Edwardsville Spectator

FOR THE SPECTATOR.

It would be well done that Old Moses would recognize his own likeness in the picture he has intended for Judge Phillips.

When pictures or descriptions are highly drawn, and strongly colored, it is always taken for granted that the painter or poet has a vivid conception of the subject, and paints best, where the features are inscribed in his own heart--or, when he describes character from his own experience. As in water, "face answereth to face," so doth the heart of Moses correspond as the great antitype to his own execrable type. He has faithfully delineated--
every line, and with that rancor that characterized the first great enemy of mankind, he "eyes askance" that virtue he despairs to imitate. We will disdain to respond minutely to the absurd and indefinite charges he has endeavored to substantiate against Judge Phillips. That gentleman's character occupies too elevated ground to be easily obscured by the clouds of envy or detraction, and has been too long before the public to require an apologist; his plain, upright, honest integrity has spoken directly to the heart and understanding of every thinking man in the community: nor could volumes of slang whang from the pen of Old Moses, stain the fair escutcheon of his life. Even his very enemies awed by his undeviating rectitude, have (however unwillingly) yielded their approbation of his judicial proceedings. Nor has falsehood herself dared to allege a single charge that could withstand refutation, nor one which, when applied to the touchstone of truth, has not invariably shrunk into insignificance and "hid its diminutive head." Corruption is strongly hinted at in the despicable tissue of falsehood he has woven to ensnare (as he supposes) the unthinking part of the community, he may perhaps be caught in his own toils, as "in the net which he spread is his own foot taken." But I question much if there is another mind malignant enough in our government to ascribe to Judge Phillips corruption in his judicial capacity, or a heart "wresting judgment." On the contrary, the unanimous sentiment has been, that he was a man upright in his course, and incorruptible in his judicial as well as his political conduct. Charges are easily made, but truth rests upon a basis too imperishable to be easily shaken, or to be "made the sport of every wind of doctrine," nor would she lend her countenance to palm upon the public allegations without probability, and charges without substantiation. If it were enough to accuse, who should be found innocent? But we live, we trust, in too enlightened and liberal an age, for falsehood and malignity to rear their structures in the air, and decorate them with the sun-beams of public approbation. Judge Phillips' character invites investigation, nor will it shrink from the torch of scrutiny, however closely applied, or intense may be its light. As on the one hand we challenge any man to boast of an advantage obtained through the peculiar situation in which the judge happens to be placed; so on the other, we equally defy complaint founded in truth, that shall make it manifest that injustice has been done, or that any one has suffered from his opposition to the judge's political wishes or sentiments. On the contrary, we know that justice has presided on the same bench with Phillips, her bandage bound upon her eyes, and her scales impartially suspended in her hand: That equal and indiscriminate right has been accorded to every man without the intervention of private feeling, or the gratification of ambitious revenge. With respect to the vastly significant insinuations with which Old Moses has interlarded his precious communications to the public, we hold them scarce worthy of a moment's attention. We will merely observe, we are happy he has taken the precaution to enclose them within the strong lines of a parenthesis, otherwise they might have made their escape without observation from their subtle nature, and their strong affinity to air, of which element they were originally composed, and separated by some demoniac arts of chemistry, we neither understand nor approve. Stratagem is ever the resort of the feeble. A powerful enemy assumes a position at once strong and imposing, not relying on a ruse-de-guerre for success, nor a masked battery for a victory. Insinuations against Judge Phillips are like pebbles thrown against a rock. Be upon your guard, Moses, perhaps the recoil may prove more fatal than the discharge. The mighty man of Gath was killed by a smooth pebble from the brook, and who can be surety that another mighty man of a certain place (dost take Old Moses) may not have his precious breath stopped by a pitiful insinuation enclosed within the lines of a parenthesis. But we disdain to dwell longer on these contemptible fabrications of a brain pregnant with falsehood, and pass on to another charge with which the demon of calumny has closed her infamous catalogue, and consummated her own disgrace. We allude to the imputation of immorality and infidelity, charges than which nothing engendered in the deepest hell were ever devised more false and monstrous. Who that is at all acquainted with the character of Judge Phillips needs a refutation of this? Is he not proverbially moral, temperate, just, charitable, reprehension of vice, upright in all his dealings, humble, and severe in his reproof of vice, wearing the very garment spotted with the flesh, and