Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-07-14
FOR THE Eve UIRER.
a rord in SeaSon-.7 Commissioned.
"a shame, a burning shame,
If this guilty wight could biusli.''

There are stages in the business Of life, when it is
crime to be too tolerant or too charitable towards The
tricks and silly errors of some men. And when we sec
an individual of no abilities, of 4 more than dubiou:
political reputation, and utterly devoid of all constancy
consistency, fidelity or principle, as a politician-when
moreover, we behold such an individual, like a parasi
teal plant, attemptin to influence or give tone to pub
lie opinion, by attaching himself, with all due ser
Witty, TO more daring but less contemplate offenders
then, it is both our right and our duty to expose the
traitor or the tool, and 10 lash and expose him until the
''galled Jade shall vince! -
The Federallsts of the county Of Hanc-Ir nave JUS,
given Mr.. Clay a public diner, and ! also perceive that
that n"i..::cii curiosity, the 'amiaJic and much-0d
mircd" Edmund Fontanc, figures as one of the Com,
mittee of Invitation and Arrangements. Now, Mr.
Editor, as the Wings CT Hanover we e not only willing
but anxious 10 feast and anusc their guest, the Hon
II. Clay, with all sorts of varieties, would have re,
specially suggested 10 the llanoverian Wings, the pro.
priety of requesting the "GmiaMr nnd murh-admircd'
Edmund fontainr, 10 mountt the rostrum as soon as the
toasts should have been drunk, and to repeat to the
company IN ms truly eloquent twang, such extracts
from his Circular of le3S, as relate to the desirable and
excellent political principles of the Hon. Ii. Clay. For
instance, let him read the following
Extraa from The Circmar Of the "amiabie and much
admirtd' Edmund FOniaine.
81 hazard nothing in expressing my belief, that Mr..
CLAY is the prominent candidate in Virginia; and !
ask you, fellow citizens, 10 reflect calmly on the proba.
BILE consequences of his success. Besides his known,
avowed advocacy of a National Bank, his own cherished
American System, a high Tariff, TO raise revenue, and
Internal Improvements to absorb it, must not be for
gotten. Was there ever n time when 4 President who
believed the power of appropriatins the Federal rerc-
nue. 10 Internal improvements 10 be constitutional,
would be more strongly tempted to exercise it for sus-
tanning his popularity, than a period for some years to
come; The rage for railroads, canals, &c, &c, is DIFF
fising itself throughout the whole Union. Elect an
Internal Improvement President, and a Tariff sufficient
to raise the necessary funds would follow of COURSE
IL is hardly necessary for me 10 explain how that sys-
TEN may be made TO operate, and indeed has operated.
Is any section of the country lukewarm or opposed to
the President?-a scheme for improving y it by a road Of
some sort, or a canal, is,nstantly proposedby the Gene
raj Government. What an influence this would have
in reconciling many disatfected portions of the people,
leave 10 your knowledge of human nature 10 deter
mine. Improved means of travelling and transporting
our produce to market are desirable, but that is the APP
propriate business Of the State Governments: The
Constitution does not delegate to Congress the power
to tax one portion of the people to make improvements
for another; and most fortunate it is for the country,
that il did not, since IT is n power so liable TO abuse
General Jackson, in his Message of lS'i, estimates
the various improvements embraced in Dliis and re-
ports Of Committees, at the first session after Mr..
Adamss Administration, at upwards OF two hundred
millions of dollars. In that Message he says, 'when
the bill autlIorising Il subscription on the part OF
the u. S. for stock in the Maysvillc and Lexington
Turnpike Company, passed the two Houses, there had
been reported by the Committees of Internal Improve
ment, bills containing appropriations for such objects,
exclusive of those for the Cumberland Road apd for
harbors and lighthouses, to the amount OF about $lO6,
900, 900; and for projects in addition TO these, there
were memorials embracing a further sum, which must
have exceeded one hundred millions of dollars And
Mr.. Ciav, in a spirit of bitter complaint, speaking OF
Gen. Jackson's policy, declared that /" internal I'm,
provcmcnts lay crushed beneath the power Of the Ve-
to- Bcrare, lest HiS poccr, as rcH as that ~ The
Bank, man not be terminated and brought into existence,
If yon heediessiy permit propositions to be madc for Mc
election Of Mr.. CLAY, or ASY OTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO
HAS FAVORED srcH POLICY
How delighted would Mr.. Clay have been TO hear so
ablc and argumentatire an attack upon " his own che
rishcd' system and principles! Surely, surely such a
conrrt does honor to Mr.. CIay-ac convert who attaches
himselft to the politics and principles he detests or at
fccts 10 detcst!!! Oh, shame! where is thy blush:
In conclusion, will the "amiablc and much admired
Edmund Fontainc be so good as to inform the public,
by what convenient process he has rcconcilcd his nlm-
bic patriotism to the Internal improvement hcrcsies OF
Gen. IIarrison-a man, who has uniformly voted tor the
most cxtravagant schemes and latitndinous exercise OF
mower in this behalf COMMON SENSE.