Public Leger, Volume 1, Number 24, Richmond, Wayne County, 21 August 1824 — Page 1

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"F" DLY TO THE BEST PURSUITS OF MAN, FRIENDLY THOUGHT, TO FREEDOM, AND TO FeSEe." Confer.

DUMBER 24.

RICHMOND, WAYNE COUNTY, INDIANA,. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1824.

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From the Columbus Ohio Monitor. PRESIDENCY NO. I. On the important subject of our next

president of the U. States, we, long ago,

"brietlv submitted our general views: more Tecentlv, we have frequently copied the lucubrations of others, and occasionally intimated our own sentiments. Possibly, it Wv be thought an act of supererrogation to recapitulate our past views or reinvestit:e that which has become measurably

trite to most of our readers. But our justification for now recrmmencing a few remarks, perhaps a series of essays, is first that our investigations of this theme will rfi.'i't the eve of some new readers, 2d, that cn a subject, in which the best interests of our country, as well as the most anxious feelings of our hearts are involved, we would rather be thought superfluous; than incur the least risk of discomfiture. In pursuai.ee of our design, we aim at brevity and method; and shall begin with

lir.ea?u:e. and not with men. Thestand-

'arJ. by which we shall try the fitness ofour ca- did 12 his riuxcii'LLS, and his acQUI HI- MFN T. The principles of the President of our choice i.u-t Vc- h rnocrc.iir both in the genEra! aaJ party x nse. For, whatever may have bee n the deft ct of the administration in power since the memorable epoch of 'llEOl; whatever may have been the insinjcTiU. of faithlfsnes of some, who have (hd-Jen places of tru-t; however numerous ire in rtrdirv- fi f tl if1

party at large; and we admit all these positively, as well as hvpothetically, we con

scientiously think that the true spirit of

freedom has been better supported; and the aspirings of aristocracy better repressed, than under the prevalence of the principles, stvlcd federal. For, an illustration

of the principle, take; the administration of

the illustrious Jefferson. Acquirements of the most useful grade fir a President of these U. States, in our opinion, is a knowledge of foreign affairs. I bis opinion we know will startle some, w hose ears have been incessantly invaded w ith the din that our President should be or.e, who is acquainted with our "family wants;" one, whose mind is not wholly engrossed with the "corruption of foreign courts." But our opinion is formed with much deliberation; and we have no fear that it will be arraigned, by adepts in the r.aiure of the duties pertaining to the executive department. The duties of the President, arc nearly summed up in the following words; "com

mander-in-chief of the army and navy of

I tue U. States; and militia, when in actual I service; power to grant pardons and reprieves, to make treaties, by and with the I advice and consent of the senate; appoint I ambassadors, and public ministers,and consuls; judges of the supreme, and U. S. j courts; to fill vacancies, during the recess

of the senate; give to congress information on the state of the Union; recommend measures necessary and expedient ; receive ambassadors and other public ministers and take care that the laws be faithfully exec u ltd." Here it will readily be perceived that almost every duty of the President, is either of direct, or incidental foreign relation. True, he is commander-in-chief of the army and navy; but the neeoity of this command must grow out of the relation of war with a foreign notion. Aide negotiation, prompted by an extensive knowledge of international law, and diplomatic skill will often prevenl any need of its actual exercise. A war that has required our President to posses? military skill has but once Jutpi ened during the existence of our republic and probably seldom w ill. If often,

we may calculate on asneedv termination

ml I J of our republican institutions; and with them, the oflicc of Pr -ident altogether. Pardons and reprieves, the power of which is conferred on the Prcsident,gcnei ally arise out of infractions of conventions with foreign nations. The treaty making power is unquestionably the highest attribute of our first executive. True, by the terms of cur constitution, the senate is a coordinate branch, o this high prerogative, which may control; oppose and frustrate even the wishes of the sovereign people, legally expressed by their official organ?, the representatives in congress, but hitherto it has and doubtless ever will be little more than a mere echo of the executive will. For, where both the constitute . and the practice, have rendered the diplomatic skill of the President so transcendant, his recommen

