Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-11-07
A CASE SUPPOSED.

-hSsolo f.tiSh, Otdii q W. u
A CASE SUPPOSED.
If two gentlemen of different political
parties were arrayed against each other
as candidates in an Important election
IT The feelings ofthe whole district were
| reused on one side Ell the other; if, after
the election, these gentlemen should be
| engaged in warm canvass of its validity
1t, from SEINE unfortunate misunderstood
Ing, or any other cause which we may
suppose, they should become still more
| intiamed against each other, until they
! took up the pen to express those feelings,
and thus stood committed before the pub
lie in pieces which breathed great deal
oil warmth 1t, IN fine, their TeSentmcnts
| should have so far kinded, that the friends
| OF both began To iremble for the conse-
| quenceS; let us suppose these things, and
| then let us ask, what, in that delicate
crisis, when an explosion was every mo
ment dreaded ,weuld have been the course
han Editor, the political friend OF one.
but the friend also of humanity, would
have prescribed to himself2 Would lie
have attempted to fan the embers OF hos
tIllty or 10 have extinguished them /?
Would he have slept forth as political
partIZan, espoused the side of one gentle
man, aud attempted TO chafe and infiame
The other into open hostility, by odious
lnsinuations or direct charges of his per
sonal pusillanimity
In word, would he have acted the
part OF peacemaker, or have blown the
trumpet of battle! If he could not have
been silent on this unpleasant occasion,
would he not rather have said Gentle
men, beg you TO torbear. BY the re-
gard you have for yourselves, by the re-
gard you have for our common country,
beg you 10 torDear. You are both Vir-
glnIans; both men Of high sense of hon
or, of undoubted reputation for bravery.
Why should YOU risk your lives in this
unnecessary hostility You have both
done the State some service. At Nor
folk, while the enemy every momen, men
aced an attack, you both stood ready to
spill your blood in its deience-sThe
Whole camp, the whole country, regard
ed your services, and your resolution
with delight. Since the war, both OF you
have served in our public councils /; one
IN the Assembly of the State, the other
IN the Senate of the United States. True;
you are now opposed TO each other for
another scat in our public councils you
are disputing on which side the majority
OF votes lies let that dispute be conduct
ed on liberal principles satisfied that
the majority should govern, and only So
llcitous to ascertain with whom that ma
Jority rests. The reputation of the State
too is concerned in the mannerin which
yoar controversy is conducted. Both of
you are brave men and il is not neces-
sary to establish your character by arms ;
both of you may iniure, but cannot serve
yourselves, by inf1ammatory aud acr-
monlous language
Such is the course which iudicious T.
dIiOr might have chosen such is the
course which the Federal Republican,
| much TO ITS credit, has pursued, III the I'M
pleasant controversy between Jackson
| and Adalr.-But such is moi the cours-,
which one of the Virginia Editors has Ia
Ken III the unpleasant contest between
Armistead II. Mason, and Charles F
Mercer. That Editor has made an attack
upon Gen. Mason, which no political hos.
| tiity can warrant al such crisis oithe dis
pute; and no personal feelings can iusti
| fy In third party. His remaks are only
| calculated to intiame, instead of allaying
an hostility which can neither benefit the
parties nor their country.-Whether any
other Editor has thus mingled in the con
test, we know not for we have not seer
| all the publications that have been made
we have only seen tletwo last notes ofthe
parties and are therefore equally at a
loss to understand the merits of the con.
troversy itself. We can only say, W,
sincerely regret il.
y One ofthem intmstcs, he shall not forfeit
all claim to the character of gentleman b,
referring upon him (the otler) the language
OF alackguard and bplly"--IH reply, TIL,
other says, That il these terms are applied 4
biin. he cannot hesitate to pronounce linn 9TH,
drel."