Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-02-21
MIR. BARBOUR's SPEECH.

MIR. Barbour rose and addressed the House as
follows:
Mr.. Speaker-From the moment | engaged in
the most unpleasant contest in which have been
50 unfortunately involved, declare to this House
and to the world, that when ascertained that
had not the majority Of the good people of Orange
in my favor, would instantly vacate my seat. -
The committee Of Prvedgcs and elections, after
a most !a0orious Investigation. have, in their sit
ting of todav, pronounced that the majority is a
gainst me. II is in vain now. to complain OF the
UNEQUAL contest in which have been engaged as
to collecting testimOny-lny opponent on the the
atre of controversy, and rendered expert by his
experience in this long contest, and in my seat
in this House. tits due. however, 10 my friends,
to whom owe an inextinguishable debt OF graf
itude, to say--that they did for me all that they
could do-and although believe might reverse
in this House many of the decisions pronounced
against me by the Committee, yet as the general
result would still be against me. have determIn-
ed to save the Committee the labor OF dgestlng
and reporting on several hundred dispositions,
and also to relieve the House from discussing and
deciding against them-Orange having already
consumed it, fall share Of the time OF this House
and hence rise to announce to the House. that
surrender my seat, and TINS redeem the pledge
gave, to WELD to the will of the majority, whenev-
err it should be ascertained.
Can an old servant of the Commonwealth claim
of the House the indulgence Of being permitted
to make few valedctory remarks?-Some thir-
ty-two years past, began my political life in this
Hall-here, this day, it terminates. In the long
interval. received many distinguished proofs of
the Kindness and confidence OF this House-by
it was called to fill Offices OF great responsible
ty, both in peace and In war. Without now
trespassing on the time OF the House, by review
ing the manner in which have performed these
trusts, which had designed to have done. if a
proper occasion had occurred, | content myself
by saving, that at least nv intentions were good,
aud of the millions of public money have dis
burse,l. nv hands are clean. That have often
erred, is highly probabIe-for to err is human-
but if bitterness of party rancour should charge
these errors to the heart rather than to the head.
appeal from this unjust and cruel decision, 10
tribunal, before which. in the course Of nature
must shortly appear, and where the secrets of all
hearts are known. From the liberal and thejust,
appreheud 40 such char ge-they will look to the
volume of my whole life, and if they find the gen.
era scope to be well designed, instead Of dwell
ling with malignant pleasure on the errors which
they NAV find scattered here and there, like the
kind recording Angel above, they will drop on
them the tear Of oblivion. and blot out their re-
mem brance forever l have but one favor now
to ask of mankind, and that is, if name as hum
Bile as mine and the part Ihave performed, should
be the subject of comment. that if they nothing
extenuate, they will set down nought in malice.
When I first entered this house. it was in the
Spring time Of hope-an ardent imagination not
vet restrained by sad realities, carried me beyond
the boundary winch separated the present from
the future; and saw, or thought saw, peace
and liberty aud union, and in their train, the pros
perity and glory of my country; but time and ex-
perience have cleared many of thesei llusions-I
now see uncharitableness, prescription for opin-
ions sake, and intestine faction-and now hear
menaces Of violence and of disunion, and they