Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-14
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The ial was then read.
Judge NJ ARsriAI.I then said that however the mem
hers OF the Convention might differ in thoir opinions
Upon the subject of this memorial all must fee! that
d Is one OF the deepest interest and entitled to the
most serious consideration or the Convention To
thought that with this view, it would be proper TO
refer the memorial 10 the Committee the Legis-
iatve Department; and he would therefore make t!ai
motion.
The question was then put and carried in the ufir-
mative, and the memorial was referred.
Mr.. MERCER then presented a snalar memorial
from respectable number Of the ritizcns IF Fairfax
county, which without being read, referred to the
Same Committee.
On motion of Mr. M'CoY the Convention then od.
Jourucd till to. morrow at one o'clock.
Mr.. MALE q delegate from the odd tis.rc, in the
room OF Ellison Currie, arrived Monday and took
his seat in the Convention, and was ycs.c day added
TO the Committee on the Judiciary.
IL The public viii probably learn with some sur
prise, that The Executive committee yesterday ,ejec-
thd proposition for choosing the Governor by the
people. There even begins TO be talk that the Ex-
orutivc Council may escape tie abolition which we
had supposed last spring, that ninety out of every
hundred OF the citizens, desired.
II is now thought that the Commuters will begin
20 report, and tie Convention get seriously to work
sooner than thought al first. The plan of re-
porting simple propositions, will expedite things, by
enabling the Committees TO report by pie ce meal.
No literary trick, but ioc trick and poor trick
The Enquirer yesterday repeats, what ii has more
than repeated, that the letters of Farmer which
appeared in this print in the summer and fall of 1927
were from the pen of DR.. Watkins, late 18th auditor
ut Washington, and now un inmate of the Jail of
that city.
We should DC glad to know how that sagacious
print obtains its informatons Or rather we should
be glad TO learn by what moral Justification, a man
sfhrms that to be true, which murc than gmess
and which he neither does nor ran know Vho
the author Of those letters the writer aud two
others, only know, and the Editor of the Enquirer is
not one OF the three. But suppose Or. Watkins tras
the author-what tIcn' Does that circumstance
diminish the force and beauty with which they were
written, or subtract from the value Of the political
truths which they contain, Or is it calculated only.
10 inspire generous minds with regret, that So
accomplished capable of deep aud just reflection,
qualified to be ornament ana blessing To his
family and ficnds, unable to resist temptation TO
crime, shonld be the guilty tenant of Jail? We
ask, ought this 10 be theme Of such pleasant rcec.
lion and repeated reference as it has become with
the Enquirer 1t is matter of triumph with that
benevolent and consistent print, that tho author of
political letters which 10 could not answer, and under
whose effect it tremblcd at the time, is now dcgra-
ded man. Low and despicable malice?
We feel necessary TO say word ofdefcnce on the
subject Of the general nscrption of the letters Of
Farmer, TO Mr. Madison at the time, which neigh
Dor has so often imputed to offence. We
were the authors of the deusion; but we have this
excuse for it, that we ourselves were dcluded. We
did not knoD until the third number, who ,cas their
authors hut from the letter Of the third person. who
transmitted them to the press did really and tr,l-
~, believe Mr.. Madison to be. We had good reason
nay certainty the next thing it, for knowing that
the material sentiments conceded with his and We
did hope aud think ii not improbable that he had
solved tOus scnc exertion to avert an event which
lac vas believed to deprecatc. We were soon unde-
ceived, and 10 was the whole country. The style
thc mention Of Mr. Madison himself letters addressed
20 him blythe Farmer and eloquent eulogums passed
upon his character, proclaimed the impossibility o
his being the author. and dspecd the short lived H.
fusion. Where was the necessity Of telling the pub
lie whit the public knew, that Mr.. Madison was not
the author Nevertheless, we frankly say, that at
tins moment and at all times since, we should have
been better pleased with ourselves had we as soon
nur own minds undeceivcd dispced the illusion
"hich we had contributed TO produce. And now
having confessed so much, We must ask Mr.. Rtchic
'oh' wrote the EAST Room" letter, child d
his own adoption, hardly loss .G1p,ous, than tho
letters of our Farmer lie brings us to the confess
iOnnl, two years after tho event. and abon, tbc
same time has elapsed, since his and tho "old fnshiou
cd" Republicans feelings were so much scnndalizc,
Mt tho regal splendor Of that thrice famed room -
Let him make n clear breast Of IL.
Who the author Of che Preface TO MIR. CLAW
Speech at Fowler's garden is we have not the plea
sure of knowing. But this we will say, that in pub
lie life, or out Of Unknown or upknocn as seems {,
10 a matter Of reproach against hn-lis generous