Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-21

hi entertained great respect for his character and
grautuuo Tor his services, though they We're unable
to see the abuses he so cloquently deplor.d we,a
induced 10y his rcpresenta atoms boliove in thor
existence. They did not, it is truo, ribo Thorn
to the msmana gcmcnt Of the existing Admin i,tra
ton, believing them cocval with the government
and sanctioned by time. Though they obcetcd 10
The instrument by which reformation was to bo
wrought they nevertheless looked forward to that
reformation with pleasure. Under the influence of
such feelings, it not STANCE that they should
generally, though silently, acqucsco in tho choice
of those whom they considered equally wise with
themselves General Jackson then, may be said to
have gone into Office with tho almost unanimous
good wishes of his eoun,rymcn. Could any ono
have been so blinded by personal hostility, as to
wish him To forfeit those aspirations at the expense
OF his country, their desires could not have been
more comrlely gratified. In the very face of his
declaration against the appointment of members of
congress, he proceeded TO appoint more than any
tnree OIL his predecessors 1t is not pretended that
the new appointccs were better qualified than tho
incumbonts. They had seldom done any thing to
mcr;. prescription. Their dismissal proceeded alone
from tho will of the President. .Quod pacuit
pr'ncri hobct vigorem lcgis." Such the sla-
wish doctrine OF the civil lava principle transfu-
scd Gone would Think too soon into tho veins of
our young and vigorous constitution.
No sentiment has fully met tho approba-
ton OF the people, as that with regard TO the inca
pacity OF President for election after having
served one term. Its advantages are too obvious
not to strike the view at oncc too palpablo to re-.
quire illustration here. All the promises combined
VI inc EreSlucnt, went but little way towards hS
election, compared to this sentiment of paramount
Importance. 1t was the motto of his party-tho
banner under which they marched to victory. -
may well be doubted whether the battle of .hc So
contributed more powerfully TO his elevation. WIFI
posterity believe that this disnterested patriot
this modern Cincinnatus-this assemblagc of alb
virtues and all talcns-this concentration of air
that is great and glorious-ths paragon of virtue
this phGnix of consstency-ths model of puri-
ty, whose character is said to be above censurc,.
and whose conduct is not within the reach of
picon, should, within three short years, have un-
aergone so great a change, as To be himself tho
nrst man to set his own doctrines at defiance? !!
VIM 1t be thought possible, that the author of such
sentiment, should afterwards, when he found it
operating against himself, condescend to pater it'll
the publc--to feel the pulse Of the multitudc-to
take shelter from the Indignation of honest men,
| under the indispensabilty of his presence to the
safety of the Constitution? Alas to the disgrace
| OF humanity, such arc but too common.
Those who have read oc the mild virtues which
| distinguished the youth of Nero centrasted with
the crimes that marked his subsequent career will
wonder at no black trait in the character of ruler
General Jackson's conduct with regard to tho
editorial brotherhood, has not been less at with
his protested principles Before his election he
deprecated the appointment of some half dozen Of
that body, to inconsiderabc Offices, dangerous
Infringement of the Constitution-as calculated
| to poison the very fountain of liberty. All con-
cured ia the justice of this dcnunc ation and look
cd to his elevation means of destroying tho
evil When placed however, in the same situation
enco between saying and acting-betwecn finding
| fault with others, and reforming himself. AS
| though determined to act in direct opposition to
his own previously expressed opinions, in every
possible lnstance-as though determined to disap-
point the warm expectations of his honest parti-
xans, and crafty the surmiscs of personal enemies
| he proceeded to lavish tho offices of government
upon that (hcretofCre) prescribed corps, with n pro-
sion as blind in its discrimination, as fatal in
its tendency. The most lucrative Offices were bes-
| to"ed upon them ndscrminately without regard
TO talents, worth, any thing else than zeal for the
cause. Old, tried, ~ faithful oficers-mcn who had
grown grey in the service of their country, who
had lived without reproach, against whom not
| even the shadow of n crime could be alleged were
dismissed without mercy-without hearing and
without appeal. A few instances of peculation
| common to every Administration, were made the
grounds OF a general proscription-a proceeding
without parallel, in the annals Of Indian war
fare where the ruthless savage is described as re-
venging the insult offered to him by one white
man, by the indiserimnate massacre of whole
| settlement. L he worst feature in the Admins
tration OF the great man who saved our country
from the gulf OF federalism, is the only his
sol disant superior has thought proper to initiate.
| The eminent services he had rendered his coun-
| try by wrestling the helm of her government from
the grasp oil a tyrannica faction, have served to
| palliate this only bad feature in the public con-
duct ofthat illustrous man. The good of that
! country for which he risqued his all, was at a.
heart which bled for the injuries he deemed him
self obliged to infict upon individuals. The end
sanct'ticd the means. The incumbents upon whom
he visited tho executive power made profession
OF principles Numerically opposite to those which
he wished to make the basis Of his government
Nothing vindctive, nothing personal entered into
the proceeding In the present instance the priD-
I ciplcs of the candidates were the same. Nothing
but personal hostility could have pr oduced ge-
neral proscription-a prescription as far exceed
ing the other in extent it falls short of it in pu-
| rlty OF motive. There many adhcrents of
Cen Jackson in Office at the time of his install
ment, some of whom it must be presumed, wero
/ no better on the of competency than tho
friends OF his rival; and yet not of these has
ever been sacrificed to the Hero's alleged regard
| for the welfare Of tho public. ale that is not
for me is against me-" Jacksonsm is the sine qua
non-the indispensable rcquIsitc-'the cloak that
hidcth multitude of sins"-thc talisman which
has the power of converting mcdiocrity and
bascnes, into talent and worth. The process of
destroying individual reputation to Justify pr con-
| cered prescription, could have originated ONLY
| with an Administration acting upon the prncipio
of rewards and punshmcnts. This detestabe
| practice has met with such universal exocration,
! that no words of mine can be sufficient TO exprcss
! 1t. May 1T rest in peace-and may postority ne
yer learn that it was resorted to by a great and
free people, Ito use the sugar plumb dialect ofthe
demagogues to whom we owe the blessings of the
H9ro's reign.)
We were promised at the common GENE Mt Of the
present reigR!! such Administration tho
country had seen. We wore told that from
the vast and admirable materials which composed
his party, a collection would be assembled around
| the Hero which would throw into the shade the
| fathers of our Constitution, and the pillars of our
| Liberty. A new halo of glory was about to sur
round the Hero, too bright for suspicion, too i'm
| penctrablc for scrutiny The brightest rcms that
sparkle in the diadcm of Eastern despotsm, were
the murkness of midnight pared to the moral
| lustre of this future asscinblape of lumina