Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-03-14

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Doth law and principle 1t has ever been the sad lot Of
the patriot, after having done all TO serve his country
10 be msrepresented in his motives abused and caun,-
mated. we have given You memorable example in
the life OF Ciccro-rc0d another in the fate of voiIr
own Washington. nc was charged with violating the
lSwS-Fooong the treasury, and with the REASONABLE
design ol seeking TO wear the gttcring diadem. i'm
pace OF that civic wreath, which twned about his
brow, oy the hands OF grateful country From
among many abusive and scurrlous pieces which APP
peafcd in that day, have selected the following as
the most decent and respectful in order show you
mat nothing however bad il may be- has been said of
your present Chief Magistrate, which be match
eu WIN similar denunciaons, uttered against the
r'oie name OF Washington.
"NovEMBER 1895.
"To he President of The United States:
Slr,--Few men are born great generals, and still
fewer Industrious statesmen. The discipline of patient
reflection and dgent observation can alone give per-
spicuty to the judgment and vgor to the conduct
Pardon me, therefore, when | endeavor to mark the
bounds OF intellectual strength which nature and edu
cation have assigned YOU Ii NAV be auspicious to
your uture however nugaory your present conduct
Tor you to compare the opinions which others entertain
Oh YOU with your own partial predictions You
seehi TO have entered life with mind unadorned by
extraordinary features uncommon capacity. Equal
70 the common duties of private life, it emitted none of
thoSe sparks OF genius however irregular and ncon-
slant, which mark the dawn of future eminence For
tuitous circumstances yielded you i'm early life small
measure of military ecat, which chiefly from the
earren talents of your predecessor, in the Indian war;
fare. For some time after this, ycu reposed i'm imam.
htous ease, till the chances of revolution called YOU
to the supreme command of the American army. An
ocnsve neutrality, had heretofore characterized your
actions and 1t was probably, because your were in
principle, neither Briton nor an American, Wing
nor Tory, that you slid into this important station
he who held the ostensble post of honor received the
overfiowng thanks of his country The of the
conmander-inchef was known to all, while the names
of many modest heroes unknown or soon forgot
ten The heroes of the American army, would proba-
ply have entered the temple of fame under any
mander. Whatever doubts the judicous may have
entertained of your military talents, which doubts will
mn their way to posterity, sustained by a cloud of
proofs they deemed this an improper time give them
publicity Hence one voice called you, a General,
virtucus and wise.
"Precedents wanting to convert the laurel
INTO the olive, and hence the ndistnct voice ofindscri-
inmate panegyric buzzed the splendid talents of new
born statesman The army was declared to be the best
school for civic virtues, and it foreseen that the
inspiration which achieved revolution by the sword
could with equal facility frame constitution and guide
an empirei
In the actions of our hero new system of miracles
began to develope themselves and the military despot
formed to command, sunk into the executive maostroe
OF free republic ready obey With the constitution
In one hand, and the word of God in the other he
swore to defend the one he regarded the other He
swore 10 defend system of republican government
which abhors the nsdious machinery of royal impos
ture The first fruits of this solemn declaration were
the secluslon of Monk, and the supercous distance
of tyrant.
been more than others accustomed 10 INDULGE the man
ly walk and the generous steed now never seen
to practice either without exciting the remark of sur
PRISE. The concealing carriage drawn by supernume
rry horses expresses the will of the president and de-
fines the loyal duty of the people, reciprocity of in
tercourse is entirely annihilated. He consents to
receive the visits OF restraint but wholly declines re-
turn.
In his presence, silence with regard to political CON-
Germs, is exemplary imposed and dutfully complied
with. The of the president is only omen IN minis;
terl communications, which may be considered as the
echoes OF his own thoughts. Tell me- We who have
gathered wisdom from the varied walk who have stu
died man in all his varieties with enthusiastic research
had we been the men you are, if surrenderine
yourselves to the gloom of secson and the atterv of
sycophants emanating from yourselves, you had dis
damned the information of the enlightened and the So
ciety of the virtuous?
When sir, your country called you to honorable
preferment, 1t not because she thought YOU the
wisest OF her sons She knew that nature had PLAYED
the mser when she gave YOU birth and that e5coi;on
had not been lavish in her favors She considered
however, the moderation of your talents as the shield
OF your virtue and confded to your dilfidence what
she would not have trusted to the claims of superior
endowments. 1t was said, that if the first magistrate
possessed sound judgment, without splendid talents
he would be less subject to the disease of ambition
than with splendid talents unchecked by n sound iudo
ment that In the first instance he would be the faithful
organ of the public sentiment; Whereas in the last he
might give himself up the nmoderate lust of mower
This view of human nature was but half true
Deeper research would have foreseen the result of ex
perence and have convinced that the nominal depo-
STORY of power however dull his own apprehension is
sure to be surrounded by beings alive to the high pre-
negatives of unlimited authority. IL would have been
foreseen that wicked mind delights in national mis-
fortunes that weak mind yields to the wicked sug-
gesons of Others that virtue, be successful on the
political scene must be inseparable from sense"
These the denunciations made against the illus
trious Washington, at the time he was dischargng the
duties of his high trust with honesty and fidelity but
now, when all the men of that generation have been
gathered unto their fathers, and posterity pronounced
upon their actions, Washington is hailed by one
shout of reclamation The father of his cou,tyy-tefrst
in ,cdr, The first IN peace, and The first in the hearts of his
eOrmtrymen. Yet how precisely does this letter en-.
brace every charge brought against your present chief
magstratc-but much more decent and respectful Let
paraphrase it for the benefit of our modern caum
nators, hoping they will profit by the example of their
predecessors In this paraphrase every significant word
shall be taken from the letter itself The small mea-