Lynchburg Star

An ancient republican (an Athenian if our memory is correct) having been omitted in a choice of three hundred officers, prostrated in the temple, and devoutly thanked his Gods that three hundred men had been found in the city, whom the people had deemed more worthy than himself.

I have often reflected with enthusiastic delight on this action, which exhibited one of the most striking and important features of genuine republicanism.

I have no idea of a true republic separate from the sovereignty of the people.

The sovereign people, like individual sovereigns, are indeed liable to be lulled to a dangerous apathy by flattery, or roused above the proper temper by factious oppositions--

But the errors of an enlightened people are temporary--the remedy of error follows its detection--with them the discovery of the nature of the disease, in the body politic as in the body natural, is the indication of cure-- they are their own physicians--of course they will naturally prescribe honestly--

Not so the errors of a monarch, whose first departure from the interests of the people is in a tangent--every progressive inch increases the variation and the velocity, and sends more to insulate him and his interests. One error makes others necessary in an accumulating proportion; till a general convulsion only can restore a union of interests.

Where can the sovereignty of a nation be so properly placed as where exists the truest knowledge of the wants of the people, and the strongest interest in providing wisely for them?

And where exists this knowledge and this interest, in a greater degree than in the people themselves?

Wherever this sovereignty is placed, however, if placed by general consent, he is the best political member of society who is most observant of its provisions, and most active in support of its dignity.

Whatever the sovereign can give, consistent with the terms of that sovereignty, he can take away--

When the people have delegated power, thence they can withdraw it at the term agreed on among themselves.

And he is neither more nor less than a rebel who resists or treats with indignity and insult the constitutional mandate, fairly expressed by the people.

In a republic, a man rises from the body of the people as a cloud rises from the earth--that the wisdom and virtue condensed in him may be dispensed for the refreshment of the ground whence he sprung--

How beautiful, how welcome, when he descends gently from his elevation, and glides peacefully to his original element.

How terrible, how dreadful, when, charged with lightning, he roars as he falls, and blasts when fallen--when he bursts in a tornado, and descends to his original level rather as a visitation than a blessing!

To speak without allegory--

How noble a spectacle does a man exhibit, when he resigns placidly his power to the hand which bestowed it --and mingles without a murmur in the mass from which he has been selected--

How odious and disgusting, on the contrary, when he leaves the chair of office reluctant and grumbling, and curses the voice which awakes him from his dreams of power!

We are led to these remarks by reflections on the various dispositions with which different people yield the power which has been delegated to them, when thereto required by the people

And to these reflections particularly at this time by some recent examples near at hand.

Our native state is dishonored by the childish tenacity with which men in office cling to their seats, and the restive spirit with which they anticipate the voice which only, on earth, can justly call them down from their elevation.

The various expedients to which they have resorted to stifle this voice, and put off the evil day yet a little longer, are the occasion of the present "rage of party spirit." The men who hold power, which perhaps has been handed down to them from their grandfathers, are sensible that the voice of the people, if they would leave it to its common current, would call them immediately into the ranks

Reared and ripened as it were, in office, to be separated from it, is to be dismounted from their hobby and cast among strangers. And when they are dropped, or find the necessity of resigning, they console themselves with cursing and reviling the people.

The soul of a man is exhibited at least as fully in the resignation, as in the exercise, of power. When his ambitious desires are either gratified or frustrated; when he has no longer any motive to wear the semblance of better qualities than he really possesses --a bad man will hurl his mask from him, and exhibit those native features which have been hidden for half an age.

Of a contrary nature was the example of Washington. The dignity and cheerfulness with which he yielded the chair to his successor, was a closing scene, worthy of the great drama of which he had been the hero and made his setting more splendid than his meridian sun.

Without dispute his composure would have been equal, if he had been called away by the electoral voice.

We venture to predict the political exit of Jefferson will be no less cheerful and placid, whether it is made of his own accord, or in consequence of the popular mandate.

But the conduct of Mr. Adams was a blot in the presidential escutcheon.

After spending the last hour of his term in taking measures to embarrass his successor, he eloped about midnight, and retreated homeward with the dispatch of a courier?

Mr. Adams seems to have dropped his mantle in Connecticut as he passed: for we hear little more of him since; and from about that time we date the excesses to which the fear of losing office and influence has driven our men in power, as heretofore described.

We have now to descend from such characters as Washington, Jefferson and Adams, to the late hon. John Allen, of Litchfield! vast and sudden descent! We may be dashed in the fall --but shall nevertheless risk it.

The conduct of this gentleman since he has found the necessity of resigning his offices, is such as excites alternate emotions of indignation, pity, and contempt.

Hopeless of the confidence of his former adherents--equally despairing of reception, as a leader, in the republican party, his former affected suavity and forced blandishments have forsaken him. left him a skeleton of what he was--and exhibited his naturally malignant and tyrannical disposition without a covering.

So fallen, he might sleep, but for public reasons. The political death of a deceiver is seldom without instructive lessons.

This man said, in substance, if not literally, in conversation with a republican of this town, about three weeks ago--

"Sir, I know not how to address you--I can hardly treat you now with civility--I was once very happy to see you at my house, and to converse with you. This democracy bewitches you--it bewitches every one who listens to it--men who have become democrats, cannot reason, or converse as they once could.

"Any man who takes the Witness, and, after proper time for reflection, continues to take it, with an idea of supporting it, is a rascal!

"That Witness is an insufferable paper--The Mercury and Aurora are pure and decent in comparison with it. It must and shall be stopped.

"If the press is not stopped in August (or at the end of the year) I myself will hire a mob and tear it down.

"I do not talk to you for the sake of your vote--I want it not-I want none of your votes--I will not do public business for such a set of rascals --you may go to hell your own way."

A latent spirit like this has for years pervaded our councils--

A latent spirit like this has instilled its secret poison into the bosoms of those clergymen whom hypocritical intrigues have seduced from the paths of duty--

A spirit like this has been long at work against all claims for redress of grievances

A spirit like this has prompted those destructive innovations upon our election laws, which have made suffrage a mockery, and tended to make the tenure of office independent of the sense of the people--

A spirit like this has fettered the hearts of deluded people with intolerance, and steeled their bosoms to all charity for men of different opinions--

A spirit like this has brought party zeal to its present heat and produced that malice, that outrage upon person and character, that habit of malignant persecution, which so much disturbs the community--

A spirit like this has exhibited itself lately in the conduct of John Allen, who having lost the motives which once impelled him to disguise it, finds the most consolation in giving it vent.

A spirit like this will continue to disturb this state until the people shall decree a change of men and measures.