Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-04-09

The Democratic Convention breathed not syllable
AGAINST the spotlass fame OF our own Washington and
if this Committee have discovered The contrary, they
deserve the hi chest praise NEST acute "reviewers
The Whip Committee seem 10 be especially excited
Nv The uattack upon Hamilton 8 memory, marked BY
the venom Of the adder and ITS blindness. We have
look ed in vain for this "venomous attack. The AID
dress represents that he, san adventurer OF fortune,
bred no in the camp familiar with the vices OF war,
and accustomed 10 absolute command, arowed, that he
had no faith in the capacity OF man for sefgovern-
ment-no faith in Republics: and that the British Con-
stitution with nil its coruptions was the best model
of Government" The Address further says that
Hamtan's maxim was, "that men could be only CO.
varned by their vices-prlvate wee, public good -
VIII this Wing Committee gainsay any OF these state
mente, VIII they deny, that Mr. John Adams de-
clared that Hamilton devoid Of all moral prnci
pe was at the head Of British party, designed to sub
ugae the country? Will they deny that Jefferson
asserted that Hamilton 'not only Nlonarchst,
but for Monarchy botomed on corruption, and cited
an yoresson of Hamilton that 'the British Govern
ment as stands al present. with all its supposed de-
fects, is the most perfect Government which ever ex
isted", Mr.. Jefferson further describes Hamilton as
being in favor OF san hereditary hing with House
of Lords and Commons corrupted to his will and stand
ing between him and the people, and so bew'tched
and perverted by the British example, as to be under
thorough conviction that corruption was essential TO
the government of nation He adds that llamlton
financial system a machine Tor the corruption OF
the LEGISLATURE for he apowcd the opinion, That man
could be governed by of two motives oay force or
INTEREST," force he observed, "n this country, out
of the and the interests therefore, OF the MEM
bers must be laid hold of to keep the Legislature in
unison with the Executive" 1t Is thus evident that
the late Democratic Convention had the high au'hor'-
ty Of Mr. Jeferson's TO Justify even much more
than they have said, about Ham lions schemes. He
proposed in the Federal Convention the highest toned
scheme of a Federal Constitution
"a Legislature chambers 'riM pomr ePass all ia'c'
uhateuer,' subject 10 the rttO.
1.-The House be chosen for three wears.
The Senate serve duing good hriavior.
h- Executive 10 during good behavior and 10 have
war when begun the cppoinset Of ms cabinet 9th and
nomination TO the Senate oil otter officers and the pldonns
Ts appoin. the Governor each State, aud hare all
mo have any forces, land naval and their militia
TO be under the sole and 1ersre direction Of the l..
by ,r anton is father and fnnder IN the Convention which
framed the Constitution Of The T. S1.I. uecIe'"a"Ts speech
in The HOrse n Representatives,, March ~, loii
The people must say whether in tie discus
sion OF the political principles Of our opponents the
germs of which were produced under the lititu-
dlnous financial and political doctrines of Ham
ton, the whole history of our country must remain
sealed book for fear Of "nsultng the memory Of those
men, whose ambition and genius left an impress upon
their political followers We shall drop this part Of the
subject with the single remark, that though this wing
Committee carefully discaim for their party all sire
sronsib,y for what Hamilton may have SAID or done,
the warmth and zeal with which they defend his 'me
mory" cannot but indicate sympathy 10. some OF his
political doctrines. He was for strong government
The modern Federa!iss for investing the general
government with much greater powers, than the Con-
s,ituton concedss-and which several of the Wing
Committee themselves reprobaed, until a Federal
change "came over the spirit Of their dreams. THIS
regard for the memory OF A. Hamilton Is one OF Tie
suspicious signs of The times.
The Committee next charge the Democratic address
with "profIga;e reputation for using the following
language:
.he debts contacted by the Continental Congress ia" The
carrying The war, which had been purchased Tor aiew
pound by the speculaior funded at their par value
y :hc Government The debts contracted by the respective
states for The sme rppose Tr !" Ike manner, a" ="
funded An aud initous debt was thus imposed on
the nation" . -,
What does Mr. Jefferson say on this subject: "'Ihe
dstresses of these people, (aluding to the individual
creditors of the Federal GovernmenD often obliged
them part with these certificates of debt Tor the hall,
the fifth and The tenth Of their value; and specu
la,ors had made Trade Of cozenng them from the
holders by the most fraudulent practices aud persua-
sions that they would be paid. In the bill tor
funding and paying these Hamilton made no difference
between the original holders and the fraudulent pur
chnsers of this paper Great and just repugnance had
arose Mt putting these t,co classes IF creditors on me
same footinp and great exertons made to pay the
former their full value and the latter the price only
which they had paid, with interest But thls would
have prevented the game which was TO be played, and
tu,ored and prepared When the trial Of strength on
these several efforts, had indicated the form in which
the bill would finally pass, the base scramble began
Couriers and relay horses by land, and swift sailing
pilot boats by sea- were flying IN Gil d'rections-acve
partners and SCENTS associated and employed IN
every Stale town. and country neighborhood, and this
aper was bou gh up five shngs and even as low as
two shlngs the pound before the holder knew that
Congress had already provided for redemption al par
Immense sums thus lched from the poor and ie-
norant, and fortunes accumulated by those who hsd
themselves been poor enough before. Men thus en-
riched By the dexerity of leader, would follow, of
course, the chief who leading them to fortune,
and become the jealous instruments OF all his enter
prizss"
Did not Mr.. Madison, in the Cd session of the first
Congress prepare amendment (Which was LOST "to
discriminate between the public creditors, SO as to pay
the present holder Of assgnable paper the hghes. price
il had borne in the market and give the residue TO the
person with whom the debt was originally contracted .:
And yet, upon the argument of this Wing COMMITTEE,
Jefferson and Madison ought to be stamped with "pro
Agats reputation" People of Virginia, will you not
rescue tie "memory' of these Gndeed your) great
benefactnrs from such unmerited lmpuiaons
AS TO the second branch Of the charge of "repudIa-
ton of the debts conracted by the respective States
and assumed By the Federal Government, and fund
ed we shall bring up evidence which must cause
this Wing committee TO open their eyes IN amazemen
a, the strong !suguage which they have employed
Mr. jefferson says, that by log rolling, Assumption
was passed, and twenty Inll'iohs oil STOCK uividen
among favored States, and thrown in IS pabuum TO the
stock. jobbng herd This added 10 the number Of vo
ares 10 the Treasury, and made its chief the master
Of every vote in the Legislature, which might give 10
the Government the direction suited TO his political
views
Moreover The Legislature of Virginia on the Sd Of
November, 1890, solemnly resolved "hat so much OF
the act entitled ian act making provision for the debt
of the United Slaes as assumes the payment of the
State debts is repugnunt TO the Constitution of the
United States, goes to the exercise OF power not
granted to the General Government" This was
the first reproof uttered by any State TO any ac'
of the Federal Government. In this proceeding,
our venerated ancestors must come in for their
share OF the charge Of "profgate reputation made,
so hastily, By thi, Wing Committee. The "memory"
Of these fathers of our Old Dominion should have
beer protected against such ndiscriminate attacks.
But will stop. We did not set out to answer the
address Of the Wing Commtee-but to notice briefly
some of lis unjust impua,Ions The whole subject is
now in the hands of person competent 10 a full re-
ply 10 this Wing address, and the duty will be we'll
performed.
THE TABLES TURNED!
Judge Elliott is under impeachment before the Sc
nate Of louisiana for issuing letters of naturalization
L, tha coptpnd scale