposed his person in
battle and has, by good fortune, and conduct OBJ
tanned victory; but he soc, or understand,
the intellectual spring which has set the army in
motion, and directed when, where, and for what
end, il has been ordered into the feld the motion
ofthe arm is seen, but the voliton, which norves
and directs that arm, is invisible When compared
10 this unseen moral impulse, the soldier is of
no more Importance, than his oV sword or musket
compared to himself The child looks upon the
drummer tho greatest man Of the army, because
he makes the most noise.
The second reason for this popular devotion 70
military fame is, the greater notoriety which it OBJ.
tains. Hundreds may have heard of the achieve
/ ments of Francisco. to whom the name Of Patrick
| Henry is scarcely known g. his transceudant merit
still less understood. There is no spot so out OF
the way, so unfrequented to which the fame of the
warrior will not penetrate. 1t will be tho subject
Of the Preside tale. or the idle defamation Of the
4 noisy politician; II will be the subject of familiar
conversation among those who have scarcely heard
of the most enlightened and patriotic names OF
.ho country, and whose moral influence may
have fixed its fate and character. This is
a melancholy source OF reflection to the patriot
and pbiiosopnc statesman IL was not without rea-
son that our statesmen so apprehensiye of the
danger to our froe institutions from military men,
and no one more oloquently and more prophetical.
~ declared its dangers than Patrick Henry. Whom
| once the popular mind is seized with oxtravapant
admiration Of the military splendor of any one, il
no longer reasons; it binds itself TO him with the
! force of religious faith; nothing can be wrong
| which be does While OF other subjects, the gno.
rant arc content TO lcok 70 thcts Of thsr fellow