Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-03-26
o THE ULRER

To the good people Of the Good Ola Dominon-No. /
Fellow Citizens-ln the moment of comparative calm
which has succeeded TO the agitated scenes of the past win
ter, a fellow-ciiiZenb egs leave to offer TO YOU a few sober
and grave considerations. He has no claim upon your at
tentlon, but that OF common interest and common danger.
4 is not his purpose TO try his skill at philippe, nor to tax
hisimagination Tor brilliant conceits and antithetical periods.
lie Is heartily tired OF the appeals TO the
worst passions with which our prints are teeming,. inste al
OF calm addresses to the reason and good sense OF the great
body OF the people in this perilous crisis. He deprecates
interningling the ambition OF fine writing, $50 common AT
tins tlme) with the sober realities of the peace, and union.
and happiness OF the country. Let our reason be convinc.
ed by dispassionate Investigation, instead Of our passions
lniiamed by angry defamation. Let us have lessons of
wisdom and good plain sense, in good homely language,
rather than eternal justification and violent abuse, though
cio'ied In The most polished phrase. Take the able and
luminous Report oil MIR. Madison in I779, as a fair specimen
OF The style and manner best adapted to the discussion OF
the momentous concerns of the public peace and the RIGHTS
OF the people. Would TO God / could follow in his ~ oke
ut however humble a distance! But ADLER men who un.
dertake TO advise and instruct you, let them take him as A
model, II they cannot expect TO equal him. Or. LET the
wise and parental and beautiful farewell address of GEM.
RAJ W dshlhgtoh furnish an example for their imitation.
Let those who would e~nlightcn US, reject the merc,ricious
ornament, which dazgles with deceptive brightness, Tor the
real beauty which shines forth through the whole of thai
celebrated paper. 1t is the beauty of elevated public vir-
tue! It's the beauty of DISTINGUISHED patriotisml II il
Ihe beauty oil profound wisdom and propheiical sagacity!
Purified from the dross OF selishness, and lifted far above
the mIsts OF passion aud of prejudice, il pours forth the les.
sons OF an enlightened mind in the language of an aG.c.
tionate father and a considcrate and experienced statesman.
u mas worn wen, and 1 trust in God il will still wear well,
Notwithstanding the dangers which surround thai JJuios
which was the darling of his heart. IL carries n ver
bosom the settled conviction, that il was written for tre
good oil us all; not for the aggrandizement OF himself IL
was not written, like most OF our modern ESSAYS, to dis
play the smartness OF the writer, and to set of his own
genius, though II might lead to the destruction of peace
ana order the overthrow OF all government, the breaking
up OF our noble Institutions, and a general conflaaration of
Whatever Is valuable or venerable amongst us. But he
wrote Tor the good oil every citizen of this widespread
ommunIty, however humble his station, and however re.
tired from the attractive yet agitating scenes of polidcol
affairs. There was no s~elfshness i'm that "FareveI al
llteS, TeilDh-cltlZCng. (lmr t.fhar9 anI ~ 4
our children, were the objects of its patriotic author NJ.
dd not Halter US by telling what was agreeable. he ON.
llghlcned us by teaching what was useful; bv rebnkiny
Jdcuo" ana party spirit, ami sectional jeaiousies, and
combinations against the lars, and whatever else ,yas
calculated to sap or TO impair that government of liberty
and order, which, alter a twelve wears strugole had booyy
successfully established. Read it, | prav Won in ,Loso
umes oil difficulty, as an antidote to the ncomprebensible
nonsense oil nuiIhcaton, and the disorganizing and revo.
Iutlonary notions oil secession. In il Won will so. a 30
phesy OF the evil days which have come upon Ms. init
you VIII see Swallowed forth the agitating scenes we have
Jus' peen realizing, and sketches of the demagegues who
ave now nltilng IKE spectres across the political stare
You will find in it,, the warnings OF a wise, and aGec,ion.
aie' ana pure, disinterested Virginian, whose cup of glory
was luiito running over-who had nothing more to ask,
ana ho'hlng more to wish from his grateful country. for
That country had given all she had to give. His ann Wa
setting alter a brilliant day, aud its last benipnant r,vs
were sheh upon us from this parental and anectionate fare.
wei. Read 1t, read it, | beseech you, and contrast il Win
the lnHammatory %hardngues of your stump orators in nur.
SUIT oil oihce, and the prose-run-n mad essays of your poii.
cal scIlObIers IN pursuit OF a nine DAYS fame. rbcse
breathe nothing but violent invecuves against i,,ao;narv
tyrahts; ndighaht clamors against exaggerated expressions:
stern defiance when there is no champion in the field. and
calls to arms when there is no foe 10 be encountered TLey
seek 10 iahllarize the ear to separation, and the Inns 10 the
language OF disulnion. But yesterday, who dared IN g,o
his tongue against the Union? "Now none so poor IN do
1t reverence Every print is the champion NJ secession.
who cries aloud Tor Union? None-no, not onel She Ia
driven back to her iortress-to her citadel :-but that ci,a,
del - the hearts Of the people; that fortress is The Eqye.
Uef HddTess NJ WdShRgfOn-Yes the factions and die.
contented are in full cry. They cry aloud. that our liner.
ties aud our property are in danger, that we are oppressed
and overwhelmed by relentless msiorities: that we are
trolden under loot, aud our rights ifdmpled i'm the dusl.
and, That the moment has arrived, when we must resisi
the 6ioOdy Tyr0nt, and his arbitrary laws, or surrender
our liberties forever. What a picture Of a country. free
and honrishing, and happy as ours In such a contest
US from sober enquiry, into tie real character of orr
not rally under their banner. Wise and c~onsiJer,tc
your sagaciiy Discovered, that wisdom can consist with
a TesK'essness Of cOnsequences!-True wisdom consists
in the prudence which looks 10 consequences. and
we Sagaclty which perceives them. Desperate men
''ohe can SHUT their eyes upon consequences-upon such
consequence, as the overthrow ola government; the no.
turning o. our Institutions; the dangers Of civil convGl.
SION ann war; and the horrible devastation and ruin which
nnus' 'ol'ow ~ their train. But you, fellow. citizens, are
ne re'I peace-inakers. you are the great paeifcafoysi
= on, a"n you alone, can still the waves by your voices
oehl 70 your Stale Legislature lovers Of peace; friends
o. me C"ion-lriends OF law and order; men who know
,h9l me power Of tie people at the busiings is tie al.
sunlcieh' power 10 our government Tor correcting abuses.