dation will, and in sound policy, ought to j

be law. But in the incidental power of appointing ambassadors &c. as well as other officers of government, the constitution has either designedly, or unguardedly given him virtually the sole power. lie may appoint an ambassador, or other officer, in the recess of the senate, to fill the vacancy. The senate may not concur in the appointment. The office will be vacant, at the close of the next term of the senate. The President may fill the vacancy with the same officer, and repeat it without limitation of times. Is the supposition admissible, that the framers of the constitution mistook the best interests of the nation, when they assigned to the President the exclusive management of our foreign relations; and crmparitively few domestic, and presupposed him well skilled in thoe duties? Have every department of our past government misunderstood their duty; the President in his oper ing message, bv expatiating on our foreign relation ; and the members of congress, bv considering themselves unsafe in legislating on subjects incidental thereto, without information from the President! WouM It h.e Iren a lmHcious prrvtc0;i in the V. States constitution, instead of making the President the efficient, and almost the sob agent of our foreign affairs, to have made him more the agent of our domestics; while it constituted 261 agents of our domestic, state, and local concerns (the number at presentof our senators and representatives in congress) and recognized the state government, by which twen-tv-four governors, and more than three thousand legislative agents, attend to our domestic concerns, and have an opportunity to become acquainted with our "family wants?" Indeed, it appears to us, that, if our President sees well that we receive no harm from abroad, the multitude of domestic counsellors may ensure us safety at home. In mojt governments, but especially the British, an energetic, or imbecile Secretary for foreign affairs, imparts nearly the same character to the government; and the resemblance between the duties of their Secretary for foreign affairs, and those of our President, is more striking than between any two offices in the two governments. Scientific, and literary acquirements, and moral principles, as well as moral and sedate deportment, arc characteristics,that cannot be safely dispensed with. It may seem altogether gratuitous to mention, much more, to argue the fitness of the candidate posscsj-ing them. But, it is vociferated, by those mountebanks, who would catch the ears of the vulgar, that it will not do for this great nation to have a President, who has been immured in the closet; and, that "severe study unfits a man for the active business of President;1' that "we ought not to have a President who does not know the way to mill." We arc glad that these doctrines have never yet been reduced to practice. When they are, we shall learn that Fisher Ames was nearer right in his descriptions of the western people, than cither we, or the Reviewer admited. Moral, principles, and moral conduct is too important in the first executive to be disregarded. There will, be little respect for, or safety in the law, when moral practice,and principle does not prevail. What! shall the President of the nation recommend measures for the abolition of duelling, w hose hands are red with the blood of a fellow mortal ; will he recommend chastity, and practice incontinence? ill he recommend the punishment of death to the importerof slaves, and keep, and lash,

md possibly murder slaves himself? Will

he have any influence in his recommendations? The idea is absurd. But, there is another consideration, of which it matters

j but little, whether it belong to the head, principles) or acquirements', we mean that ; the candidate be opposed to the slave holding policy. This is but a negative qualification; j but, with us, it will be a sine qua non.

uAre not the wandering Tartars or Indian hunters at least as susceptible of patriotism, as these strapxlers in our western forests, and infinitely fonder o( ejlory ? It is difficult to conceive of a country which from the janner of its settlement, or the manifest tendencies uf its Politic., is more destitute or more incapable of being inspired with political virtue. " ifce 414.

From the Village Register. "The charge is prepared, the lawyers are met, The judges all ranged a terrible show." The time appears to have arrived for the promised, great, ar.d effective effort of the friends of Mr. Clay, which has just been effected by their meeting at Columbus on the 15th ult. under the special view and direction of Mr. Clay himself so for the future, we hope to hear no more of them keeping a strong reserve for their last charge. But this is like their other noisy productions, more terriblcin sound than dangerous inconsequences. The most remarkable thing in the addrcss is an overture to theoor Jacksonians,, as they please to represent them- their numbers being so email, it will be necessary for them to join in the ranks with Mr. Clay's party to make their votes effective ; and this after stating Mr. Clay's friends to be more numerous than those of Messrs. Adams and Jackson combined; O fie! tie, gentlemen if you are so sure of success,

don't let the Jacksonians have any part of

the honor of electing Mr. CIa be assured gentlemen, the friends of Gen. Jackson are fully able to judge for themselves in the event of the General's withdrawing and it is hardly probable, it would be bes

towed on the man, who cMssmdike, under

the garb o friendship, attempted to blast e fair and hard-earned reputation of this gallant officer. OBSER VER.

blage. As little inclination have I to der

ogate from the well established reputation of any of the competitors for the exalted trust. In the wide range of diplomacy r the Legislative Hall on the field of battle and the less dazzling, but equally important and difficult department of finance, at seasons of great embarrassment and fearful issue, have they respectively distinguished themselves, and are entitled to the gratitude of the nation, and their fame is its property. One only of the number can be elected, and all of us will concede that whomsoever possesses the capacity, principles, political and moral rectitude, best calculated to honor the station, and benefit the country ought to succeed. Let us hope and pray that such may be the result." Mr. Adams in LouisiANA.-The Nexr

'Orleans Mercantile Advertiser, of July

15, has the iollowing paragraph: At St. Francisville the voters generally placed upon their tickets the names of the candidates they preferred for the Presi dency. Of the whole number given in there were, for Mr. Adams 65 ; Gen. Jackson CO; Mr. Clay 9; Mr. Crawford 2. This is probably a fair sample of tbs whole state.