remarkable for his purity and simplicity of language? Who is this accuser that has heard him blaspheme the name of the Most High? Let him stand forth, for we would examine for ourselves, and bear witness to the broad seal of infamy and falsehood imposed upon his brow! We boldly deny this allegation, that Judge Phillips has ever been heard upon any subject to use profane or irreverent language, is false; and again we have occasion to retaliate this charge upon thyself, and say, as "Nathan said unto David, thou art the man." With respect to the charge of infidelity, it is more monstrous still! What! Judge Phillips deny the Lord who bought him, and indulge in the ignorant cant of infidel philosophy! This is "gross as a mountain!" Impossible! And even admitting you had advanced the truth, Moses, dost thou cast the first stone? Does no compunctuous visitings of conscience rouse up the long forgotten blush to testify to this invention of thy watery brain, and bear witness to thine own dereliction? A dereliction which in the execrable malice of your heart, you vainly hope to fasten on another! Moses, dost thou remember when the "candle of the Lord shone brightly on your head," and you went about preaching the glad tidings of great joy to perishing sinners? Alas! alas! how are the mighty fallen! How does the city sit desolate that was full of people! And because you are lost, and fallen, and deserted, and miserable, you would gladly participate your wretchedness, and make Judge Phillips the partner of your crime. Moses, in vain, like Sisyphus, you labor the stone up the hill of your invention. It will fall back and roll innocuous along the path of truth, unless it crush you in the descent. We hope better things of Judge Phillips. We know him to be a friend to the christian cause. "We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen;" but you spew forth your own corruption, and charge it indiscriminately upon him. Honesty, honesty, Old Moses. Mark how a plain tale shall put you down. Judge Phillips was nursed in the cradle of piety. His parents from youth to age adorned the doctrine of God their Saviour, and early imbibed into his youthful mind lessons of piety, which throughout life have restrained his passions, and taught him that without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. Even at an early period of life he was impressed with the necessity of a change from the love of sin to the love of God: And although the varying scenes of life have in some degree choked the good seed, he has always testified in his life and conversation that the Lord is Gracious. He has never thrown away his hope nor sported with the sacred oracles of God! Ha Moses! Canst thou say as much for thyself? We rejoice to have it in our power to remove your conscientious scruples respecting an infidel Governor, expressing our surprise at the same time that you should have become so tenacious on this subject, and we equally rejoice to have it in our power to assert that in every situation in which we have known Judge Phillips placed-where his religious feelings have been tested, he has uniformly afforded his evidence to the truth of Revelation, acknowledging its divine origin and the necessity of regeneration towards the hope of eternal life and happiness. And now ye thinking and judicious part of the community of Illinois! how are we to consider this publication against good sense, against virtue, and our own knowledge of truth and justice? Is it not an insult offered to our understanding in attempt an imposition of so black a nature as the destruction of the character of a worthy and upright man (whom we know to be such) because his political success is the object of private envy's unsatiated revenge, or party spirit thirsting for the ruin of an aspirant to public favor? Is not the whole publication evidently a fabrication of the basest feeling, a vent of the most assassinlike malignity? Not a generous warning to an unsuspecting community, such a warning as vigilant public spirit gives, when it discovers the peace and happiness of society about to be invaded--not that warning which the patriot sounds from his watchtower when he discovers his country's liberty endangered by ambition or menaced by vice!--It is we repeat, the gratification of private hostility, possibly engendered by disappointed pride, unsuccessful ambition, or that hatred arising from the contemplation of excellence, a debased nature has neither the virtue to imitate nor the magnanimity to admire. Has truth held her sacred torch or shed one ray of her divine light on the page of Old Moses? On the contrary is not every thing misrepresented, distorted, black with falsehood, and only intended to calumniate a virtuous man, who has talents and integrity to be useful, and to adorn the station to which he is invited by the esteem and approbation of his fellow citizens. O be not imposed upon! Strike with loudest indignation the scurrilous libel of Old Moses to the earth! devised in the councils of pandemonium, let it return to its great master and inventor loaded with the well merited curses of the virtuous and the wise: Assuring ourselves that if Judge Phillips does succeed in his election, we shall obtain an able man "such an one as fears God," a man of truth, and hating covetousness," by these characteristics he has been eminently distinguished as a Judge, by the same we may assure ourselves he will be adorned as a Governor.

TRUTH.