Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-03-09
The First .7et Of NE Drama!


We shall analyse hereafter this long and elaborate Do
cunent-but we have time space to-day TO devote
10 full criticism OF its contents We had barely glanced
at H. when put our last paper 10 press-and we then
pronpunced at the first blush Of il, that it Webster
all over We have read it over more caretny and
are free to saw that have done injustice 10 that gen
teman. We cannot believe that 20 crude and clumsy
cnmposition in all lis parts, could have emanated
from his pen. There are passages IN it, unquestlona
BLY, which cannot BE- mistaken. Its repeated illusions
to the classcs-to Roman and Grecan literature, 10
Cnsar and to Cromwell TO the Curt and the Decii, to
Camillus and the Scipios, 10 Gau, Egypt, and the
Lesser Asia with all such learned lore, are clearly the
Generals thunder. The secret Of the authorship
perhaps is this, that the General furnished the wool
and Mr. Webster some of the warp The President
furnished the skeleton and most Of the muscles, &c.
&c; but Mr.. Webster supplied it with some of his
nerves and little of his own brain. The wonder IS,
however, that his taste should have permitted such a
reduction 10 90 forth the first work OF the new Ad
minislration We can for it, only by supposing
that SO many corrections had been made, that the
Critic ran some risk of offending the author. The
first celebrated Message of MIR. J. O. Adams under
went this ordeal and he afterwards surprzeG that
there was any thing left that offensive to Virginia.
After all the spirit and principles Of the present Docu-
ncnt are but unsatisfactory specimen, at best, OF
what the country has to expect from such Chief and
such Cabinet.
Among the various criticisms which it has already
called FORTH there nothing truly descriptive OF
the character OF ths paper tan IS the following from
the Philadelphia esprit of the Times:
| President Harrlsons Inaugural Address we have
carefully read, and notwithstanding we sat down TO IT.
determined in spirit of magnanmlty, to praise II II
praise were possible, we are constrained from bare
regard TO truth TO pronounce 1t one OF the most grandI
locuent humbugs Of the day 1t is abored, verbose,
obscure bonbasc and feeble Its tone is vain s'ori-
Gus throughout: and exhibits the author as one so IN
toxcated with the greatness of his novel posItion us to
be incapable Of reasoning distinctly, or Of com'Hun'ca-
ting his thoughts 10 others in ineligible language
The document is full of indirect and unamiable allu-
sons 10 the policy of his predecessors and of contra
dicory positions 10 the intended character OF his
own Column after column is wasted TO prove what
no human being ever was silly enough to doubt and
those subjects summary despatched in few ambgu-
Gus lines upon which he might have satisfactorily en-
largcd, and upon which his opinion has been awaited
with unusual interest.
"The Inaugural Address is indeed, most unsatls-
factory paper We look through il in va n for that
larped and statesmankc view OF our social and poiti
cal relations of the condition Of government and
penple. and of those broad and important principles
which divide the and influence the other, that we
| had a right to anticipate such an occasion. we
look through il in vain for bold, independent, and pa
trotic revelation of sentiment, upon any OF the grand
and leading political topics of the tines revelation
which, considering that there is, Ito use the language
of the Inaugural) longer motive "to keep up TN
DELrsIos under achch Il. e. the people, 'ndy
| DC supposed TO HAVE ACTED IN relation to has PRIV
cIPLEs and opISIoNs, we, IN common win all par
ties, naturally expected hun 10 make. 10 be sure
he tells us in six long columns, that he is opposed
TO ga second term-to an exclusively metallic cur
rency-to the governmental control of the presto the
use Of the veto, except as conservative Power-to
the removal of Secretaries of the Treasury, without
commmn of all the attending circumstances 10
Congress-and to the subservience of the peoples Off
GERS generally TO the Executive will. This IS the
sum and substance Of his address, altho ugh clothed IN
such multitude Of words that is difficult to recog
nize Upon the subject of latioaat Bank, he does
not trust himself with the uterance of thought II
is theme with which he dared not meddle, or else,
about which he entertained no definite ideas In rela
ton the Tarif he IS equally circumspect and mys
terious The "delicate duty of devising schemes ot
revenue he proposes TO leave altogether IN the han ds
of the immediate representatives. OF The people As
regards the 7boiton question, instead Of boldly de
nouncinp the fanatics who would revoutionlze oui
country, and battle it in human blood, 10 carry ou
their extraordinary ideas of social equality, he merely
hints at il ablqucly, with remark that the citizens Of
one State cannot with proprley, interfere win the 90
mesiic institutions OF another State, in the way
recommendaton-at the same time gravely informing
u.s. Wonderful discovery that no individual can be
citizen of two States at and the same moment Or
the subject of the Independent Treasury he Is exceed
ingly ambiguous. While he bestnws upon divorce o
the Stale from the Banking institutions Of country
left handed compliment, he leaves his real sentiments
if he have any, altogether 10 conjecture. In fine, there
is nothing new, nothing original, nothing but iatuen
reiteration of the political slang of his party, from h
commencement TO the termination of this most weak
and most uningenuous address
uvhen we were n little boy at school, our teache
used TO inquire of u.s. in critically surveying our frs
essays, fsuch and such part might not readily be aP
Piled with as much effect TO any other topic: Upol
the reply depended the logical character of our pro
duction. Suppose We apply the same honest test o
utility TO the inaugural address Of President Harrison
alas! how extremely insignificant would become it
great pretens:ors Nine-ienths Of the whole document
If Sc paracd from lis context, might be introduced int
dissertation upon almost any other subject with cqna
propriety. Such is its vagueness, and want of c"he
renee that with very little trouble il might be hand
somely incorporated into tolcrable lecture on the Pro
gress of Society, Fourth of July Grafton 10 con