Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-08-26
POLITICAL.
From uho Now York Evening" Pos, !

~' NN"N'h VNhNt Va 10 sllt( Win more
attention, Than mere taste might incline us 10 do, the in
dicatoDs oil public sentiment aud public policy, as Iur.
nished by the course aud tone of political journals, and
me proceedings oil political meetings. From the survey
we have taken OF the movements OF the Opposition party,
Tor the last lew months. ii seems to us quite evident That
they are laying a scheme 10 cheat The people out OF
the election ot President. They~seem TO act OF, a princi.
pie OF settled distrust oil the intelligence and patriotism of
the great body OF the people. and To have I,h5 ,beir ni,ne
10 carry 'heir object in dehnnce OF the wishes OF a rn.io-
rhy. For this pntpese, ii is their present lin to bring To-
geiher, and combine fnioone body, all the materials Of on.
position, however dissimilsr and heterogeneous, with a
view TO return 10 the next Congress as many members as
possible opposed TO The present Administration, no matter
how ccntraTiant and irreeonciIeable their ,es,er,;vs
grounds of opposition.
This object accomplished, their next step will be, not by
mutual compromise and Cancellation to name some candi-
date Tor theiPresident, on whom all the diversified sects of
their composite party might unite; for they ATE sensible
that such harmony OF action l. impossible. and that they
are not more hostile to the present Administrator than
they are TO each other bat Tor each faction 10 set up il,
own candidate, and support him in his own particular dis.
trict OF country, in the hope that the sum of the votes
thus scattered among the various chiefs Of the Opposition
may be snfieientt 10 defeat an election by the people, and
carry the question into the House Of Represc niatives.-
should the question be between the candidate of the de-
mocracy, and any single candidate the Opposition might
name, they are well aware tina. The choice of the Demo.
cratic party would he ratified by a very large majority Of
votes. They will, therefore, seek TO distract the public
mind by a multiplicity Of candidates, 70 take The election
out OF The hands OF the people, and submit it TO a body
Where esch state has only an equal voice, and where ex.
PeTlence has shown that collision aud intrigue may OBJ
tain a decision in direct opposition TO the clearly expressed
VIII oil tho great body OF the people OF the United States.
hho 'HS 10 abt Hdhe hnlCn 10 various united factions
uhat compose ne opposition mend TO play OIL here can I've
no manner OF doubt. 1t is a corrupt scheme, because il
Is devised WIN a manifest intention and desire OF prevent
ing a lair expression Of the popular will; and he prelimi.
nary steps are corrupt, because in he industrious and al.
most incredible efforts which the combined parties Of the
Opposition are now making 10 elect members TO Congress
opposed 10 The Administration, great pains are taken TO con-
ceai from the people the ultimate object which they have in
view, ror ms purpose the war is waged simply on the
broad ground OF hostility to the Executive and to MIR. Van
Buren, No definite principles OF action or of public policy
are avowed; because there are none on which this amalga-
mated body oil political antipaihies could agree. No name
oil a successor ~ breaihed; because the uIterancc Of such
a name would dissolve the unholy spell which binds them
'ogether before The great end OF The ill-sssorted union is
achieved IL Is, therefore, opposition 10 the Adminisira-
ton which they alone venture to declare as heir motive
oil action and 10 this motive they attempt 10 give a CO.
lour oil patriotism, by the rei,eration of certain sounding
III nIusoIy phrases, the ready resort OF political knaves
and demagogues in all counties and all ages Of the world.
: Among the eaichwords on which they seem most to re-
~ Tor success, are the shouts which they are forever bawl-
ing IN our ears, of CONSTITUTION and Laws!" and "Prin
ciples, not men. 90 AS TO their pretended yeneration for
'e constitution and Laws, ii accords well with a party
"hose ohiy hopes OF success rest on the issue OF a deli
Drr",e fraud upon the People! We say a fraud upon
The People-and what can be a more positive and fla
gluous fraud, Than this combination of political secfs,
as opposite as day and night in their doctrines aud views,
actng together, not with a view TO establish any com
mon anu definite course OF policy for the adminisira-
OF Tue oenerai Government, hut simply for The pre-
hninary purpose Of pulling down a Chief Magistrate who
enjoys the confidence and affections of the PeopIe-each
leader OF those opposite factions inwardly trusting 10 his
own SKIN IN the arts OF collision, intrigue. and corruption,
to win over The partzans OF he others in the House OF
Representatives, and thus 4 cuFe thR Drasi1apGaI e,,ccou
sion TO himself?
