Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-08-28

ing 10 tranquility but on the contrary 10 exasperat
During the interval between the two sessions the Alie
anu oeduon Laws We're hgdly executed in some parts
"e country Mr. Lyon, member OF Congre IS from or
mont had been convicted, fined and i,oned under M
law Mr. Cooper, distinguished literary man had shareJ
o same Iate. ne had suffered his imprisonment under
Tue act, and paid his fine And finally James Thompsor
Calenderan nhabitan of this State had been fined and
Imprisoned, and was actually in confinement Richmond
when the Assembly met in December in 1900: and ga
continued, until pardoned by Mr. Jefferson after he came
into Office The incidents OF this last trial had been scI
as were calculated to make the Seiion Law more odou
10 the People But under all these circumstances IN,
law was enforced, without the slightest resistance or t
mutt 10y the agencyot the ordinary officers the Courts
and thiS too IN community, great majority of whom
most conscieniousy believed that The law under which
the sentence was inflicted violated and that papabv and
"granty too the provisions of the Constitution When
he Assembly met in December 1900, Governor Monroe
who was elected by the very body which adopted Mir
Madsons report, In which, il is well known he most cor
daily concurred addressed in his message the FOLLOW
ing remarks to the Legislature:
AS soon MS the requisite number of copies of the Re-
port oil me Select Committee OF the last the an
swers OF several of the States TO the Resolutions of The
General Assembly, which passed the eceding session
relative TO the Alien and SeGition Laws of the United
states and the instructions 10 the Senators of this State to
inc Congress oil the United States printed the Exc
cuve fastened TO distribute them among the several
counties oil tn: Commonwealth, in compliance ,yu, the
Resolution of the goth of January last II ia beinvd
mat no public documents Illustrative of public
however interesting more generally read or
thoroughly approved than those were; nor can il be doubt
GU, iSnl Wnicn they communicated the
important subject to which they referred tended 10 in
crease in high degree the confidence the good people
OF uls commonwealth, in the wisdom and policy which
governed the General Assembly In connection with that
subject is proper to add that since your session. The
Sedliion Law, one of the Acts complained Of has been
carried into effect in this Commonwealth by the ccisi,n
OF Federal Court notice this event, not with view
OF censurng crcising it, The Transaction has gone
TO the world and the impartial will judge of as it de-
serves notice il for the purpose of renarng that the
decision executed with the same order and tronouil
submission on the part of the people, could have been
ewh by them on similar occasion, 10 any the most ne
cessay constitutional and popular acts of the Govern
nent The constituted authorities the good people of
s commonwealth attached the Union and cherish
1t with their ondest wishes. The colonization of their
ancestors in this Western world was generov from The
same country at the time and produced bv the same
cause. They alike groaned under AN oppression which
reprcssed their growth and checked their prosperitv
they fought and bled in the battles in defence of the
same rights, and have since experienced with xan
PIeu harmony ana unannlty variety OF interesting
cuiences toh'oh ddnOnSh them, they still are and ought
10 remain forever united. The General Assembly and
me good people OF this Commonwealth have acquitted
themselves TO their own consciences and their
in America, in support of a cause which hey deem ma
uonaI one, by the stand which they made aud the sen
mens they expressed of those acts of the General 90
vernment; bit they hare looked for a change an that
respect, t0d CHANGE IN THE PUBLIC OPINION tchich
0"Sht 10 De JFee NOT TO MEASURES VIOLENCE
DiscoRD, AND DIsUNIoN, WHICH THEY ABHoR"
The language used by Mr.. Monroe was worthy of a
wise and patriotic chief magistrate. There can be no
doubt he participated in the strong OF the uncons.
uuohay and tyrannica characters of the acts of Con-
gress But he was attached TO the Union and the Consi-
tuition OF his country and instead of endeavoric 70
name, ne underworld to calm, the public Indignation and
TO conhne the efforts of the Legislature peaceful and
constitutional means of redress The Legislature evinced
the same feelings, and instead OF rushing measures of
resistance and revolutions they adopted resolutions i'm the
same spirit which had marked all their previous proceed
ingS.
In January 1901 they adopted another preamble and
resolutions, in which they express their decided appro
bation OF the resolutions of 9s99 and the report of 90
lSOO, repeating their solemn prOtestdOn against the
sedion act-a report which had their decided apoobaton
cify andr
OF the argument which il contains but because disposi
ton to promote mutual respect confidence and affection
among the members Of the Union, is uniformly preseyp
ca They refer also to the enforcement of the sedom
law, as Tedttzng all their apprehensons- they ac
cordingly instruct their Senators, Sc &" to Gra them
sefves every opportunity TO obtain repeal IF the said
act % Congress- and TO oppose any law resolution con-
tanning recognition of said docne wiz that the COM
mon law is the law of the u 81
have now finished my review of the different acts
and proceedings which took place an the Legislative and
other departments Of the Government qf Virginia in
most trying crisis OF our affairs Ii will hardly he pretend
Gu a our present situation admits OF any comparison
with that which have portrayed. The wisdom and
moderation then dpayed received their best and
reward The obnoxious and unconstitutional measures of
the government Abandoned peace and tranquility
were restored and the opinions OF the General Assembly
which had been treated with much isespect bv many
OF the States, became the prevailing doctrines of the coun
try That the same wise OF lorbearance and tenn
perate counse will produce the same results canmot
hesitate 10 nope Tor and believe AGRlCOLA.
TO TIE EDITORS or TIE ENQUIRER.
HENTIEMEN;-l saw, with regret weeks since
that the Charlottesville Convention had designated me
among the friends ofP p Barbour Esq as candidate for
the Office of Vice President. 1t is due TO those from
whom that designation proceeded, correct the msap-
prehension which producedit.
Were the question naked one, shall Van Buren, or
Barbour be electcd the latter gentleman would not have
among his friends, DESTROYS than myself of his
success Looking, however, to the question clothed with
the accompanimentshat Barbour will not be elected bv
the peoplethat if his claims be urged without regard 10
this consideration no election will probably be made by
them-and in this event. that the duty of filling this hipI
office will be devolved the Senate, caynot with nv
views OF the moral and party character of e customary
majority OF that body consent TO furnish them with ar,o
ther opportunity OF showing, the d>honor of
aud the country Yhose they and whom they serve
have not therefore hesitaed, under the circumstances
OF the case TO avow my preference for Van Buren, and
my purpose to aid by my vote and by any influence pos
sess and may fairly exert in securing his election