Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-05-23

of The creates, arts of an orator is, in the
selection of his topics. In discoursing of
the misdeeds of this Administration, that
is difficult; their name is Legion, for they
are many; but there are some which l
must notice.
Sir, YOU remember the lectures on econ
omy, which were SO literally read to US,
when we proposed 10 print a public drcu-
ment of the utmost public Importance, a
report of The Secretary of the Treasury
ou the late detalcations, and at the very
moment. by the leader of the party, in a.
mother body, there was proposition 10
print at the cost Of at least thirty thou-and
dollars, not document, but hook upon
salt, Thing 50 utterly useless, that if the
resolution which passed that body by the
votes of the pasty-the democratic party,
the retrenchmcnt party-cOmes into this
House, shall move to amend it, by strlk-
ing out the book upon salt, and subslltu-
ting " ebster'- spelling book,o ,or Peter Par.
ley's Tales; either will he more useful
But The printer of The House is not OF the
par,y-the primer Of The Senate is.
lake no pleasure in these topics. If |
had any personal or party malisnity 10
CRAFTY, | should torbear TO do ii; for the
qualification that should receive would
be infinitely more than counlerbalanced
by the gloomiest forebodings for the fu.
ture, from the reflection that these acls
have been quietly submitted TO, not in The
old aye aud decripi,ude of The republic,
lut in its youthful adolescence. The nat
ural and unaided tendency of our system
is to consolidation; aud its proclivity as
recently developed 10 corruption is dan
gerous and alarming. The allurements
of office, and the temptations which arc
held out to necessiluus members of decay
ed, but yet of influential families, with the
immense patronage Of the Federal Exec
utive, welded as that patronage now is by
the greatest master in that way, since Sir
Robert Walpole, and to whom he bears
the most striking resemblance in every
point OF public and private character,
makes the present crisis fearful and alarm
ing. Of dissolution have never had any
fears. 1t never can happen. There is
another and greater danger-ronsolldailon
and the consequent increase OF Executive
power, and the universal corruption OF tn"
vildls of Tie body politic-until the whole
mass becomes rotten and falls to pieces by
its own corruption. General Jarkson, who
had mauy, very many points OF great
man about him. unequalle' sa9aclty, cool
ness, aud a courage, moral and physical,
which benched at nothing, did more 10
change The principles Of The Government,
than every man who has lived before him.
lie was born despot-le was So by the
natural constitution of his mind; still more
was h.: so by habit and education. He
was born to command as has been said oi
hm,an he did not disappoint his destiny
Jura neget sibi nata.
Loving power as he did from instinct as
well as habit, il was natural that he should
seek TO destroy The power of all the co-or-
dinate branches of The Government, all
those checks and balances provided by our
wise oreiathers-exactly III proportion as
he did so,he strengthened the power OF the
Executive. He struck no blow more ia
tai than by constant appeal 10 the peo-
pie as his constituents against the os.er
constituted authorizes ofihe country. Make
the Executive the direct representative Oi
the people, and by whatever name you
call it, your Government is despoIism.
DECLARE, in all sincerity, that L regard
the present os an infinitely Important epoch
in The history OF the couu,ry: involving, in
my deliberate judgment, the question whe-
ther The president shall nominate his sue
cessor! The first step in the downward
progress of all the Republics which have
preceded US, as to forms OF Government
they are not so important; l would rathe
have despotisln with The general spirit
ofliberly, than Tree institutions without lha'
spirit. The form OF the Roman Repub'
lie remained long after there was no YES
tige of Roman liberty left, nor was thai
liberty crushed by The all accomplished
Julius, although he inflicted deep wound
upon it; yet its destruction was not consnm'
mated by that high and generous spirit
Ii was The wild and arliul Augustus who
flushed the work which had been com-
menced and by the most fatal process; The
slow decay OF insiduous and gradual cor
ruption. | have only to say, in CONCLUSION
that from careful and impartial review
of the past, can place no confidence IL
the pledges, however solemnly made b!
the party in power. know Of no single
principle which they have redeemed:
If, contrary to all my expectations
| ,bay sholl honestIv carry out the pfln.
cipies which they profess. they shall
have nv votes for their measures, not fol
themselves. Itmav be, too, sir. that
state of things may occur, when shall no
support those who oppose them. lfIt does
shall take choice Of evils. l shall en-
dorse for neither and expect my position
sill 10 be in the opposition, supporting thf
measures of the Administration when rlgi'
as have heretofore done but not, in tht