Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-09-05

- t~Ntt'1 ~ t'Af U.s. ~ NN
Sweet Springs, at the last accounts, riding on horse
back, greatly improved in his health, and hopes
TO return to Richmond, with a renovated constitu-
ton, in the course Of the Autumn. We congratulate
his friends and his country on his recovery. Scarce
ly has any man been worse treated by his political
enemies, than he has been-The grossest indigniiy
was inflicted upon-lim, at The very moment when a
most Distressing disease was p. eying upon his health.
But, we rejoice that he will once more be able To
meet them in the open field, with buoyant spirits,
and with renovated powers.
it was orr purpose TO write n long and elaborate
article, OH the subject of his rejection but, we are
in some measure relieved from that duty, by the fol-
lowing Editorial Essay from The Culpeper Gazette,
OF the LIST ult. 1t puts the merits of the question in
a nutshell. We shall lay it before our readers, with
such supplementary Notes Us the subject seems to
call for--from us:
1.-The Richmond Wing endesvcrs in n very elaborate
article, 10 demonstrate the ~propriety OF the recent rejec-
lion oil Mr.. Stevenson. by the Senate OF the United S,s,es.
Perhaps there is not in the history OF the Senate, a
stronger evidence oil the tactious char actcr OF the Oppo-
siton, than Is 10 be found la Stevenson's case. For years
MIR. 5. has been the Representative Of the Richmond
District in Congfess-For years the Speaker Of the House
oil Representatives, by heavy majori,ies; thus furnishing
10 the world, the strongest evidence OF the purity Of his
private lie, and his capacity for public station. With tai.
evidence OF his worth aud qualihc atoms, confirmed, and
no doubt strengthened, BY personal acquaintance, the
President dominates him TO The Senate oil the u. States,
as Minister 10 Englsnd-snl he is rejected. This extra
ordinary rejection Is attempted 10 be excused; 1.t upon
the ground that he was promised tho mission, in March,
1888, in a letter from MIR. Livingston, (.Nofc I)-2d, That
as speaker OIL u tfOtsp, he formed The Committees. 4 %
as 10 suit the Administration.
1--WE cannot torihe lie Of u.s., see the force Of the first
o,Jec"on-Ihe letter in question, simply informed Mr..
Stevenson, that il a par ocular contingency happened, the
President Intended TO send lin to England, and that he
might hold himself in readiness. Now, at the time this
letter was written, MIR. Stevenson was neither opposed TO
The Administration, nor waveriDg in his Support Of it
He was decidedly a friend This letter, theref re, made no
change either in his political opinions or conduct. He was
promised the appointment only upon a contingency which
might never have occurred. With what p,epriety or reason
1t can be urged, that he ought TO have declined the honor
OF serving his constituents; aud the still higher honor, Of
presiding over the deliberations Of the first Assembly in
the world, we canuo' possibly perceive. Had MIR. Steven
son been opposed 10 the Administration, or " avering in his
support OF It, and, co,emporaneous with the receipt OF tho
letter, had become a decided hiend; then we would have
admitted the full force OF the objection; but as il j., il is a
(Note2)
"The I'd objection is even less plausible than the first
IL is utterly without weight. That he placed upon the
main Committees OF the House a majority Of the friends
Of the Administration, we f.eely admI,-and if he had not
done II, he would have been faiihless 10 his principles and
iaiihless 10 his friends; but he never denied The Opposition
a chance 10 be hesrd-he always placed upon every
Committee, a portion OF those in the Opposition. We aver
that ii is, and should be always the case in party times.
IL is one oil the means Of securing and preserving the as
cendancy OF those principles. which the majority believes
idenIhed with the property OF the country. Is il not,
however, an extraordinary objection TO be taken on behalf
OF the Senate? A body which acted throughout Us late
session upon the principle, for acting upon which, il has
condemned Mr.. S., (yNoie 81 "a body which closed lis
abortive labors, by appointing a Committee TO investigate
the affairs of the United States Bank, not one member of
winch - lrlenuly 10 Tie Administration. But, TO make the
faction and Inconsistency Of the Senate still more mani
fest, let i, be horne in mind, that Immediately after Mr..
Stevenson was rejected, because he was a pGrtiSon, Mr..
