Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-10-12

| ~ 'sa&&'tS uhN udLdtuOuS Oh eIGCLlDR tue Ndu-
| dIdate of our first choice, and be more encons
aging as to the second, may it not be worthy
OF serious consideration, whether al should be
risked by tenacious adherence to the for
mer
| III II be nearly certain that the election must
devo've on the House Of Representatives, il is
not SO AS IN the three candidates no will en-
ter that house. With respect To the votes
which may, at present, with something like
certainty, be counted upon for each ofthe four
candidates, they place them nearly equaLs-
So that although we know that three QUIZ
the four must enter the house, il cannot be
positively affirmed, perhaps, Of any onc offhem
that he will certainly he OF the number of those
three. We shall not stop to prove by detailed
statements the correctness of this observation
Weconhdentiy rest for IN business upon that
general Information which you must possess.
IL II he conceded Nat the present positive
support OF any one Candidate, is greater ,han
that OF another; bat still short of SECURING h,s
election. il would not thence follow, that If
they both entered the house, the former would
prevail over the latter. For the contingent
and eventual support which finally might ac-
crue TO him who originally had the least posi-
tive support might ultimately be sufficient to
secure his election against all competition.
Judging from all The evidence before the
pubic, 1t is highly probable that Virginia at
present prefers Mr.. Crawford. However
much grat'fied Kentucky would have been,
had the parent slate concurred with her i'm
choice, there is NOT the slightest disposition to
condemn or reprUach your state on account
OF her preference, for which, doubtless she
has reasons that are deemed sufficient. Nor
Is u our Intention or wish to- underrate the
probabilities of MIR. Crawfor,i's election. What
we would desire Is, that they may be fully ex-
| ap1ina tt.oxr all -
there IS any prospect whatever Of his election
by the colleges? There can we humby coz
ccHe, be but negative answer given to that
question. Surprising him 10 enter the House
ot Representatives, is there any likelihood OF
his being there elected? What thirteen states
may be expected 10 unite in his favor: I'm
less we are greatly deceived by the informa-
ton we possess, of the four candidates now
before the public, there is much stronger prob
ability of the election in the house Of repre-.
sentatives, OF two of them than Mr.. Crawford !;
ana az one vi those two, NJ not both, must Ger
taiu'y hc placed before the house, we own that
II appears 10 US exire .hely improbable that
the Secretary Of the Treas can be elected.
either by the electors or the House of Repre
sentaives.
| III tins view OF the question be correct if la
no probable event can the election of MIR.
Crawford he secured; and if any of those
states which support him, have second
choice, which may be jcopardizrd by longer
adherence to him, we submit il il be not wor-
thy OF serious consideration, whether il would
not be better to vary the direction Of their ex-
ertons? We should suppose that il, for ex-
ample, II can be made out that Virginia, by
comforting her suffrage upon Mr.. Crawford,
would nor only not secure his election. bui
thereby might occasion the loss of the election
of him whom she would prefer in The srcond
Instance and that, by now taking up the
latter, she would most probably clftc, his
election, powerful motives would seem To ex-
isl for adopting the latter course.
We will not longer dwell upon the improba-
bilify of Mr.. Crawford's election but will now
advert 10 some of those considerations which
we think tend to show that Virginia may leo
pardiZe her second choice; and that by en-
ploying, in due season, her great weight and
influence, she might certainly secure his cleo
lion. We will premise by stating that we
have been led to believe, that if MIR. Crawford
Is her FIRST. Mr.. Clay is at least her second
choice. If in this we are mistaken if pre-
ierring the Secretary of the Treasury first. she
would next choose General jackson or MIR.
Adams, VI the latter especially, then there is
an end OF the argument, and it may be wise in
Virginia to adhere To Mr.. Crawford TO the
very last. But we would anxiorrsly hope.
from his uniform devotion throughout his
whole lie, to those great principles of human
liberty, of which Virginia has ever shown her
self the able and distinguished supporter, and
lrora his ever having manifested disposition
to sustain and promote the interests Of every
part of the confederacy, without AN exclusive
attachment TO any, that we do not deceive our
selves in surprising that Mr. Clay occupies at
least secondary place in the confidence and
esteem OF his native state. III Virginia adber.
to the end to MIR. Crawford, the effect may be,
that Mr.. Clay is either excluded from the
House Of Representatives, or, if ooi, that he Is
carried INTO II by a vote 80 small, as on that
account, Ia place him in very disadvantageous
competition with those over whom we suppose
Virginia 10 prefer him. II, for example, Mr..
Adams, should have something like 100
votes, and Mr.. Clay only about so. it must be
imagined that such great difference between
them, would have material, If not decisive
weight in the judgment Of the House of Re-
representatives. when making the final choice
But if Virginia were To bestow her suHfrse.;,,o.
on him, the large addition which 1t tyosid
nia'se ~ tho ~oto which already there il 49,.
ry reason TO believe be will obtain. wnu,d ,aL..
hun into The house so respectfully support.d =.
10 render bis election highly probable.
We are aware that some 81 th. rca,,,.;o,. 81
this address, may be retorted. Jtm.vL,.s'd
why not give up Mr.. Clay ;wby moi surrcnJnr
Candidate of whose election there il but a
remote contingency, and let the support which
ne might receive, be directed 90 the aid OF
hr' Crawford We reply, that the general
voice seems 10 proclaim degree Of prObabi-
" amounting almost 10 a certainty Of MIR.
Gays election, II he enter The House of Re-
representatives. as one Offhe three highest upon
any thing like an equal footing with the other