Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-09-23
POLITICAL.
from The Petersburg Consteilution. i

versary. Beautiful il is because il iustsnd wise be.
cause, while none exalted TO be always right
aud Few debased to be forever wrong; he who
has censured only the Of his adversary, aud ha.
bestowed on him that praise which his judgment aud
MS conscience conspired TO dictate may appropriate TO his
own uses the wisdom OF his adversary, without
aud without reproach.
With the conscious conviction that have reprobated
ana IN very strong terms on several occasions the defects
OF the character and the conduct OF Benjamin w Leigh
and have proudly and cheerully awarded his virtues
their deserved praise and 10 his genius its just eulog
eel free 10 employ the energetic CARNATIONS OF his pow
ers OF oraory, in the defence OF that form nsruc-
tons, which his opponents are now successfully eve
cu'ing and his friends loudly censurng.
In his speech on presenting "the Petersburg Memo
iia Mach IL. 1884, Mr. Leigh his strong and
pressive language:
''The character OF the memorial seli which now pre-
sent, may serve TO commend il 10 the attention Of this
House It's language is temperate; the sentiments it
presses moderate and iou> ,sas PREPARED cir
cufdfed for subscription. and submitted 10 The oranna
fion o those tch0 signed IL; erery circumstance di-
Gates elaboration, dispdssiOndfe and cOnclafory
spirit and an anxious toish 10 dpOid tchdfepeY might
produce excitement mention his because think that
the tight OF pei ion for redress OF grievances which all
profess (nd. shall not doubt, sincerey) respect has
been in TACT disparged in the debates of The on this
subject, by sez ng every circumstance Of disorder
every incident evincing confusion or irrrguy in the
meetings OF The people in which resolutions memo
rias have been prepared: Witness the rema ks made
by the gentleman from Georgia, the proceedings =
in Morris county, New Jersey, presented Yesterday
The general effect OF those remarks, whateverigas
the design, was 10 show that the lneuefiss on this
subject are entitled TO II tie or consideration,
10 throw rdicule and contunely upon the memorial
lists Now, beg leave TO suggest TO him. with perfect
respect, and indeed in duty ards him. os
do that he is sincere in his professions respcct Tor the
ghi OF petition that such professions have Ii tie ell
Ct, willie hey accompanied with expressions OF con-
tempt for the petitioners. Such remarks ate, my OPT
mon, more calculated 10 impair the value OF the right
petition than the most plct denial III Tor this would
hardly be We all know that puaIites dsnr
der and confu ion, do sometimes occur in the of
the Ieople OH occasions oil this Kind; and man can
doubt that the truth OF facts. he public opinion
he wisdom maj resides in the constituent body OF the
people, may, with little aud reasonable attention
to their representations, be fairly collec ed ,om their
resolves, petitions, and memorials The like disorder
aud confusion frequently in elections; passion
ana prejudice, error mistake, and the sudden
eiecs oil calunnies cmnnugly devised times affect
the result OF ihpm but who, for that reason
representative Government who deubis that The inter
es's, the rights, and the will OF the body are
IN the general AMI in The long run, fairly repre- ente
that they can be no otherwise fairly represented |!
The right OF pet ion is part, and essential part OF
The system OF representative Government. These memo
rIdS, daily pouring ii Jrom many and such raytous
S0mees, must be respected: cannot doubt that ti,V
oiH Ultimately command entire respect The evidence
they contain has already convinced all that the dis
fress 'ohich enbarrGsscs The uoie business NJ The coun-
Try as real, general aggravated almost bevoud e,,r
dnct; and they tcW soon cOnriHce too that the me
ralisfs Understand The toheh hare produced this
disastrous state Of things. and justly he greuan
ees 10 The measures Of the Er cutipe. Aud hope the
senate WIN consider The represent alions they make, with
due regard 10 their opportunities 10 know le lacs lhrr
competency from their experience in business, form
corect Judgment; aud the reasons which they rest
the op Mons boh as 10 he Of c evils tbey are
suffering under, and The proper cOyyecfive."