Forsyth was confirmed as Secretary Of State, who had
eminently distinguished himself as the champion Of the
Administration, vindicating every measure, either in prin-
ciple or motive; and winding up a long session of patriotic
use tulness, by receiving from the hands OF the President,
tc'fh me assent Of the Senate, his present iiustrious sta
ton. aud which we do not doubt, his urbaniiy and talents
will snIl further dignity aud adorn.
"i we had not marked the course OF The Wing for wears,
we would not have believed IL possible, that il could, as il
now does, seek 10 ~viadicate the Senate.-Why, while
MIR. Stevenson's nomination was pending, with a full
knowledge that he was 10 have The English MisSon-witb
a full knowledge that the preference given 10 MI. Ste
venson, had made Nh. Archer a Whig-wi,h a full
kno" ledge OF the manner in which Mr.. Stevenson had ar
ranged i'e Committees Of the House, the Wing expressed
an earnest hope that Mr.. Stevenson might be confirmed.
The Wing, very Efiingiy dwells upon the influence
oil The Executive end says, If he can tempt "the sordid
and needy, with agencies, commissions and fat jobs, what
will he not he able TO do in limel' (Note Awe can
resdily Lelieve The Wing understands the value of a lat
job. and the convenience of a discre t.onary agency,
and that he knows the temp alton which they ofIer-Bot
II the Wing (Mr. PIeasan,s) has ever felt the temptation
oil a lat Job-if he has received from any administration
an agency, the duties Of which he never performed, (a-
the neediui was touched, to the tune of $1,000
Then we viii concede, lie knows the dangers OF such
temptation "to the sordid aud needy But, Tor Gods sake,
let not the Wing undertake 10 judge by the standard OF
sell, those who have for years run the race OF glory and
aud received the s~utirages OF unbought free
men,"
NOTES.
Note 1. IL viii never do for some Of Mr.. Steven
wi uctlie 10 serge themselves under this excuse
The fact is, that they had made up their minds to reject
him, before His letter ever was heard of. IL was there
lore, a mere alter-iIoueht; and il does more credit TO their
ingenuity, than their candor.
Vofe z. These facts are conclusive, let the Opposition
misstate them as much as they please. Another Jact-we
know, is, tina. Mr. Stevenson wrote to an intimate iriend Of
the President, alter the receipt OF MI. Livingslou's letter,
that he could not accept the Office, IL he were appointed
during the recess OF the Senate. Did Ibis look like a dispo-
sition TO sacrifice his principles TO Offices? And we know
as a fact within our knowledge, that when we wrote TO
MAJOR Lewis, strongly presenting our own views against
such a measure, MIR. ). cordially concurTed in the OPT
mon, and wished us TO write. This fact, indeed, is already
before the public, in The letters which were laid before
the Senate. Did this look like cluichipg the Mission,
at all events!
Nt2eT has simple transaction been more grossly misre.
presented than the aforesaid letters, addressed 10 M sior
Lewis. IL has been said, in the first place, that Mr.. s.,
"lnstead OF writing directly to the President, or to the Of
hcial Head OF the State Depsrimeni-has recourse 10 a
pollucai Editor, who in his turn has recourse TO one Of hose
irresponsible pets aud favori,es Of the President, that con.
stituie the Kitchen Cabinet, and through these agents
seeks TO influence the Executive" -(W Y. American
And 2hly. That his point was thus carried, and no no.
Uiration was made until Congress met-And 3dly. That
there Is something more ia ilIese Letters than meets the
eye; something held back, which she ws why IL was That
MIR. >. did not wish the appointment made al once.-And
IS tc ourselves, II has been said in the 4th place, that we
were connected with the Kitchen Cahiuet-and il has
been asked, why we did not write to tie President him.
selt-and 9Th. The contents OF the letters, spread as
they are fairly before the public, have been most grossly
perverted.
The first statement is certainly unirue.-It is not true
that we wrote TO Major Lewis, al the instance OF the
Speaker. HeshoNed us Mr.. Livingston letter, that is
truc-Asfd Ia the course OF a very free and full CONVERSE
ton with him, we It'd him that wo had already seen hints
In the lie Hspapcrs about this aud several otter appoint.
mems being 10 be made, Which we thought ought
not 10 be filled during the recess, but in an extra
ordinary emergepcy-that we had already thought Of