When the country beholds the leaders Of The most con-
Trajectory and iireconcileable political doctrines that were
ever entertained under our coniederacy leapujng lopetbcr
Tor a common purpose Of hostility TO the doninant party.
and all joining with equal lustipess in the cryo If Constitu.
non ana Ldtcs even Charity herself would whisper lhat
Their conduct aud motives ought 10 be scrunnized with
viglanty inqniring eyes. Is il The leader of the sect
which processes the Notification heresy whose fears are
aroused for the safety OF The Conslitu ion aud Laws? wha!
ne VINO nut a lew months ago raised the standard ofrevolt,
advised the South TO sPurn with contempt the revenue
laws oi The country, and 10 resist their enforcement to The
ueaui! W ha! he who talked OF sundeTing The Union, OF
establishing a separate republic, and of shooting down like
beasts that perish, any such Of his fellow coumryrnen as,
in pursuance OF the orders OF Government. should cross he
BORDERS oil South Carolina TO enforce the violated laws Is
he now one OF the chief leaders of the Opposition party
against The Executive, on the ground of an Invasion OF the
Constitution and Laws! A ht minister OF vengeance Tor
such an offence! Fellow countrymen, watch him yell
Hand in hand with him, the ne xf ono of the league who
attracts our notice is connected wi II "reminiscences of a We.
ny inherent nature. In him we behold the author OF that
gigantic scheme OF injustice aud oppression. the object of
which was 10 build up a manufacturing alislocracy, and
enrich them out OF the earnings OF The hardy sons of com.
merce; that scheme, which under the sounding pretence
OF holding out protection 10 American industry, was i'm.
tended TO strengthen the General Government at the ex-
Pense OF tile 5 ates, and 10 lay the foundation of an enor.
nous and profigate system OF public expenditure which
would have resulted, al no distant day, 10 the total over.
throw OF the liberties OF The American people; that scheme
which was devised TO advance his own ambitious vie VS., in
defiance of The prOvi-ions Of he Constitution, and of the
rights and Interests OF the South; and he palpsble inius
tee and cruel oppression oil which, led fhe Nulli6er with
whom he is now joined in a pretended iraternal embrace
TO those trahouros measures which, but for the iniexibIe
patriotism and energy OF our Chief Magistrate, would have
eVenidsted IN the dissolution Of our inestmaLle Union.
He also is a fiji one now TO wage war against The Admins.
traiion, on The ground Of its violation OF The Constitution
aud Laws"
A third one in this unholy league has ever been disin.
guished by his opposition to the equal tights Of the people,
aud TO the fundamental principles Of the democratic party.
ln him we behold a man in whom hostility 10 democracy
is the only principle which he has never foFsaken-a man
who opposed, with all his energy, the measures Of the Co
vernmeui, when at war with Great Britain; who r. ioiced
IN the victories OF the enemy who, at one time, was the
opponent, aud then the advocate, OF the United States
Bank al one time, a declaimer against The American Sys-
ten, aud then is fast friend. This is the third member of
the tiumvirate Of political rivals Who Join in procloiming.
as their watclR ord and baule.cry, the Constitution anil
LdICsI
Among the vague and ambiguous sentiments by which
they profess 10 be governed, is the stale and unmeaning
phrase, Of "PTincipieS, not Men" This is one Of hose
juggling maxims with which serdid and selfish politicians
have ever attempted TO cheat mankind. 1t has on honest
and taking sound, but is utterly without substance, a mere
jingle Of words, ur ct Pr0eiersG nihH Not much dis
cernment is requisite 10 detect The faIldcy and emptiness
OF this dishonest invention Of Uupfinciplcd demagogues:
Tor surely aDy man must perceive hat principles without
men, are iiilo better than men without principles. DO
they mean to elect their principles to chicei Do ley mean
TO have rs governed by distractions? by a body OF ethics3
by a set Of precepts? or viii they, like every other party,
be sooner or later %Obligedto hold forward some man, as the
person who is governed by their principles, aud who, #
chosen, viii carry ihem into exefcise2 This wre chcd
sophisity OF 'pTincipies, net men" has been abused, all
the world over, as a cloak TOT political kn8vefy-as a con-
venicnt shelter Tor those 10 fight behind. who hid no prin-
cipies at al, aud who were eudeayofing 10 elevate men so
VIGOROUSLY unworthy, that prudence forbade their being
named. cit is an advantage 10 all narrow wisdom and
narrow morals, - says Burke, chat their maxims have =
FIRE, principles. They are light and portable. They
are a. current as copper coin; and about AZ yeluabie