I We recommend to the independent voj ters of Ohio, a careful perusal of the fol-

lowing excellent observations. Jlicyare from the pen of Dr. E. Bateman of Cumberland county. New-Jersey, w ho has long been a member of Congress from that state and always sustained a high reputation for talents, inclination, and moral worth.We hope to publish future extracts frcm the same production. jV.-f. Crisis. "I am no friend to religious, whatever I may think of political tests, yet the peo

ple for their credit sake, if nothing more,

ought to give moral worth a preference

over lewd, dissii at( d and prcfai e men

however splonded their talents may be ; for

strangers will pretty much identify the

people of a district with their representa

tive, taking it for granted that the representation iscorrect.-What sort of constitu

ents must that man have! what kind of

a country does he live in! &c. arc remarks not unfrequent." "The general Intelligence for which we contend, ought especially to be brought to bear on all our elections ; for at the polls our preferences should be made with an undeviating reference to principle, political merit, and moral north. A man serving spirit should be discountenanced, intrigue and intriguers frowned away, private bargains compromises quid pro quo arrangements, and every kind afmanagement, by which imposition is practised on the voters, or injustice done to candidates, is at war with the freedom andpurity of our elections, and should receive the unqualified disapprobation of every good man cut whom and where it may. "Thc American people arc upon the eve of a great election, to which all these

principles should be applied without par- ; tiality or reserve. By them have I attempt- ! cd deliberately to resolve the question. ! The conclusion I have reached is satisfactory to my mind, and acquires new confi- ! dencc as the canvass proceeds It is an

opinion not lightly formed, and into which enters as a chief ingredient, an acknowledged deference for those principles by w hich my political life has been regulated. But having good reason to believe that on this subject, it is not my good fortune to agree with all my audience, and feeling sensibly the impropriety of introducing on an occasion like this, controverted topics I cannot be so disrespectful as to urge my preference on this respectable assem-

Africa, the land of Slaves and deserts, her sands are volumes, on whose pages are inscribed the crimes and the vices of mcru Though her soil is parched by a vertical sun, and her shores rocky and barren, her wrongs are written in characters as deep and as lasting as the records of eternity. A voice from that wide field of blood and desolation reminds us, that the temporary expedients of politicians, with regard to trade and commerce, the pretended zeal of candidates for public favor for the permanent happiness and prosperity of their fellow-citizens, are too often the devices of art, or the still more deceptive attempts apparent political honesty, to effect its sinister purposes. It tells us to be just to others before we atteach peculiar purity to ourcl- -ta redeem our own soil from the curse of slavery, before, we L 't of our national glory to deserve the name of a free people, before the cant of exclusive systems adapted only to free men, shall pass as the watchword to favor. JS'at. Crisis

From Portugal. The New York Evening Post states, that by the ship Eurupa, at that port from Lisbon, information is received that the Marquis of Aurhrutis was a prisoner in the Castle, and that every thing continued quiet. The triumph obtained by the king over his consort and her party, continued to be viewed as the consequence of the predominant irfluei.ee of England over Russia. The Eurepa left Lisbon on the 13th of June.

Sale of Saxon Sheet. A sale of a eo siderable number of Saxon sheep took dace near Boston on Thursday last. We learn by the Daily Advertiser, that there was a large company present embracing agriculturalists fr 11 parts of the state, and from some of the neighboring states. The sheep were sold at various prices, from 140, the highest price for any one, to $'40. The sheep were much admired for the uniform fineness of the wool. Patriot

From the Portsmouth (Ohio) Journal. Ohio Canal. The corps of Engineers under the direction of Mr. Kelly, one of the Commissioners, completed the examination of this part of the Scioto and Muskingum rout, on Monday last (the 26th July.) Mr. Kelly, accompanied by Mr. Kilbourn, left this place, on Tuesday last, on their way to complete the examination of the northern part of the route, where they are to be joined by Mr. Price. Mr. Forrer joins the party now on the western route under the superintendence of Mr. Williams, one of the commissioners. As soon as there can be any more information obtained as to their progress, wc shall embrace the earliest opportunity of laying it before our readers. From the Philadelphia Gazette. The bri-r Castor, Hood, from Portland, was rap. tured on the 29th of June, in the mouth of the harbor ofMatanzai, by a piratical vessel, which carried her into a small bite about half way between that Wn..fl iinv.ina.nnil brou-ht her to an anchor.

They robbed her of nearly all her cargo, consisting of lard, soap, candles and butter, all her spare sa, rising, kedpe and haw?er, and both noats. o -pY and crew were stripped of all t hr doth.n

severely beaten witli cuuassesn nci - theu cut und she went into Havana.

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