Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-05-27
RICHMOND, MAY u.
LFoR THE ENQUIRER.
Mr.. EDITOR,

MIR. EDITOR,
In the publication Of the
extract ola letter from Albemarle coun-
ty, you state that OH questions of electi-
ons you thought the press ought to be o.
pen, suppose you meant for either, when
question pesented two sides. In your
paper of some days ago it was stated that
Mr.. Hugh Nelson was elected by a ma
jority of upwards of 400 votes, without
stating what that majority was. You
will be so obliging as to state it TO be a
majority of at least 544. Out of more
than ! 100 votes given in the district, Mr..
Nelson obtained 81. The efforts made
to exclude him, and the manner i'm which
the attempt was made, require that the
voice of his constituents should be dis
tinctly heard especially as his political
conduct was announced by the extract
published in the outset of the election, to
be disapproved by his constituents-How
far his political course was disapproved,
and in what IT deserved this public insi-
nuation and censure contained in the ex-
tract /; or how far it was the disapprobati
on of the writer, or the people who COM
pose the district of Mr.. Nelson, let the
viii of the people lately and deliberately
expressed, now proclaim. Mr.. Nelson
was not apprised of discomfort, or of anv
intended opposition, until some time af-
ter the polls were opened in his own
county, it being the first county that vo-
ted in the district, nor had he any oppor-
tunity of knowing the ground, or contro-
verting the allegations of the opposition
until after the close ofthe election for his
county. In the other three counties
composing the district, the candidates
and their pretensions TO public conf
dence, together with the character of Mr..
Nelson's political course, was fairly and
fully before the publc.-I am one of his
constituents, who, upon principle, amnot
averse to competition in our popular cleo
tons an open, manly, virtuous opposi-
ton, where an examination ofpublic men
and public measures may enlighten the
road to public confidence, and whence
the rude elements of our republican in
sstitutions may be shapen into better
form, or may be shielded from the dead
When more able and virtuous represen-
tative can be offered to the people, | am
one of those always ready TO receive him
but let him not be seated on the real or
supposed alterations of his predecessor
in Office, without giving time TO the peo-
pie TO examine the fitness of the first, or
hear the defence of the last was not
willing TO cruelty the real or supposed of
fender III the first instance, and to exa-
mine into the Justice of the punishment
afterwards. feel, i'm this case, no other
interest but that which deeply concerns
every freehOlder in my district, ready and
willing to select the most enlightened and
most honest man we can obtain, TO repre-
sent our rights and maintain our claims in
the general government.
Had as full and free examination into
Mr.. Nelson's course during his last two
years of service, been afforded 10 the peo-
pie of Albemarle previous 10 the election
In that county as was in the other coun-
ties of the district, am satisfied the
same justice would have been done him
IN the first, as has been soamply bestow-
ed OIL him III the last counties of his dis
trlct. Thus it is that agitation which
sudden opposition creates when set up at
the commencement of an election, has
been TO me subject of regret and suspi-
cion, better calculated TO arouse the no.
nest fears of tie people than to awaken
them TO a just sense of the political fit
ness ofthe men they are about TO select
for public employment; and thus ii is,
also, that our most valuable privileges
insensibly become enfangled with per-
sOnal and selfish considerations, and we
are apt 10 exercise with passion, and stain
with prejudice, the most sacred and pre-
clous rights of
A CONSTITUENT.
] annex a statement of the polls at the
late elections in the counties composing
the Congressional District: