Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-10-02
MR.. LEIGHS MOUTH-PIECE!
In reply to the questions lately about nj


This we think abOa, time that the Enquirer la.
ali I a. the S n%ph Lot
s he eo1cesson that he has done nothing prin-
because he has done nothing Richie permit him to do
% @ p lbs wnsnsss or his capacity render
tom W he servey the ranks OF Van BuronsG, they
on! that man by describe him An
drew Stevenson w G. Rvcsor p p Barbour! Enquirer
VIII no. pretend to rate eho of these gentlemen
to meet H. lie TO sSap E % great crisis
m M and nnnamed by passions,
peculiar devotion to Virginia. and all tia, Virginia.. Although i,
around the Editor aud his clique Office vet a, various
he and Il" s. high thought soCsy the
mere om an unwilling and by vii.
Now, a few words by way of comment The Wing
Is unable to answer our enquiries and thus gives up the
poihI-he unable TO lay his finger upon a single SER
vice. which Mr. Leigh has rendered to the State r ghts
causelIhs is indeed pregnant admission and shows
friends OF Virginia Prnciplcs-Who deserves reward or
confidence The ,e0hoS done noking9 The man wi
mas shown by his life that he either aid
ms country IN her struggles who wants either the capa
fy or the desire to vndicate her Principles? Is this The
man who deserves to be trusted The Aucus who has
Kept aoof from the field of politics? the soldier
who has mingled in the fray rsked his reputation and
received the wound But asked if "bccause he
has done nothing, win permit him to do noingP" Do
queston his unwillingncss or his capacity =? Cor
IunIy--we cannot help doing it, We test a man ca
poeutcs j0r pnCe Sc'riee by his services. We Judge of
the J1f~Tc by the past If has passed through
long war; in which his country has in retire
ment inactivity and in obscurty, without lifting finger
tlrcat
ems her place him at the head of the army Can we
conhde IN any man, 60 become our Commander and our
champion, who has rendered service arms and has
ohy SHOWN himself either unwilling unable 10 con-
duct the war? Would you reward him for doing nothing
9ou ask, where are his wounds None-Wherc are his
feats? None.-Where are his services, None Where
are even his efforts? He has been asleep-or
engaged IN his vocations has seen his country in
vSded, aud yet has exhibited evidence of his qua
hhcauohs, or OF ms ZEAL to command her troops Would
you not say to him, "Sir, if you now want commits
sion, you must be content with humble one. In
deed If you receive the proper reward of your merits YOU
ought rather to rise from the ranks
We might say with Dogberry that ''comparisons are
odoronS but we will not blink the question. Wesay at
once that every man, whom the Wing has named is
better enttcd to reward, and TO the public conde nee
than Mr. Leigh Without going further into the com
Pason we have no hesitation in saying that Mr. Riyes
Is decidedly Mr. LIS superior statesman; that he has
more experience, finer style of parliamentary eoouence
that he has talents TO gappe with orcat crisis
ana with far better temper, than his successor We
have never denied the abilities of Mr. Leighton the
contrary we have paid him the humble tribute of our
praise at all times with pleasure. Ii is true as the
Wing has said, that have never "lked Mr. Leigh 4"
Ihat Is a gross mistake Misrepresentation But Ger.
ihiy we DO not consider him great staesnanfor he
huu withdrawn from politics, and wants the experience
ana habits OF satcsman-and appeal 10 the reno
raj opinion OF the country for confirmation of our own
we appeal to his standing in the u s. Senate since he
appeared in that body and ask who will venture 10
compare hin with Calhoun or Benton Webster or CLAW
Rives or even Poindexter We have never bra2d
one spectator speak of the of Washington who
has placed him above of those Senators-or even
above Clayton. MIR. l.. may be Patrick Henry in
the Senate
Why tell US (says the whig) that Mr. l.. has here
toioTe done nothing Why look 10 the past when it is
.ne iutuTe that should command all our attention, and
awaken all our interest wv Iy-because if man has
done nothing in the midst Of the tremendous cncroac
mems with which we have been threatened for 30 wears
by the Federal Government, we have right 10 presume
either that he wants the capacity zeal to serve his
country-And certainly the mere want of ba;t
Renee is serious want Of qualification The Whip adds
that lac has done nothing, It true does moi prove
hat nc was not ready and willing and able do battle
ne has
portunity must prccede distinction III a man who has
dono nothing proves either his ,olngneSs and abfv to
do battle for his principles we should ask the Wbo how
muc stronger proof docs the give, who has done
grtat dcqtP To say that man has 'aydeiIg uanfain
ca ms principles, when he has done nothing to main
tam them Is nonsense. 1t is almost solccisT in terms
Every such man has an opporfanifu Where are tbe
meetings of bis Fellow Citizens Where is the Press
MIR H. had opportunities enougbut he has pro6tied oc
none-and hence he has Substantial "dislincon"
Inc Wing changes our proposition, and then tries to
refn!e it, We have said that Mr. T.. has done no
serYice-but hat he had done nothing 70 stay The tee
mendous encroachments Of the Federal Govefnnient-
When Roane, and Barbour and Kyes and Stevenson
ana Dromgoolc; were employed, where was Mr. Leigh
Dong nothing. Tic wrote Algernon Sydney; which
was eloquent attack upon the acts Of individual
and lac distinguished himself in The Convention Of Vr
giniabut neither Of these touches the point nj issue
We forget-he wore one feather in bis cap-Ie penned
the celebrated Report the Right Of Instruction. the
pfccepls Of which he is now doing so mn Ell 10 s he 81
10 overthrow by his own example
We pass over what the Wing says about The other
gentlemen whom he names-wiih single remark lie
Hshs' ~ ids uubc more iOV. laZcwell Gov
Tyler Grant that they may is Mr. Richie anv better
pleased with them than with Mr. Leigh, Are not tEev
equally and almost virulenty and ssssd
as Mr. Leigh gf we have "Dypleaiig' assailed these
gentlemen, what 10 think Of the assaults Of the
WhigY They have been infinitely more severe than
any ihng we have ever uttered The WING represent
ca Mr.. Leigh as century behind the age. Mr. Tazc-
well was rdicued in the bttcrest serns1nnd the whole
vial Of bis wrath one time poured upon the head Of
Mr. Tyler In comparison Of his attacks upon all these
gentlemen our own structures have been but "eaher
and prunea."
We dissent entirely from the conclusions Of the Whg