Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1834-11-10

benjamin watkins Letgh-Ihe fearless, able
and eloquent defender of the Constitution We ad-
mre the patriot, honor the statesman, respect and
love the man."
II was received by the company with most en-
thusiastc and long continued cheers the band
struck up The tune of Aud Lang Sync; and
when oil was at length hushed into profound si-
lence,
Mr.. Leigh rose and said, There were some feel
ings, and those the best that could warm the heart
of man, which could be car more easily nders,ood
than expressed. And such the feelings
which the vivid associations, suggested by the place
itself IN which he was now standing, and yet more
by the company that surrounded him, excited in
his bosom. On this very spot he had passed ma
ny sportve hour, and partakcn in many civic
festival. in the days Of his youth and carly man
hood - with friends of whom he saw many pre-
sent, and whose presence reminded him OF mary
now no morc,-in times, when political opposition
abnled personal good will interrupted private
friendship. disturbed social intercourse in times
when those who maintained their own opinions
with most zeal, yet respected the opinions of 9TH
ers, and gave them credit for integrity and slncer
~ when, if heats arose in the unresrained free
dom Of discussion, every man dismissed oil angry
feeling from his breast, before he laid his had up
on his pillow, and met his opponent next morning
with an open countcnance, on which more than u
sual kindness was bcomng, anxious to obliteratc
the memory of tn, alteration by the marked cord-
ui,y ofhs manner The thought Of those times,
and of those scenes, he said, came over his mind
now, +" like the memory ofoys, that are past, plea
SAINT, and mournfu to the SOUL For that hoolthful
state of public fecng,-,hosc happy times, had
gone by perhaps never more to rccur, in his day.
The mad and maddening fury Of party strife,
that was now raging through the lend, If II should
endure yet little longer, and be aggravated TO a
single degree more of intensity, would, he much
feared destroy ul the charities and even the decen-
cies, ofsocial life.
lie SAID he had been sent to the Senate of the
United States, not only without any solicitation on
his part, but against his wishes, and indeed IN
spite Of his earnes, depreciation he had been CONF
pelled into the public service by moral force,
which no mnn could have resisted without incur
ring the imputation Of cold unconcern for the vi.
tai interests of his country, and subcctlng himself
to The suspicion of the basest recreancy. And, i'm
mediately afterwards he saw himself charged with
The mos, ar,fu antrigue; intrigue to induce the Lee
yisla,ure to lopt such a course Of proceedings as
should compel his predecessor 10 resign, und then
to procure his own election to the varant place !
Those who imputed such intrgues TO hm-iflhey
though, villa, they said must have supposed him
pOSScoscu Cl'Hct VI wv CIV VI F'ofncIy VI VI VIC
unrcscrved confidence of his predecessor for other
wise, no man could have toreston that the rcsolu-
tons Of the Legislature would induce him to re-
sign his seat Bu', he said, he might safely vouch
every member of the Legislature, friend foe, to
acquit him of the charge Of intrigue. That was
not, never had been, never would be- his Wny of
working. flc had, in truth, little or no converse
lion with his most intimate personal friends in the
Legislature, on the subcc, Of the proceedings and
there were gentlemen now present Che alluded par
ticuarly, to Mr.. Booker of Amelia, and Mr. John
son Of Chesterfield )wno could and would bear wit
ness that far from having sought to lie elected to
the Senate, he had done all that any man Could
have done without improproty. to avoid it
They who charged him with inlrigues on tat
occasion, could only find evidence to Justify the
charge, in the consciousness Of what they them
selves would have been capable Of in the like cir
cumstances'
Hc had been sent to the Senate in the midst o.
the most aIduons session, and in the most exiraor
binary conjuncture Of affairs, ever known in ou
history. New to the councils Of The federal 20
vcrnmcnt-new 10 the scene in which he was cal
led to bear psrt-unacquainted with the actors il
the great evenlful drama. and yet more unknown Il
Il EN-; if he had possessed tcnfold the power,
he ever pretended to- and the utmost weight o
it would no, have been much that he could, undc
such circumstances have accomplished AS thing
stood, it was little indeed that he had done, or rarh
or essaycd-but what he could or thought he could
that he had cndeavored 10 do, diligently, faithfully
fearlessy, without the least regard TO consequen.
ces affecting himself personally. His princpa
effort had been to give the public, and especial,
his own constituents, glimpse of the prospect be
fore them. A disttust of his political sagaciy (rca
| sonable enough, if no attention were paid to thu
state OF facts, and oil public opinion on, OF Virginia
or the wfulness ofpar,y deusion, had in mea
sure, frustrated his purpose. II he had been told
that he had disappointed the too partial expcctn
tons of his friends he should have fell and acqui
esced in the justice Of this But, he SAID Il
his surprizc, though not at all to his disnay, hi
name had been, for the last eight months, the them
of continual, unmeasurej and he would add as 10
some Of it, vile & silly abuse. The malignant spri
Of party hat been pouring his exhaustless phials O
wrath upon his head and calumny with her quiz
err Of poisoned arrows, had almost deafcncd him b,
the constant twangin, Of les bow, though he ioun'
IN his own conscience an impcnctrablc shield d
sansi her shafts. The history Of his life had beer
ransacked, to find topics ofr.proach; and it re
| ally wonderful that history so barren OF poi,ica
incident, should have been found capable Of bear
| ing such masses of commentary. In looking back
as he had been in the habit Of doing often, upon hi
past conduct and opinions, he had been consciou
of many mistakes, which reflection and expert
cnce required HIM to correct (; many weaknesses Il
be ashamed of, s. faults to repent; nor did he env,
the man, who was incapable ofmaking similar dis
ccvercs with respect to hlmself-But, in ihes
modern memoirs Of his life and character me
moirs written to serve for party history-wri,te
too, by persons protesting an intimate knowledg