Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-10
EXTRACT Of letter troma distinguished citizen Of
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sWhat has come that ancient and renowned State:
Heretofore she has been to her nvariable prn-
cips the dial to The She has pursued steadily
in the track marked out BY her Jefferson and Madison
until within a year two past; since then have not
known what to make of her. The upright old Dame,
that crst stood up straight arrow, has become
rckctty: she is sadly warped in the back, and seems
gradually losing that high and lofty bearing which she
was entitled ~ assume as the venerable mother Of
States and Statesmen. Instead OF marching straight
forward in the OF those great principles which led
her after another to the highest summit which
hnncrnblc ambition can ever attanthe first place IN
The greatest Republic that cxsted-she now seems
in imminent danger Of losing her character as The stern
hulwnrk of those fundamental doctrines the firm and
steady assertion Of which caused her to he looked up 10
bv the sister States the pole star of the consella-
ton, always in its place and always the She
seems the point of degenerating into an erratic
comet, punging madly from her accustomed sphere,
and ready to become accomplice in setting the
| Union fire.
"ro what is this strange metamcrphosis owing' Is
possible, that the detection of single man can have
produced it, has the infection of the credit system
penetrated her vtas, Has she lost SIGHT OF the pre-
ceps Of her great apostle Of liberty and suffered her
self to be led astray by him who once called his
.prvate pupil Has the young decever suppantcd the
AGED MENTOR and caused her backsdc from her stern
nvariable principles I cannot believe it. She may
waver, but she will not change; she may shake in the
wind few moments, but her sails will fill again
and she will more scud before the wind, oustrp
ping her former speed, and winning the spite OF
the reachcry of her woud-he pilot.
"Of that lost sheep of the Democracy speak rattle
in than in angcrin pity, then in scorn. once
looked upon him standing directly in the road
to the highest honors of the Union, than any young
man living. He might have been any thing the people
could make him. had he pursued the marked out
by the dictates O. principle, and The high example of
the llusrous citizens of his native State They
wavercd in success disappointment, but pushed
| right onward without turning to the right the
left and reached their bright reward by means dig
nifcd as the need glorious. The sun that now
shines their honored graves them swerve
for moment from those principles which have long
been cherished by their native state, that they
called BY her name.
"But the sin by which angels FELL has lost him hi:
place among the stars OF the armament, and cast hin
headlonG to the earth. Like Millions angels, he e.
wr;thing on the burning Goals, his mind chaos ant
his conscience hell. Haunted by the vision OF
what he might have been freted and excorated by the
CALLING certainty of what he is this unfortunate victim
of hair drained ambition and disappointed vanity, il
bending all the aspiring energies of apostacy to thu
ruin Of party over which he vainly aspired to pre-
side His speeches and writings deprived Of tha, force
ard dgn " derived from the consciousness of truth
virtue, made up or puny inactive, unmanly com
plants, and abortive extenuation. The /" Pupil oil
Jefferson has become apostae from his principles
The chosen follower of the apostle Of liberty, now
after series of twstlngs and turnngs, denials AM
acknowledgements, explanations and mystfcstons
the convert of party which repud ates his faith, ant
calunnates his character. He afiliates with those h
despises and who despse him. From leader ia tn
ranks of Democracy, he has dwndled into tool o
the Wings He has defined his position, till it no Ion
ger requires to be defined In the last agonies Q
f disappointment and despair, he has at length throw
off the mask. He is recognized by the people, and
lost forever. He has fu6lled his destiny.
at is in the bitterness Of disappointment, and
from resentment at his treason, apprehensve of i,
ssnsssua aces, shss wits. cannot forgive tbs a