Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-11-26
POHTHI0AE.
WASHINGTON, 18th Nov. 1880.

ceedngs of The Penn Society," at the recent celebra,iop
Der to :" The American Daily Advertiser am of
course indebted your courtesy for this opportunity of
inspecting its columns and with the feeling prompted by
the perusal of their contents make haste TO offer vol,
my ackno wledgments.
With your permission, sir, will avail myself of this
occasion, the only which the circumstances have
lett open to me- TO offer, through the medium of your
paper, observations of the incidents of that
celebration. IL have been correctly informed faith
representation OF this might have relieved
me from the necessity Of doing
The toast which, in conformity TO the request of the
society had the honour to transmit TO their Committee
has furnished am occasion for elaborate address, by
the gentleman 10 whom the Office of announcing was
coniided. That toast affirmed, simply
That, the ircemen of Pennsylvania, successors of
william Penn were the legitimate Lords Proprietary,
his woodland domain.
That, before the advance of civilization the red man
oil the forest, had retired from the graves of his
cestors
That, il was not the dictate of humanity to dsplore
this result.
The two first of these propositions, were little more
imam historical facts The third a reflection which
1t seemed TO me, they naturally calculated to ex
cite; one which could not possibly be offensive the
sensitveness of any one.
Looking, sir, to Pennsylvania, she tcas when the
wa-cry oil the wandering savage echoed through her
ioress-to Pennsylvania, she as the peaceful abode
OF Tree and happy peoplc-jusly esteemed among her
sisters oil the conederacy for the freedom and the puri
y oil her civil and religious nstutions-or her elevated
moralty-her rapid advancement in literature and
scence-in agriculture commerce and all the useful
ars-as well as those which adorn and embelish the
home of civilized Understanding too i'm those hallow-
ed institutions, which are destined to minister 10 the
necessities OF the helpless and to alleviate the suengs
OF the afflicted, thought it might be safely affirmed
that was not the dictate of humanity deplore this
result From its connection with the proceed
ing part OF the sentence, however, this affirmation was
obviously confined TO Pennsylvania alone. 1t seemed
to me, that TT was properly confined BECAUSE the
toast in which 1t was embodied, addressed exclu-
sivey to society of the citizens of that State assem-
bled TO do honor to the memory of its founder
t was true that from the positions asserted in it,
/ aS t,a
in the eye OF humanity OF civilization savageism-
but 1t was equally true, that those who sought, in the
practical application of this principle, to sustain them
Selves by invoking the authority, and the example of
pennsylvania, must conform the conduct which that
example incucated If Pennsylvania had happily at
tanned this result by careful adhe to all the u-
ties which justice and humanity enioned it would be
vain TO appeal to her example, sanction for
OF proceeding, in which those duties violated 1t
would be time enough, however, TO 'deinur," not in
deed "to the analogy" but to the claim ITSELF for the
want of it when such claim preferred.
My purpose is to show very briefly, that no such
claim was preferred in this either in behalf of
the general government or of Georgia-and that all
other considerations apart the toast did afford any
reasonable apology, for the elaborate address, of which
IT was made 10 furnish the occasion.
1t wasrendered subservient TO the purpose which
was applied, by ascribng to its author motive for
Offering the harmless and unpretendng sentiment which
expresses, which is wholly unfounded in fact and
isted only in the imagination Of the gentleman by whom
twas alphabetically" suggested. Although it would
certainly excite my SURPRISE confess it would crafty
me, TO be convinced that this msconception was real
Looking however, TO the characteristic courtesy of your
citizens, should even then find myself unable to
count for such proceeding towards an individual who
absent and, therefore, for the express
sion of an opinion which concessis, liable to
censure, in the absence OF the motive, which only
conjechIrally imputed to ito one whose senne nts
had been called for obruded that festive occasion
do not mean to urge the discouresy OF the proceed
ing. That would present considerations of different
character Strictly speaking, courtesy is vounta-
ry-to be given withheld, at the option of the ind-
vidual who besows refuses it, There are some stu
cfat nf
in which, by the common consent of the civilized world
certain acts OF courtesy cassed among rights,
entirely OF imperfect obligation But il is my pur-
pose TO prefer such claim this occasion. 1t suces
for TO affirm that to misrepresent the motives of an
absent -hypOtheficdlly TO mpue TO him
ves, by which he has not been actuated-and assuming
the truth of this hypothesis, TO arraign through him.
the conduct of those with whom he is politically asso.
ciaed and that of the people of the state of which he
is citizen, is not simple discourtesy, but manifest
wrong-not merely deficient benevoence, but positive
injustice.
If the opinion expressed could have been justly deem
ed offensive TO the society," TO any of its members,
this would have furnished for Withholding its
annunclaion Ii the terms in which il expressed,
susceptible of two-lod INTERPRETATION. of which
one was excepionabe and the other not il the
tive which prompted ii, might have been improper or
otherwise, every consideration of justice proprety
demanded in each the adoption Of the latter
clusion In no event, could the toast of absent nd
vidual committed TO the Society under the protection of
the courtesy, which invited IT, by the gratuitous impu-
tation to him, OF motive, which its terms did not ind
cate be Justly made the object of unfreDdy commen-
tarystill less, the theme Of vehement elimination
and least Of all by him who had pied the office of
announcing il at the festive board.
The reasons alleged in Justification of this proceeding
deserve moments consideration. As | collect them
from the remarks before me, they are two-fold IL is
inmaed that the act of Offering this sentiment to the
society, appeal to the decision of that 'respecta
bic association, the principle which il involved.
confess myself not deeply vcrsed sir, in the
customary law, which regulates proceedings inter po
ctdd and yet am not so ignorant OF IL, be msed
by this suggestion. When honoured by invitation TO
furnish toast for this occasion, | perfectly sure I
did not err in supposing that it my own opinions
not those of another, which was invited to express
and seeing the general terms Of that invitation that
was quite correct in believing there were no articles of
political faith with which those sentiments were required
TO square could not suppose that the Society intended
10 sit in judgment the various opinions which its nvi-
tstions would elicit In the simplicity of my heart |
did believe that this sentiment would goto the public for
what IL worth, fsustsned and unaided even by
its author, but least of all invoking for it, the high
ton Of those 10 whom II addressed. III had not
assumed nterroeaiye FORM and most unhappily con-
cluded with gueStiOn-a question, too, for the deoi
sion Of those cio there PRESENT this might, per-
haps, have been its lot II was this unfortunate inter
rogatory which subjected IL TO the torture Will any
man venture TO assert that he believes this?
would deal gravely with any suggestion which re-
ceived, Ot 1t did receive) the attention Of the resrec
table persons who convened on that occasion: and
in this spirit would venture 10 assert with
that the individual, by whom that suggestion was made
must have been alone the error of which no was
the victim, if the records Of The evening had not
ally afforded, az suppose, other evidence If sioo.
lar misfortune. IL cannot be, however that This mia
N