Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-19

mon; upon motion, Archibald Austin, Esq Of buckingham was
called tho Chair aad John sherra Of Morgan appointed sccc
ary Col JoscphS Watkins, ofGoocund COM
gentlemen appointed prepare an address 10
Of tho political nairs Of
whccuPon the following gentlemen were nponted
the meeting committee for TINT purpose, viz: John W. NnSh,
Hugh A. Garland Joel ulcmnn, Joseph s. Watkins John T.
Andcrson George w. Wilson, William Daniel r Archibald Aus.
Tin and John Shcrrarl when the meeting adjourned
MARCH 9th, 1896.
meeting nsuin met, and tho absence ol Mr. Aus
TIM John T. Anderson, ESD cuIlod tho Chair, when Mr.
Nas committee appointed Tor TINT PURPOSE presented tho
following Address, which unanimously adopted by h' ne"nS
JOHN T.. ANDERSON, Chairman pro ten.
JomS snERnAHn, Secretary.
To tic People Of Tirginia.
Fellow CITIZEys-I'he General Assembly of Virgil
ria being about terminate its present session. the De-
ocra,ic members of that body feel it m BE- their duty
to lay before their constituents concise statement OF
their political upon the prominent subjects
upon which it has been their duty to act and to invite
their attention Of the political questions which
likely to arise in the approaching elections The pc.
licy and wisdom Of this not less sustained
by the example of our Republican ancestors than II IS
called for al the present time, By the sreprSS vigilance
Of our political advrrsarcs. The Administration Of the
Chief Magistrate Of the u States is drawing TO
close and though characterized by wisdom aud patriot
isnl and crowned with the most unrxam'cd success,
as proved by the unbuundrd prosperity OF county,
and her relations abroad, yet it known TO YOU TINT
he has had 10 encounter "PpnSLun OF the mos; bl;-
ter and mplacahc characlrr-an opposition wtch has
moi confined Itself to- the Ut his Administration
ony but in It's unsparng efforts has sought 10 break
down aud Witty tile character Of the Chief Magistrate Of
the Nation itself, and many OF those who CAV" his AI-
mEis,ratnn their support; an opposition: winch, while
wc wall not question the indIvIdull patriotism OF is
nrnbrrs feel authorized 10 say, formed 10y
bnatill of two political parties: holding tie most onpu-
ste and GIscorant principles, with sentiment
mon To The whole, but that OF opposition To The present
Chief Magistrate OF The United States, and the dis.
llnrusrd individual who has been selected by the De-
lnocatlc party OF the country as his SUCCESSOR THIS
oppstom although beaten aud overcome By yuu At the
last elections fTgna, you will again have /" meet at
the polls where, united and true 10 yourselves We tear
not the result.
The elections last spring having returned the rss
Iaurc ulnriLy oi ol The present Ad
nnlsrallur it obviously the duty OF tnht body, to
restore to office those faithful public servants, who had
been displaced Ivy political opponents III the proceed.
lnT year. for other cause than difference OF political
opInlo aud their support OF the present Administration.
This subject. ihcrcurr that claimed and reccIr-
ed our carly We have Therefore restored To
the ,iice OF public PRIMER, MIR. Thomas Rcc who had
filled that nlcc without Just cause u com liant from
The year lI4 to the last scssiOm when lie nar o
victim. of spirit OF prescription, winch cir political
opponents had loudly denounced NJ offers Tut which
lry were The first Introduce INTO the pulIca OF N!-
gina and winch their accIGcnia! ascenGdncr III lnr ie-
nIsluturr gave them All opportunity "i ImiuISiug.
