Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1828-06-07
w. c.. RIVES.
Prom the Richmond Enquirer.
w ANHINHTUN, May To, IcZS.
To The Editors off the Eu0,,;rer

10 me EdHorS 81 the Enquirer.
GENTLEMEN In paper of the 9th inst bove seo,
long letter from Mr. VIM c. Rives rDon and abnn =
speech which had made in the House of Representatives
OF the u States, while the Retrenchment Resolutions
We're under discussion precisely three months prior to that
date he character OF that letter demands from me
notice, the necessity of which extremely regret II has
ever been my endcavour so long could be permitted
70 DO so, to cultivate kind feelings toward all with whom
nave been associated, and with Mr. Rives certainly not
less than with others ifhcre anything in the sneec
winch he has commented upon Justify the temprr and
spirit In which that letter appears to have bee, written
am unconscious of it. If shall now speak of the Letter
III 'eSS measured phrase than, under other circumstances
would nave been used, Will still guard arainst becon;n
the "ggreSs0r, and will neither say nor do moro Than dr.
fence shall justify. This is the first instance in Which
have found myself called upon to appear in nnbIi
paper III Yindcahon or reply. have never before en-
cotered an opponent, who if ne could not or would NOT
meet me on the field which lie himself had chosed ever
deemed 1t his duty to exhibit his provess by flourish Of
drum and trumpet, than an hundred miles distant
Mrfe moRhS after the igdicOn of the supposed
"he'her That letter could not be brought forth
or whether the attendance the accouchmcnf of holm
rom certain committee, the able service of which the
gentleman has acknowledged, could not till now he had
Is unknown to me, the novel imposition of an oath of
secrecy upon the Clerks of Committees of the Inusc
ais no efccPtton from its operation upon the nnor;ty
would not, however, make insnuation which MIGHT
IN any manner deprive the member from Albenarle othe
entire and undivided honor of that production Tho nv
protected condition of his friends who seems ,yor ,
prepared SO fully Mcy cOud IRISH TO meet and rcnoi
&C INDUCED the gentleman, doubt, with the least NOS
sblc delay, to extend his Goaths spear between bcn
and their associates 1t is be supposed that This
.UOt was To the last few of
session. upon presumption, that could then be
ounu with leisure inclination revert TO discussion
Whch the country had already forgotten have noyor
attached to the particular portions of either speech which
nave been made the buhen the letter one half the inn
poFance they seem to possess in the mind of that et
il couu NOT nave discovered any great principle in
Eolved IN the result, whether an appropriation ts ea
was shhhng more or less than former occasion and
should not have acquired lost any great DEGREE of
hdcnce IN the government of the country upon such an O.
vent. did not introduce that mode of trial bnt ocl1
III that mode, only far. as it was uccces,r, 10 1900
erroneous conclusions from mistake of facts Without
the hfTcc months required for the letter or tbn trcc
weeks IN which the speech might have been concocn,,
must alQ" inc gentleman and his letter small portion
10 winch thcy are entitled, of the few ours ov t,f car
now be diverted from other engagements
NhethcT the gentleman does Justice To hoselr IN crod
tg MS constituent Tor part of the great pofi,sio of
eplthetS with which his letter is decorated such az u ,
4ItnouGN, Vftuous, and erude gentleman from New
-; 'P,o, 4" Whether the merit is entirely his own it
ho' material 10 determine for he seems so ena1uored
OF Such brilliant conccits, that their cmphatc renotf
orns no small part OF his solid columns Tint mart r ;
"TS""et, however must remain unanswered as ito boar
ing III cohuoyerhng my statements, sustaining his our,
SProDa6ly from my FAULT is not very disfiuct
Perhaps it IS from The srnc dizziness r cc,.,, a.
am nov more moved ~ his p1hctic lamcutafion ,no, H.;
enemies ana the i1crOrUWC Character of their
as also upon TIC nc trtcilong and abuse of the
power since ~ has never been NV pisr,rt,,,e 10 on
'''-oi suCh Ga"icS, and have felt ~ little
concern i.r b3 Efforts OF the Innions of po;vcr " va co
snail fee! Tor the supcrc'ous rudcncss Of poverr -
IONS WI net rob the gentleman of the s,o rec c IT.
rhetorical embellishments, which figure 8, consic,,
~ ms cttcT such as noihiRg he ShaiIohcer yo:
0nd paicWiOUS tnHocy," 6Sc-for hone h., cc, =
der the conclusions on which others must ca " J,,
uon 70 ms statements, 50 pdipable taf no sjch I,i ,
the rencmans sotiscS shall Re peccss,r. t Tho No.,
SOY cricial observer. 'J - 'i'e ilioSt I
Inc following Is from ths Letter The d,ore,,D