Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1843-04-06
~ ,hs Eal.or. z shs 80 Prs.. !.


Having cudgsled his brain for lhres long
weeks, Mechanic is cut again in your lasi
number 10 defence Of, bis former commnpca.
ton, and 10 attack upon MINIS. With that con.
sisteney which is the peculiar characteristic of
MS composition, he FIRST admits that '0ne Of
me Committee has answered bis former strict
lures with ability and plsusibleness'- thai he
has succeeded 10 placing Mechanic in atight
place, aud surrounded him with difficulties,
which % bis startled Imagination appear SO IN
surmountahle, that he ipploringly appeals 10
me sympathy Of The generous, and the fair play
OF the just And after ID alksng this ample con-
fesslon. and affecting appeal. he accuses the sans
i writer Of sstaiiiciig which would disgrace q
school boy, of shallow aFi6ce,, sconsemptiblu
evasion,' and brasds part Of his defenceSas =
'cohtemptible squibble, spd denounces it Us the
pinnacle Of nonsense
These denunciations prove cbnclusiyely the
ruth of bis former confessiona He Is 'in q
tight place. and il not the ifst politician, who,
landing himself surrounded by difficulties created
10y bis own rashnexs, and which he despaired of
mastering BY the weapons OF reason. and fair
argument, has, closed his eyes and rushed teck-
lessly on, striving to oSerwhelm bis adversary
oy the application 10 him 0flesms and spthets,
the free use Of which has been the especial pre-
rogative Of the respectable mairons OF the FISH
market, time out Of mind Will you. gentle.I
men, allow The Tom THUMB, who has been able
10 place This giant In so tight place. that bis
eharts TO extticate himself ap2ear to hare wor.l
ried him sadly, one other opportunity to exhibit
his 'stulticity,' BY polpiing out some Of tho pos
tlcal, and other laceuraeies contained in the.
last communicated Of .Mechsnic,' and which, |
allow me 10 say, are very many. aud very glsr-
ing, as believe can prove TO the satisfaction.
OF any one who can find sufficient patience tos
follow any farther this useless controversy
And first let me say 10 'Mechanic' lhs, & GO.
der 10 support the respectable rirsensions Of ana
cient Federalism, hu il not fairly entitled To
claim the name Of Washington. He was no
FederalistI II is well Known that during his
] administration parties were not formed, and il
Is equally we'll known that Gen. Washington al
ways had the utmost confidence il Mr.. Jtffer-
son, and the very highest respect for his politf
cal opinions. Immediately after The adoption Of
the Constitution, and Gen. lyashington's cleo
ton 10 the Presidency. he appointed Mrs Jeffer+
son Secretary Of State, the highest station wiih-
IN his gift. So that MECHANICS assertion that
Gen. Washingtonfwas Federaist is about as
correct as his former declaralfon (Which am
tglsd 10 see he is ashamed Id reiterate) that the
Democracy 'reyiie, the name or that great m q nj
Nor was Patrick Henry mere OF Federaisl
than Gen. Washinglons His speeches 10 the
Convention of Delegates which formed The Con-
.mocratic principles, and indeed we have The ex-
press authority of Mrs Jefferson, that neither
Twas Federatst, though the leaders Of ths par
~ have been IN the ha1h Of Invoking their gre i
names TO cover their habina heresIes, and to
avert popular repEobalion. So it is with Me-
chanic,' he exHltIugly declares that he is not a.
shamed of tho company of George Washington.