Another valuable pubic officer, ctT j. Panel, Esq
who had filled the "lIicc OF Councillor OF State Tor W.
wards vi *! years, seventeen years VI winch c au actru
Lieutenant Governor also removed at the same
session. In his case, too, just Ut complaint
listed against hlu 10 the nanncr III which ne had dis
charged his pubic duty; and Ills moral worth anu incl.
lcctua qualifications were admitted by all vet THIS
dIvduai had become obnoxious to the modern W Iys,
because il hlS fortune to be Democrat, and 10
have sustained the pr:sent Administration wIth zeal
and ability. iii opportunity having presented itself,
the Dr.vrratic party IN the Legislature deemed 1t
their duty to restore him 10 ollre, and have
cordingy elected him to his former place. The CuuE
eli OF state. Having gone thus lar, We determined
to STOP and of the other principal officers
ployed in :!e government whom 1t became our duty 10
re- elect one only OF the four Dem"cra and three
of them Wings Yet those four officers had been faith
full III the discharge of their duties: and their Offices be-
ing of ministerial character, we felt as little DISPOSE
ton 10 disturb them account vi their political OPT
Mons as we would to have disturbed their rrlIgon.-
The contrast which this course vi conduct presents 10
that pursued by the Wings the preceding yrae, we leave
TO the good people OF Virginia To draw TOR themselves.
Does 1t not however, cmphatcay contradict the ridl-
cuous and malignant charge, that the spuls OF Office
influence political opinions:
Intimately connected with this duty Of correcting the
errors OF the Wing Legislature Of the preceding year,
the obligation 10 vIndieate as far as We could the
great Right of Instruction. which had been wantou-
~ dsrrrarded in the election Of Mr. Leigh To the Sc
nate of The United Statcs. This great popular right,
which has always been regarded In Virginia iumda
mental article her political faith, had urrn assallrd
by the Wing party in our own State by every means
u MISREPRESENTATION aud OF ridiculc that could be
employed against it. The odious and deg aiding ephet
OF Gush distractions applied to all instructions by
The people writing, and the b:s. authenticated
evidences Of the popular WILL either openly conlcned
or art.uy evadcd in the election Ut Mr.. Leigh In the
Senate The United States too, the snc contempt OF tho
rirht OF instruction had been manifested by several
members OF body, who scllrrng themselves under
their tenure oil Office Tor s:H years. openly dsrcSdrded the
expressed will vi le States, made known 10 them by
legislative resoIvc- other indications Of popular opinion
equally manifest To vindcalc this gll: Them far
pracabl was obviously duty required at the hands OF
The Legislature. And farther induccincnt TO the
exercise ol this right, the People OF Virginia, who
had lust elected to the Legislature and to the popular
branch Of Congress, representation dcc'cdly friend
~ 10 the Administration, had the misfortune to wit
ness the Stale represented in the Federal Senate
by two. gentlemen holding opinions directly opposed
10 their own, and who had been prominent actors
in the memorable :" panic ScSSton al lo3l Nor was
that ALL they had both voted Tor the unconstitutional re-
solution by which the President Of the United States
had been accused. tried and condemned by the Senate
without The iormaIIly ot an impeachment. and without
hearing refusing to him the permission 10 place his
defence on the journal
In this state Of things it was not possible for the
ority in the General Assembly to mistake He line vi
their duty Accordingly, therefore, preamble and re.
solutions were introduced carly period OF the pre-
sent session. and adopted by the Legislature on the 10Th
day of February. 1886, in the following words
{" Whereas tile Senate of the United States did:
the 2Sl day OF March, 1884, adopt the following
luton RcsOircd That the President, IN the lac Ex-
rcutve proceedings in relation to the public revenue
has assumed upon himself authority and power mol con-
rrred by the Constitution and Laws, but in Gcroga,ion
of both; which resolution stands upon the journal
Of the Senate:
And whereas the General Assembly Of Virginia
gard this act of the Senate assumption VI power
not warranted by the Constitution and calculated to sub
vert the rights Of The House of Representatives and the
fundamental principles of our free institutions
And whereas this Assembly deem it their solemn
duty again re.assert in behalf of themselves and the
of he iuh of he nj @
s,ruc and the duty of the representatives to obey
sign: Therefore,
" /. RcSelrcd by the General assembly Of ITginia,
That the Senators from this Stale, in the Congress OF
the Inicd SiaicS he and ilcu Le1ehv nsIucled TO