Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-28
Friday Ecemins. FED. %.

W 'SaIer iNltcnlc,' IN his sheet OF this morn
ing, taxes us with wilful pervorsion of his language
a few days ago, when speaking of"boys and miscr
able green horns" He now protests that he did no,
mean those terms for members of the Legislature
but fer us, and these upon whom the intinatior
we gave respecting the name of John Sergeant
which intimation he is pleased to %denominate q
thredt-might, pcradventure, operate. Let us,
however, permit the .csty old gentleman to speak
in his own courteous language, SO becoming an
aspirant to the first honor of American Diplomacy
"a little effort has been made to pcryert the
''meaning of L short article which appeared in our
''last paper--Wc alluded to the modest threat
(Which has been recently thrown out, viz: that in
lease the Virginia Caucus should send Delegates
'to Baltimore, No., one Of Mr.. Claws papers
"would prevail upon its party to withdraw MIR. Ser.
''geant, and substitute some other man ,cho uouId
"gct the Uofc Of Virginia. Such a threat. com
ling from such a quarter, seemed to us too ridicu.
nlo"s TO operate upon the minds, or to affect the
movements OF StateSmen-and was fit only to
"bc addressed TO boys and grecnhorns.-It has
"bcen IDLY said that we intended the cpithets for
'those members of the Legislature, who might
choose to vote for Mr.. Barbour. 1t is certain
THAT we had no such intention, nor do our words
'faIrly bear out any such mcaninp.-It was not at
an n INT at them, but at the source from which
"the empty threat had cmanated. Any such de-
'ciaratlons from any such quarter could only op-
"erate upon boys and greenhorns-They could not
"be addressed to statcsmcn-And in this sense
'only were the expressions used. The great Jack
"son party of Virginia will take its own course. 1t
us strong enough to carry its own points-and
"wlsc enough to understand its own interests. 1t
"ncIther asks tho advice, nor is it to be awed by the
'menaccs, of its opponents"
In the first place, we meant no threat. In the
second place, two did porvert the Editors meaning,
we sinned in company with the whole town; for in
repeated casual conversations on the sub ect of the
expression ''boys & green horns" we met no person
who did not believe that it was intended for certain
ardent young members of the legislature, who havo
manifested the presumption of following their own
guidance, rather than the Enquircr's dietation, in
tho affair of the Vice Presidency. We do not be-
Ieve that the Editor of the Enquirer can find one
individual who will not confess that such was hi,
understanding of the remark. In the third place
why, In tho name of all the Gods, should we desire
10 perrert any meaning of the venerable Editor?
Are there not legitimate materials enough supplied
by his political history for the last few years, to
furnish forth a feast of invective TO our readers, if
we desired to do so? Could we not, day after day,
nPPal tho public, by tho exhibition of his tergiver-
satlons, and disgust it with the meanncss OF the
motive which dictates every apostacy? But Uhy
should we do SO? To whom are not the tergIver-
sations and apostacies of that Print familiar as
household words' When did it fail to renounce
n principle or an attachment, when interest
prompted the renunciation?
But, was the Editors meaning perverted, even
by mistake? Let the reader Judge for himself. We
quote the whole paragraph.
"A hint from Tho Opposition!-The note has
"been sounded by a Clay paper here, Uhe cue pro.
"bably from Washington,) that if Van Buren, was
"put on the Jackson ticket by the Virginia Caucus,
cor even Delegates sent 10 the Baltimore Conven.
'tion, that Mr.. Sergeant would be withdrawn, and
'some man substituted, who would get the vote OF
"FlrgInia. Does the modest author of this threat
'suPposc, that Virginia, so famed of old for her
'Sagacious Statesmen, has no one now TO advise
cher movements but boys and miserable green
'horns?"
Above, the venerable Editor comedies that he
did not intend the epithets "boys and green horns
tor us, but those upon whom our threat, as no calls
1t, was to operate. Who were Hey?
No doubt the gentleman has heard that his ex-
Pressions were not relished by those who have it
IN their power to avengo indignities upon the per.
petrator, by the mode he would least relish: and,
with his usual consistency, he lost no time in back.
ing out, and making the amend From what
would he not back out, under similar circumstan.
ccs?