How reprachul TO those citizens OF Petersburg who
signed That "A emoris aud now array themselves nm ON
position to the form OF instructions instituted on the same
principles and conducted rctpt tch less secrecy in the
same manhe How strong 10 Justify the poye
TO carry nsuciions The papers OF instruction are pre-
pared circulated for subscription, aud submitted 10 the
examination OF those ho sign them Ep,yy circuD,
stance indicates elaboration and 0nxious irish 10
aD0id teh0ftDer may produce excitement or m.appreben
son Ia laci such he of public oni,,io,
that meetings are seldom necessary Whenever neces
y, De 81
the people held and debate is exered to inform the
pubhc ind; and although the resU oil these are
not to be entirely disregaided hecsuse irreguiartv
and disorder DO sometimes in q en- il Is never
eueciual. because ule meetings never full enough
to disclose the sense OF the whole constituent body
which, ut last to he fully and fairly collected can be
collected alone by The more dispassion.
ale and coneWdf0Ty mode which has been adopt
ed All experience has shown this be true Meet
ings have been held n Brunswick Chesterfield MOTTO.
way, and in other counties, and The issues have inv rai,
been uncertain AMI ndcermnabe. Tie delegates elect
have unilo nly and city responded The
mn me tchOe number Of vOfeTS, eau alone cbaIIeD oe
obedene aud in The absence OF any municipal reeuio
TONS the people, with whom is the censoiaI power unre
scted' must adopt such 10 them shall appear
most con' eiienl and decisive. ri they have done and
cannot doubt that they ,oW ultimately command en-.
IRE respect! IEey Will ultimately command respect not
wiis,ardng The devoted adhefenIs oil Mr. Leigh
aud Willy their modus OpeJdnd the only Discriminate and
eee'uaI mode OF acton that can be adopted and wi am
affected suPt oriy obviously presume 10 SET
as The exclusive Judges OF the degree OF rco-
site 10 qualify legal voter 10 sign the instructions Such
Is lGculous. Let Rlr. l..
them Their PROFESSIONS NJ respect for The right Of iisruc
Gon, which IN spirit and in truth nearly asninted 10
se right 81 petition hare Hffe f9ecf Lthife fbeu
are accompanied ruth expressions o| cOnfpf for me
sgHeTS, aud with GeprOaciul The Oniy enectua
form that can be adopted. Such conduct is more cGIc
lGfed 10 impair me UoNe OF the rghto instructions than
the most explicit denial NJ it: IOr this s0ad hdrdiy be
borne; indeed, II will not be patiently and submissyely
endured by the hrpness and The tgisdO thai reside in
The constituent body IF HE peopis.
Who, as have already minated, is TO determine the
degec oil intelligence requisite quslfy legal voter TO
sign Instructions? Even II il could be endured that any
man, or set OF men, should attempt it, il could not be prac.
Used But II u could be praesed, should he Judges be
scli-cOnstued and irresponsible? Should they not AZ
very ew gifted with sufficient capacity and il ould
be dihcul 10 hil vdcancyshOud they not hold their
newly Instituted anil distinguishing Offices for lile2 THE
would subve The general principles Of free government
and destroy tie peculiar organizi ion oil our nstu-
tons Should they be elevated TO the unane Office of
JUICES NJ intelligence, by the suHragos OF the atiaied
voers! This would he parsdoxca and ludicrou.: tor if
the voters are not 10 be trusted TO sign INSTRUCTIONS until
they shall have been accredited with sufficient inteI
gence, they certdinly Too nensbly stupid 10 exer
else tie tight OF suffrage aJvsedly But 10 be sefious
do these adherens Of Mr.. Leigh, repfoyed by himself i'm
tend 10 attack representative government n its great es
senuas because all the people equally enehten.
ed upon any subject, upon all subjects alike? III theV
do not let them submit with humility % lie reufoo of
vions tendency and inevitable Of which, are to i
pair The value OF the great popular right IN question: aud
others inseparabiy connected i it, Let be resoup.
cd n tir ears, at though me sudden eficf of c0lsig
mics, cunHngiy deUised did affect ne result Of the
ticcfOns yet such have been me opDOyfufies Of The
asceftaned, before II is reverse that result
Let Il be proclaimed the Dloqn'an TOP. AMI rever-
beraed from tie fertile valley, ilat whatever
there was Of reality or Of argavaton IN the di.tressul