Alex. Hamilton, Charles q. Pinckney, John
Marshall and PatficR Henry. Neither should /
be. Bui pray, why was the most famous or ali
the fathers Of Federalism excluded fromsthis
good company Is it because you are ashamed
of The name of old John Adams? Why this
studious omission TO mention bis pameP II ru-
mour is ioiDe credited YOU are old enough 10 re-
member his Federal reign Of terror, and per-
haps 10 have been an humble supporter Of it,
Al all events, YOU aresnot entirely ignorant af
| lis history. He was the political malvolio. who
l.intoxicated not more by The fulsome adulaiion
with which he was piled, than by the fumes Of
his own vanity, 1saw a visionary coronet sus
pended over his brow, and an ali. drawn sceptre
the handle towards his hand, which attempting
70 clutch, he lost his balance, and Disappeared
never 10 rise again. VI
You say the followers Of him who laid down
the position that the Jurisdiction Of Congress
extended 70 al PersonsBsn all things, can with
no pfoprlety denouhce Federalism, even in ia
lis rankest FORM. Certainly NOT But surety
Mechanic even with all your reckessness 81
sssertion,- you cannot, you dare not, charge
that Gen. Jackson ever laid down that position.
He has been the peculiar mark for the. calumay
Of your party, bull think you are tile very fiat
who has gone 50 far as 10 accuse him sof having
laid down the position above quoted. That Is.
# you do so accuse him, though | cannot hetp
thinking you must have al1usion MOTTO any thing
which emanated from Gen. Jackson, buuto the
famous Light House message of your weIlke-
loved JohuDy e. My greatest objection 10 The
gag law, the memory Of which should, If il dees
not, cause you 10 blush fer your party, was 10
the motives and objects which led 10 lis adoptIn,
VIZ to hurry throughthe extra session meas1hss
hardly less objectionable shan Inc Alien and Sc
dition laws. You ask if Il do not know that
this rule was forced upon Congress, by my epn
party, one Of whom commenced speech In the
beginning God made the heavens and the earth,
and solconlinued untlkhissed to his seal. Ia
deed, do not know any such thing-nor de-
know 70 whom you allude, nor DO believe that
any Democratic ME Der was driven 10 his seat
by one universal hiss You must have gotten
that Information from some yeracious hise-
ling letter writer. Bat / do know, and can
prove, thatyouF own party, whether in the maio-
gIty or minority, have eyer dope two-ibIrds 3 Il
the speechfyug in Congress. And YOU reailj
Justify The conduct Of The Wing members Of I'LL
Ohio Legislature; you, who are constantly eFyt
ing out against the 'dIsorganlzing conduct If she
vile Loco Focos,' youP who are Wing, aud by
consequence lover Of order and Jecency u Oil
iteP forward as the CHAMPION Of those reckless
| men,, who rather than see lie interest Of their
party suffer, were willing to sdbyert the 90
yernment OF their State, and y6I lay down4he
doctrine broadly, that the minority Of any Lrxis-
| lakure, may retire from that body " heneyer, In
their opinion, the msjoFtyis about to enact law
in opposition 10 the Constitution, or even preju-
dicial 10 the party interest of tho minority Won
derful sexpounder Of Constitutional lawt
wonder that your light has so long been hidden
under busheI, and that the nation has rot ere
this been made 10 marvel al its briIIiancyl You
| quote the conduct of The Senate of Tennessee rs
an Offset TO the condnct of thA Ohio Wings. u
am not familiar with athe facts Or that case, but
| am perfectly wiIlingto take your word for them,
and beg leave Id return. 10 refer you to the con-
duct fthe late Wing Senate of Mary land. They
have Just broken up, sir, inlhe utmosfconfusion,
almost in row, having refused 10 60 into The
election Of Senator, or to District and APpor.
zion the state. +
Thus yon see. Mechanic that where you can
lind one xample Of factious conductin my pSfly,
| I can find two 10 yours and ! cannot heIn re-
minding you thai 50 long as this is the case, il
would be more becoming in you 10 apply The
chas,e epiihet of 'iisfamoiIs eobtI, 10 your own
/ friends Than 10 mine. The Jersey case was
even more alrociousl than this True, batsihe
airocity vas perpesfsted BY your own parrys Il
was most high-baDded, daring, and atrceious
effort. on The pari of Governor Pennington and
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