Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-11-07
POB.bEEt,AL.

Substance 0f the Speech Fl MIR LEIGu, at The Din.
ner gipen 10 him at Petersburg on The 18th of DC.
f0ber.
The Toast drunk TO Mr.. Leigh was this
"Benjamin Vdfhins Leigh-The fearless. able AMI
eloquent defender OF the Cons ituon We admire The pa
honor The statesman. respect aud love the man.
II was received by the company with most enthusiastic
aud long continued cheer; the baud struck up the
OF A"d Lang Syn'; and when all was al length hushed
into profound silonce.
Mr. Leigh rose AMI id:-There were some fcennys
and those the best tina, could the heart man. which
could be far easily understood than expressed. Aud
such were the eelng4 which the vivid associations sug
gesed by the place itself i'm which he stan,hng,
aud yet by the company that rounded him. excited
in his bosom. On this very spot he had passed many
spor'ive hour. aud pariaken many civic festival the
days OF his youth and early manhood, friends Of
whom he saw pany present and whose reminded
hn oil many now no nore,-in times, when political OPP
position never abated personal good WILL Interrupted phi
vale friendship, or disturbed social inereourse; in times,
when those who maintained their opinions with most
zea yet respected the opinions of others. and gave them
credit Tor integrity ANA sincerity; wen il heats in
The unresrained freedom OF discussion every dismissed
all angry feelings from his breast before he laid his head
upon his pillow, and his opponent next morning with
was beanrg anxious 10 obiierate the 81 the al
terca,on by the marked cor,aly OF hfs manner The
thought OF those times, and OF those scenes e sd,
over his mind now like the memory OF joys, at past
pleasant, and mnumfu TO The soul" yor, that heshinl
state OF public eeng,hose happy times,-had gene by;
perhaps, never more to reeur in his day. The msd and
madening fury party strife, hatwas through
the land II it should endure yet little longer, aud be az
graNaed TO single degree more OF intensity, would, he
much feared, destroy all the charities, and the de-
cencies OF social lille.
He said, he had heen tie Senate Of the United
States, not only without any solicitation Oh his pant, bur
az inst his wishes. and indeed spite Of his eae de-
prrcaon: lac had been compelled the public
by moral fOrce which coHh have esis;ed with
out mourning the impuiaton of cold Tor the
vital interests Of his country and sui citing himself the
suspicion oil the bases recreancy Aud tnediaely al
forwards, he himself charged with the ar,iul
uigue; intrigue 20 induce the lie gsure adopt such
course OF proceedings should compel his
resign and then TO procure his own election TO tie
place! those who imputed such inirigues to hiatt
they thought what they sad-mus have supposed him pos
sessed either OF the gilt OF prophey OF the unreserved
confidence oil his predecessor; lo no man could
have ioreseen that the resolutions of the Legislature
would induce HIM TO resign his seat But lac said, he
might safely vOuch every member OF The Lrgi-lsiRte,
friend or oe TO acqpit him Of the charge OF Intrigue That
was not never hal been would be- his way work
ing. lie had, in TRUTH little conversation with his
most intimate e'sonal iiends III the Legislature, the
subject OF its proceeding; and there were gentlemen
now present (he alluded particularly TO MIR Booker OF
Amelia, and Mr. Johnson OF Chester ieldl who could
would bear witness, that lar from having sought 10 be
elected 10 The Senate he had dcne tha any man could
have done without IMPROPERLY, TO avoid IL They no
charged him with intrigues tat occasion, could only
h evidence TO justify the charge ia The
what they themselves would have been capable Of in the
Ike circumstances.
10 h''l been the Senate in the nd,l-t Of the
nenre OF ssi v end aoM vine in G our Spp
the councils OF the federal governmeuinew the
in which lao called To bear part uuanted !, i
the actors in the great eventlu drama yet more un.
known to them; lie had possessed eniold the powers he
pretended to- and The weight personal chm
racer that fell the lot OF man, no; have
been much That lie could, under such circumstances have
accomplished. ~ things s,ood il little, very little
indeed, that he had DONE rather essayetbu WI a he
could thought could that he had vored 10 do
diligently, faithfully, ieaIles,iy, without the least regard
to consequences affecting himself personally. His pnci.
pal Effort had been TO give the public aud especially his
own constituents glimpse of the prospect before them.
