Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-03-21

the election day, but il would not all snswer The ,eo
pie preferred 10 Judge him by his acts aud they accord
ingy so judged him. They passed their verdict. He
dismissed.
The attention Of the people OF Petersburg D,nwd
ne Is requested TO the statement which Mr.. Brown the
delegate from this town, made with respect the political
course and standing OF MIR. Leigh while he remained as
resident among MS. Ii was made during the discussion
which took place ON the election OF Senator to supply
The vacancy occssioned by the resignation OF Mr. Ryes
Mr. Brown Is reported TO have made among other re-
marks, the following viz.
"Thc only specification against Mr. LeigL's repuhi
cann Collected, he supposed as the strong was that
he was opposed 10 the last war; and the hich
preceded IT, That was true, and he (Mr. b. judging
OF what had occurred in his boyhood, would admit that
Mr. H. was in error; bat how had this error, II such
It might be called, been atoned for The moment
tho war was declared, aud Mr. Madison had said " the
die was csst,' Mr. Leigh, instead of abusing the pub.
lie unctionares and seeking verify his orebodipgs
by allowing disaster aud Disgrace TO fall the arms
OF ms country, came forward at public assenblsge
IN the town OF Petersburg, where he then lived, and
not only announced his intention TO take the field
but, with all the eloquence FOR which his youth was SO
remarkable urged his friends and Deghbors also buc-
ke on their armour He Immediately found the head
volunteer company, AMI without afterwards laying
ashe MS military ATTIRE he continued thr the
10 various important capacities, to share in lis tolls
ana 10 animate by his example, the dropping spirits OF his
connryinen His opinions and conduct in regard TO tina,
"Hnsu been passed upon by jury OF his peers, better
qualhed than any other to deoids such question. Al
most every man In Petersburg ia favor the war;
and no one, he trusted would que son either tue patriot.
ism or iepubcanism Of that little community which i'm
reference TO its spirit and gadny that period ecited
he believed, from Mr. Madison-and he begged pardon for
the vanity oil mentioning 1.-THE pretty of b. ing
called "lhe cockade OF the Old Dominion Yet that
community in contemplation OF his whole course this
.uee'' WIN one accord, "took him 10 their bosoms-in
the language OF one Of the o!es cizensas a true and
gsl'an, man. who had the msgnanimty aid in proving
himself wrong, He was repub'ican enough Tor the poo
pie oil that town. and he believed he mgnt say The
time had never since been, when they would have
him."
Whatever may be the opinions of Petersburg az present.
shall not now myself with them. But old Re-
pubcans Of this and the county of Dn,yle AT The
time to which Mr. h. has alluded will be rather surprised
when they this history of MIR Leigh as vi
venby Mr. Is. They will say whether this hig wrought,
eu'og'um, pronounced his former course il deserved
II is Ger anly very wide from being correct statement
OF the ca,e.-Mr Brown boy then, and Of course
sa'ed in relation to Mr.. Leigh 1 can readily admit
he no doubt heard and believed But that he was mi.in
formed upon that subject is equally clear, all who
remember those times testify. What was really the
conduct OF Mr. Leigh at that day. There was little
party, besides the federal party, aud even outstrpped
a exisng IN our State, vioe"y opposed TO the latter
part oil Mr. Jeerson's administration, and equally to
the whole OF Mr. Madsons This little squad for so il was
significantly denomnated on OF numbers, were
loud and camorous against all the which the adj
mhistaon could adopt TO save the country from and
to vindicae national rights. And when every step
had failed to avert this calamity and compelled
al last 10 draw The sword the only alternative
our honour this little party, along with the federal fac
uon, and which had been bringing the
still continued their opposition and abuse
the administration and friends-dcciared that the war
would lead TO the destruction of the country and that Mr.
Madison his advisers and abet,ors deserved the execra
lions oil the people. Who in Petersburg Dnwdde that
has the least recollection Of what then past will deny that
10 his party Mr. Leigh stood among the first il the
very first! He was probably the most violent man of
mat party and after the declaration of war; there no
change in his canduct but he nued TO act with this
party, and Mr. Madison and his did fail
receive their unmeasured abuse and denunciaons About
THIS time he was elected the delegate from this town and
Dnwiddic TO Legislature and for his violence and at
tachment this party and psrakng all their hatred 10.
he Hlsnis hxf
aud consigned over TO private station. The very men
VINO had previously supported him, abandoned hm
anu one OF them, among the most distinguished i'm the
county who had been the principal person TO bring Mr.
Leigh forward the year before, in order for his
error as he declared became candidate in opposition
MN and succeeded in turning him out.
Mr. Brown says that the opinions OF Mr.. Leigh had
been passed upon by jury OF his peers respect to
that war, who better qualified than any other TO de-
eide such question, sfer due deiiberation they
took him TO their bosoms Yes, will admit that his tle en-
constituents did really understand we'll ,ass
verdict upon him. which was-to quit their service
When the election came every republican OF This town
turned out repaired Dinwdde Court house. nd
with their fellow cilizens of that county, the
political doom OF Mr. Leigh. They dismissed him their
representative Mr.. Leigh soon afterwards left and
moved TO Richmond Let MIR. Brown enquire OF all the
friends OF the administration OF that day, both in burg
and Dnwiddie and he will find that this true history OF
the case. That Mr. l. Ugh personally admired and
eemed by all his political opponents, he now will
be denied But that his political opinions upon all the
ing measures OF the Government obnoxious and in
direct opposition TO the Republicans OF that PERIOD
vertheless true.
MIR Brown remarked, II Mr. Leigh committed an err
ror then, that he had amply atoned for H. That the
ment the war was declared he came forward and an
nounced his intention to take the eid and urged his
low citizens TO follow his exampl.That lie ceased to
abuse the public unconories-That /" he was in,n,edi.
dfey found at the head Of volunteer company and with
out laying aside his military ATTIRE lie continued throug
out the contest in rdri0us important capacities to share
in its tolls and TO animate by his example the dropping
spirits Of his country At this statement Mr. Leigh du.
ly credng no doubt the zeal and good intention of his
euogist cannot himself but smile Ii is certainly all an
entire fiction. His tolls in the fcldhs various import
ant capacities certainly never he ard Of IL is well
known that lie continued assa the public funconaries
and his opposition TO the administration continued ihou gi-
out From what Mr. b. states, il might be inferred, that
Mr. IL himself raised volunteer company, and continue
at the head of it during the war; sharing the tolls ard pri-
vaons Of those who did take the field and buckled
their armour" Now what the real fact +? The
company TO which Mr. Il. aIludes. raised by Tho
mas b. Robertson many years before the OF which
he made Captain anh Mr. Leigh Lieu enant: A man
and patriot who almost The idol OF Petersburg and
DGwddiewho represented us for many years in the lie.
gislature, and whose whole marked by
BILE, manly, and honorable bearing, that be eff
faced from the memories Of those who witnessed his
publican When he retired from his station, he
retired with the lave and blessings of those he had so long
and ably served What contrast there was between
him and his successors Mr. Leigh! What difference as
10 their political fate with the people, tut will fbesT
IT would be painful TO run out the parallel will be par
doned, trust, for this DEPRESSION
After dsng usied and beloved fellow TO wpsmap
retired from the head OF this company, Mr. Leigh sue
ceeded him there also captain. He Afterwards resign
ed and this company during the commanded by
Captain Alexander Taylor. Mr. Leigh never led this COM
pay into the field lie shared in tolls Of the field and
his whole military services may be compriscd in his APP
pontment of aid de camp, place in his saf 10
Governor B1rbour, whose achievements and campaigns
La, II 81 A