Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-08
Richmond, Tuesday, March :.
Mr. LEIGH.

the Senators OF Virginia has determined To dely the L.
gizalurc and to retain his seat. Truly did CorTrs~
poudcnt say. "wllom God wishes to destroy, ne hsi
makes mad
. I'VE lay MIR LIS letter this morning before the Public
We have room for any elaborate comments Besides
this long letter. the Proceedings of Congress for six days
and few articles, demand all the space that we
possibly spare.
But why hasten any cornmentury' The unfortunate
letter speaks for ITSELF We confess have read ii with
;lnazcincnt, even greater than Indignation. What!
az Leigh the author of the celebrated Report of 1872
the only political plume in his cap-thc very last man
ia this large Commonwealth, who shond have FILTERED
ss,y his fame with his Rcport-syIu was first eecrd
uader the public pledge Of his oudest Euogst that he
would either obey instructions resign Ills ofce-uv-
before him the nuh!e example Of VIM G. RyeS, whose
seat he led-and conrasled also will, his Wing
Colleague who has promptly bowed to the will OF the
L0gisanre and carried out one Of the precious pnc-
PIES Of Virgnia-that Mr. Leigh should have been the
very first Senator TO tampc his own Report under foot
while the whole State ringing with denunciatlons
of Mangum and Souhard-This is indeed group OF
circumstances. which is calculated to astnns the world
Is there any thing in this Letter, TO justify his conduct,
and reconcile the People to the anomaly We humbiy
and respectfully think not II appears to iMpo
in argument. is arrogant in manner and con-
tempt uous in lis towards the General Assembly.
If Mr.. LIS qualification Of the Right Of Instruction
be admitted it becomes n,ockery. tits sounding brass
and tinklns cymbal-a body without soul.
If the language he employs be so "prrrclly respect
full as the Whg claims it % be- then must we forget The
aud the Reprcsrn,ativrihc sovereign and the ser
wants. as Mr. Leigh calls the Senators in his Report of
1872
He directly charges the Legislature of Virginia with
passing these Resolutions, for the purpose of ous,ing
him from oi!icc-and he peremptory and arrogantly
tells them " that cannot ought not, and will not re-
sgu.
Resolutions have not been confined to Virglnia-but that
they have been adopted by elccen oer Sutcs9 In most
her n LlSUlace-I
As then, the remedy is common, was there not every
reason believe that the grievance equally common
eaAnd how does MIR. Leigh reconcile to himself,
this attempt to bring the Legislature into contempt
Above all men, he should have been The last to attempt it,
But two years ago, what did he publicly proclaim That
if he does not know that the dignity Government
sentia to the maintenance of lis authority he has not
read the heart Of man say confidently, that whoever
shall succeed in bringing IT State Legislature into gene
raj contempt will do to impair its just authority
than any SIM lie of this Government (G. pos
siblv can Neither, the people Of Virginia of Il tenn
per accept retrssions Of respect in lieu of reality
Mr. Lephs Speech in the Senate Of t. s., .narch lcl.
If the people ofVirgna submit To these attacks upon
one of the essential rights ofour free sttuons-thcr
sacred right of lnstruction-if they will submit their
necks to their yoke, they will deserve to be the slaves
of their own SERVANTS But we have no fears OF the
consequences Tho county OF Henrco has already given
the frs. inpu, TO the ball Read her manly proceedings
of Yesterday her Court House in this City Wcca up
on every y in the Commonwealth to meet rs soon
ms possible at eir Court Houses and their IN
drnant sense Of the contumaclous conduct OF their Sc
| major.
We invoke the aid of the Legislature, to re-asscFt
their principle sand Mr.. Leigh himself assisted IN
drawing up the resolutions of 1872 highy disapproV
ing the cor duct Of Messrs. Giles and Brent lei the
chace be commended to his lips. We trust
the Represer tatives of the people will reflect their
timents-lha. they will declare him 10 have forfeited
the confidence of Frgnia-that their proceedings will
be dgnifed rs we'll dspassonute-for, as Mr. Leigh
said Of the General Assembly, in relation to Messrs.
Giles and Brent let it never "6c dcrOd Of sercspcet
as 10 enter into alteration ,ciM its serrantS
But should the Legislature for the want Of time,
from disposition to refer the question 10 the People,
from any other conSdc postpone the question till
the next winter it will assuredy become the duty of the
next Legislature TO assert our principles to vndcae
their own dignity and TO dcnounce the conturnacy of
their servant The People must not sleep this vi
ta principle of our free Institutions Nor must they suf-
fer their representatives to pass over this aggression
| with impunity in vain the Wings excuse Mr L. in
discretion on account Of the motives they attribute to
him. Did his Report spare MIR. Giles hlr. Brent,
| account of their motives
We also say to feow.frcemen Of the State, 90
forth and show the ma esty Of their power To arms,
then! To arms! We must take the old issue with
waited vigor the Polls" LEIGH Leigh! IStruc-
| tiols or no InStructi0ns!'
Let the People return Wing Legislature next win
ter and Mr. Leigh may retain Ills seat-or politi
can like him, may be elected in his pace and the great
Right of Instruction may BIZ shaken TO its very centre in
this ancient Commonwealth
The Pledge-and the Performance
IaIf 1,eft,, rlIDpI Tho