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

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of the greatest arts OF an orator is, in the
selection of his topics. In discoursing o
the misdeeds of this Administration, thai
is difficult; their name is Legion, for they
are many; but there are some which
must notice.
Sir, you remember the lectures on econ
omy, which were SO literally read TO US,
when we proposed 10 prin, public drcu-
ment of the utmost public importance, 4
report of The Secretary Of the Treasury
ou the late deialcatinns, and AT The very
moment. by the leader Of the party, in a.
mother body, there was a proposition 10
print al the cost OF at least thirty thousand
dollars. not a document. but Il hook upon
salt, Thing so utterly useless, That if the
resolution which passed that body by The
votes Of the pa!ty-the democratic party,
the retrenchmcnt party-conres into this
House, shall move TO amend il, by strik-
ing out the book upon salt. aud suhsriru-
ting " ebsier'- spellin. book,o Peter Par.
ley's Tales; either will he more USEFUL
But The printer of The House is not OF the
party-the primer o! The Senate is.
lake no pleasure in these topics. If |
had any personal or party naIisnity TO
CRAFTY, / should lorbear 10 do il; for the
qualification that | should receive would
DC infinitely more than counierbalauced
by the sloomiest forebodings for the fi.
ture, from the reflection that these acts
have been quietly submitted to, not in The
old aye aud decripilude 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 dam
gerous and alarming. The allurements
of office, and the temptations which are
held out to necessituus members of decay
ed, but vet of influential families, with The
immense patronage OF the Federal Exec
utive, welded as that patronage nGw is by
the greatest master in tina, way, since Sir
Robert Walpole, and to whom he bears
the mos, striking resemblance in every
point of public and private character,
make, the present crisis fearful and alarm
ing. Of dissolution have never had any
fears. 1t never can happen. There is
another and greater ianser-ronsolldallon
and the consequent Increase OF Executive
power, and the universal corruption Of IN"
vit.ls of lie body politlc-until the whole
mass becomes rotten aud falls to pieces by
its own corruption. General Ja"ksop, who
had mauy, very many points of great
man about hilu, unequalled saeacly, cool
ness, aud a courage, moral aud physical,
which blenched 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 50 by The
natural constitution OF his mind; still more
was h.. SO by habi. aud education. He
was born 10 command as has been said Ol
hinl,a ne did not disappoint his destiny.
Jura neget sibi nata.
Loving power as he did from instinct as
well as habit, it was natural that he should
seek 10 destroy the power Of all the co-or-
dinate branches of The Government, all
those checks and balances provided by our
wise foreiathers-exactly IN proportion as
he did SO, he strengthened the power OF the
Executive. He struck no blow more fa-
tai than by constant appeal 10 the peo-
pie as his constituents against the o:her
constituted authorizes ofihe country. Make
the Executive The direct representative ot
the people, and by whatever name you
call it, your Government is a despoism.
| declare, III all sincerity, that regard
the presen, as an infinitely importan! epoch
III The history OF The country: Involving, IN
my deliberate jud sment, the question whe-
ther the president shall nominate his sue
cessor! The first step in The downward
progress of all the Republics which have
proceeded Us, as to forms Of Government,
they are not so important; would rather
have IA despollsln With the general spirit
ofllberly, than Tree institutions Without that
spirit. The form of the Roman Repub-
lie remained long after there was no ves-
tige of Roman liberty left, nor was that
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
1t was The wild and aruul Augustus who
flushed the work which had been COM
nenced aud by the must fatal process; the
slow decay OF insiduous and gradual cor
ruption. have only to say, in conclusion
that from a careful and impartial review
of the past, can place no confidence 10
the pledges, however solemnly made by
the party in power. know of 90 single
principle which they have redeemed.
If, contrary to all my expectations,
they shall honestly carry out the prin.
ciples which they profess. they shall
have my votes for their measures, not for
themselves. ltmav be, too. sir. that
state of things may occur, when | shall not
support those who oppose them. lfit does
shall take choice of evils. l shall en-
dorsc for neither. and expect my position
still 10 be in the opposition, supporting the
measures of the administration when night
as have heretofore done but not, in the
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