Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-09-22
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WEDNESDAY MORNING, SEPT. ~, 1880.
HENRICO ELECTION.

cannot beur scrutiny, Is unworthy of popular trust
As friendly to Mr. LeIghs election, should betray
d;srust of the validity of his claims, by excluding
the elaborate, aud vehement attack which occupies
much space in our columns this morning, while as
the conductors OF Press, not nomnally only, but
absolutely free, we under the self imposed ne
cessIty of opening to the decent advocate of every
political opinion We do not say this by way of
apology TO Mr.. Leigh M Le,ghs friends, but as
embracing this opportunit, to irm the independ
OF this Journal and to eract the Impression
industriously made by enemies, that it was purtizan
and sided.
We have abstained from any interference in the
uenrico election hitherto, beyond the occasional eX
PRECISION Of verbal opinions but the county IN
which live and as Press is used to con-
vey attack of Mr. Leigh, calculated to make
impression TO his disadvantage, we feel that we
have the right speak of the Henrco election. and
that this is the proper occasion for doing
When Mr.. Leigh's purpose of anding for Henri:
CO was first made known, felt the prejudices and
the opposition, liable to be felt by Conventionsts
and Non Freeholders. We witnessed his early eff
forts against the call of Convention in 1894. his
unrelenting opposition throughout the intermediate
period ami finally, his vehement resistance of many
concessions, which we believed TO have been demand.
ed by the people, to be withheld by absurd and anti
republican fears of their agency Government, and
to be necessary square the practice to the theory
of our Institutions We had seen him discharge the
rights of man from his political creed, and ridcule
them idle Distractions, deny numbers the right
TO rule, and transfer it other qualities discard
ry thing like feeling sentiment from his reasonings
and prefer a Republican Government the cold
IF hat -nfat in
the antiquity of existing institutions, which he des-
paired to find IN the People. In short, with
amazement, him and his Eastern associates, in the
Convention, avew ing tenets which expect
ed would cross the Atlantic in our time, which least
Of ALL we never imagined would first find home and
resting place IN Virginia at war IN our humble con-
oepion, with the principles Of Hambden, Sidney,
Russell Locke and j. fferson hostile in tendency,
the change revolution, deprccating hem asthe
last and of national curses considering POLITICAL
institutions made for the people, but the people
for them, intoxicating acqulescence in things they
are and which if generally received must have ar
rested the Revolution of $50 in England, well
OF I776 10 America! Such were our sincere impress
sions of the new doctrines broached by the Heroes
of the mixed basis IN the late Convention. Pine and
reflection have satisfied that the advocates heated
by debate and struggling for power, went farther in
speech than in thought. We know many of them
personally well, and that they are good Republ
cans as ready strike for liberty and to die i'll her
cause, as any others.
But in any event whether the sentiments described
be reslly Mr.. Laughs other wise, is not material
TO the present question. The convention has passed
principles have been decided and all that remains to
be DONE is arrange details and to set the new 60
vernment agolnG in the best possible manner. Were
Mr. Leigh q moaarchist land we oil know him to be
republican in thought and daily lfe) his abstract opn
ions upon government, would Hot impair his capacity
TO be useful III the next General Assembly. His
opinions Religion, have Just as much to do with
the matters which will BE- canvasscd and settled there
field Of labor lies before that Assembly only
inferior in consequence, 10 the Convention ITSELF
Where is the laboror whom the people of Hcnrico
can employ, SO competent 60 do what is expected Of
q representatives Mr.. Mosby is gentleman Of
good sense and ndcpcndcnce-Mr Williams an in
tcgent lawyer and worthy gen'cman--Mr. Ran
dolph highly intelligent and perfectly independent
Mr.. Mayo equally well Informed and respectable.
SOme, perhaps all Of these gentlemen, more close
ly identified in daily habit and association with the
people Of Henrrco, than Mr.. LoIgh--somc of them
perhaps hold opinions more generally popular--but
is any ono of them, all Of them together, could
they all be the House Of Delegates) qualified to
hold the same nigh place with MIR. Leigh III its dcb
cratons shed the lustrc the constituent
body, exercise the influence, oro render the
same valuable service to the county and the Slater
Al, thosc gentlemen themselves, will answer
in the ncgatlve--for has happened III this llrnrico
canvass, what wc believe happened before, that
all Mr. Lcighs compoptors have conceded to that
gentleman superiority concession not loss hon
Durable to him. than to the clndor and good sense Of
them who make II. Eminent debate, learned
above all the State in IFS statute laws, with weight
of character to give the umos. effect to his abilities
and with not rnceIya capacity, but positive lore
for work. for its own sake It IS sCfevideul that Mr.
Legh's qualifications for beng servlccabIc to the
people Of Hcnnco. must be rated far above those Of
all his competitors, highly respectable as they are.