dlsirnst OF hs political sagaeity (rcasonahe enough,
attention paii 10 the OF ac, and OF pubic
opinion out OF Vrginia) she wulness OF par deln
sOn had IN inra'ure, frustrated his purpoe. 1t he had
been told that lac bad disappointed the partial eXpec.
ations Of his ends lac should have fell aud cauieced
in the justice OF his censure Blst I've said 10 his surprise
though all 10 las isinay. had BEEN Tor The
last eight months, ihe theme Of continual unc aSured
aud he would add 10 oil il, VIE asd silly abuse
HE maignan spiri OF party had hVea pouring his ex
hansess phias OF wrath upon his head; and caIumy,
with her quiver OF poisoned arrows had almost deaiene
hun ny Tie CONSTANT "angng OF her bow though he found
III his own conscience an imPenerIhe shield against her
sh"IIs he history OF his e had been rdsacked TO find
topics Of reproac and it really wanderul tl,at his.
tory so barren OF political incident, should have been
capable oil bearing sueh Q commentary Ia
oJking back hn had been the bahH doing often
upon past and opinions he had been conscious
oil many mistakes, which reflection and experience re.
CURED him 10 corrcc', many weaknesses be ashamed OIL
aud faults repent did he envy man. " ho IS as in
capable OF making discoveries with respect TO him.
sell But, 10 these n'oicrn meso OF h lie and charac-
ter-menors written 10 serve ior party h.iorywnlten
too 10y persons protesting intimate know ledge him
some, indeed, protesting TO be hs personal friends ia
der to give the scmblnce OF candour their accounts in
these memoirs, there such aggravaons Of his rrto,s
and lsuts such nSre pre- cutaens dsuriiuns and tae
cOounngs OF l4c aud sometimes, be might say such all.
surd inv enlon., hat he could ecognZe his political
identity 10 their descriptions. There we're nany rs rsous
here present wl,0 had know him longest and bes
Who had had the best opportunities u staining bis
character, his weakncssts, his s ngsf Won please his
aus persons, to whom he had, at tines, Stood political
opposiou he tfusted-iudging from their heatmemt Of
INN even ~ he height Ol that oppositiOnilis they had
found in HIM some fodeeuhng qualities aud he
ken uey bad hecn able discover his ers 10 the por.
traits OF hin thII had recently been exhibited lie as
however, happy id, N,ai as yet 40 moral auil, rad
been imputed TO his conduct n pivae lesnd with thai
remarkable eNenpuOn he ought perhaps, bc content
Bu lie said, he eSuhIcui, fhat nothing he had ever
douenOiling, certainly which he had done or wna x
pectcd 10 do ia ihe Semaehad made him tie object of
much aud such virUlcn abuse as had lately been
al upon him. Unil atrly indeed he had not i,uogin,d
that lac could be thought Of importance enough TO excite
such litter AMI deadly p.uly any PARTY. and ia only
served to convince bin, hat he bonored viii, an rs.
pecia share OF Gen lackson's dispeasuennd that he
nomination Of bin ior the Presidency, had cSctcd he
Jealousy of tie hcpds OF Mr.. Van tuten.
lie said, thai 10 The course Of his shot sef,re in the
Senate lac lad a'slailtd from PERSONAL e arcons Oh se
President tic had personal enfy toy, aids lie man
10 tempt hiDi 10 thc iidHg cncs Of such feHrcGops A
Tee and fearless examination OF Lis Oliria mea.Utes and
cOnduci OF he dangerous and Lbclto aneafd Of yefeu
sions 10 power Of HE monaieica ptefogadges he had
claimed and exefti scd, belonged his place iu l
public conncl; be wouh have hecn rtcIe1ht and con.
tempdhr, u be hsd aysiled r,c pa lie took. But lie
could say, wih conscious truth aad sincerity tbs be
had been careful not 10 tmpUgR, ingf,ife INFO
tie PrcsidFtis mOtiyest ho had been mindful Of The
dignity oi tie senate mindful OF ile romY esy due 10 The
spccl due 10 the oihcc Of Chief Magistrate ard ai,vg
s, t. lhe people whO elevated him IT, The judirion,
and impartial spccia or Of us passiag sccpe.,-tle his
toran Tho shoud wlite The account % these times " hen
sll islse gl0sses havs been OIL, posictity which
alone could award tie Isl o pai.e Cr blame
HftN r rrf If lie, 4