Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-02-21
From the Petersburg Constellation

MgcKLENBURG 3lst Jan. 1885.
Notwithstanding the great exertions which from
time To Time have been made by the leaders of the OPP
position party this county gain the ascendancy
10 array the good people of Meckenburg in an attitude
of hostility to General Jackson and his wise and praise
worthy Administration, nevertheless, all their efforts
have, yet proved entEely unavaling; and never per-
hapsat amy former period, have the great bulk OF the
people been united than they at present in the
support of the leading of his Administrations 1t
satrite and perhaps true remark that the opposition
generally more active and untrng in their efforts; and
hence by their camor and zeal frequently make for the
want of numbers and sometmesn this way the mi
hoIiV 10 appear 10 1e the majority In consequence Of
various meetings winch have been held in this county
erroneous impression has doubtless gone abroad that
Mecklenburg was an Opposition county-until events
and circumstances have fortunately occurred
act such erroneous Impressions AS far back the
of 1881, meeting called by of the most
active gentlemen of the Opposition the object of which
was the sending of Delegates TO the celebrated Char
loesvle Convention, of famous memory, for the pur-
pose of organizing Opposition ticket the regular
ticket of the State, framed in Legislative Convention
in conformity with the long-established usage of the
Republican party. In this meeting, only gentle
man, Richard Fl. Baptist, was found openly in dis
cussion, to oppose the whole proceedings, and OK
pose the injurious tendency of split ticket con-
teInplated by that Convention, and offered substi
tutc to the resolutions of the meeting The substitute
was. however, rejected and the resolutions adopted by
a signal majority The almost apparent unanimity with
which the resolutions of the meeting were adopted was
we'll calculated c5eate the impression upon the public
mind at distance that Mecklcnburg was an Opposition
County Fortunately, however, the period not very
remote, when the people here had opportunity of
recng such erroneous impressions of their opinions by
regular Legislative Convention Ticket of the State
IL was not long, however, before Necklenburg was
again seemingly placed in the Opposition, by the
lous and active exertions of several gentlemen in the
meeting which was called in this County in the Summer
of 1853 which had for Its object the nomination of
distinguished fellow citizen. Benjamin Watkins Leigh,
for the Presidency In the arrangement and organiza
ton Of this meeting it would seem to appear that as
much skill had been displayed many gentlemen of
the Opposition disposed TO attribute TO distin-
guShed cllowcitizen, Martin Van Buren,, its officers
gentlemen high in public confidence. The gentle
man who acted as Chairman, was an member of Con-
gress, and late Elector of President and Vice Pre-
sident of the United States. The gentleman who
offered the rosni,tions to tie meeting had been long
member OF Congress and a gentleman who had been
long member ofhe House of Delegates appointed
Secretary besides other prominent gentlemen who
took active part in advocating the resolutions
and only gentleman found openly - dis
cusson 10 oppose their adoption. INC ORGANIZATION
of the meetings whether Designed or not was GER
taiuly well calculated TO give ocllt to its proceedings
and produce influence upon the public mind,
by gaining for the Opposition party accession of
strength In this, the hist meeting IN Virginia
which had nominated Benamin w. Leigh for the
Presidency, Richard II. Baptist opposed the whole
proceedings OF the meeting. and offered substitute TO
the resolutions offered by Mark Alexander, which, after
long and animated discussion, rejected, and the
resolutions offered by Mark Alexander adopted with
the same unanimity with which the substitute offered
by Richard VI. Baptist rejected II was, however,
not long before the enoBcous Impressions which the fore
going proceeding of this meeting were calculated TO pro-
duce corrected by the passage Ofrcsolgions offered
by Richard III. Baptist, at the meeting Of the people at
last hafch COurts INC PcflOd OF inc diatrcSS
memorials, the echo Of the panic speeches Of
the Scnac) and the immediate subsequent election
Of friends Of the Administration TO Legislature.
But it would again seem, from several commu-
nic1tions which have appeared through tbe DPpo-
siton prints, that the greetings and applause with
which it stated the speech ofour representative Col
Ghoson received az September Court that il had
produced powerful impression the public mind, and
that Mecenburg would be again placed in the ranks Of
the Opposition Bat the letter Of instruction drawn up
and offered by Richard RI Baptist 10 the last October
meeting with the subsequent number of sgners thereto
amounting tits believed, TO about twoirds Of the quail
fed voters Of the county ofMecklenburg will again
tcract any impression which may have obtain
cd This letter of instruction, although entirely respect
m in its character indeed al papers Of that dcserp
ton should always be- nevertheless expresses decided
appreciation Of the prominent Of the Adj
minisiaiion, dsapprovcs most decidedly Of te
pursued by the Honorable benjamin Watkins Leigh in
the Senate Of the United States aud rstruct Doctor
Atkinson to vote against that gentleman. The obicc
tons, then, Of Tie good people of Mcckicnburg against
Benjamin w Leigh. as Senator viii surely apply with
accumulated force against him their favorte for
the Presidency. And the result Of the late Senate
rial election in t.is district, is powerful commen-
targ (speaking in language which cannot be DIisnn
defstood and a complete and refniation 10 all
the objections which have been urged by the Opposition
The in which free and sovereign people have
thought proper make known their o TO their Repre-
scntatvcs, according 10 the number Of votes polcd
there given for The Administration similar pro