Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-01-18

better qualified than himself, would have taken up
tho matter. Nc had not expected TO have heard
the charge reiterated, and through the public press.
Such having however, been tho case, he deemed II
his duty upon tins occasion TO say, that no such
vote as had been stated if he At all understood the
proceedings At the meeting, had been taken. Mr..
d. said he was no, afraid that tho public should
understand what they did here in eonclavc, IL gem
t'emen chose 10 give the meeting that name hu,
he denied the righI of any gentleman to arraign
members before the public to call upon ncmbers
to say what they had done in n prisa,e capacity
and ,hcn ask the public 10 decide whether pledge
had been given or not Since however, the gen
tlcmNn would do this, he tMr. d. would rctortt :
and ask the gentleman again. if there had not been
a meeting sumo time ago, ike this now OBJ
lcottd to, upon the subiec, Of ces,ing coun-
oillor ! Whether the merits Of three candidates
were not then discussed. in order tina, the party
might unite upon one of them, thus cutting GU, a
certain other individual then holding the Office
lie (Mr d. repeated lha, such meeting had b.cn
held
Mr. WlTCllER said. that sinee II, Las, re-
marks upon this subject hc h'd m>krd his m--
mory. and did rccore, tina, a meeting IN
relation to the olceIioa oiCoNnel'or, had been
hci
Mr. DANIEL: The gentleman now rocollects;
! now ask him If tho election of Councillor was
not as much a subject for legislative action, rs
the resolutions in relation To the cspuacing, To
which he has alluded ! al, hiu, al,o. L. meet
inc of this kind, WAS not held b, the Nhir Parry,
with view 10 influence the election Of Speaker
and II the gentleman was not present at the moct-
ng 7
Mr.. wlTCIILR ,nid he va, prc.cn, y. such
meeting.
MI. DANIEL: Then, II there WI, any ,hing
hc ncr nv ntth p ia tic
Fariy, the example had been So, b, those " no now
condemned the practice. l.p, Mr.. d. did not a.
taoh any IMPROPERLY to such meetings IL VAS
right fr them to meet, and Keep the party torcl,.
er, and pass resolutions, if they pleased, for that
purpose. lie had been Informed, though he could
not himself vonch for the fact, that during the
5t ighcst period Of our kisory--n the years 'os
and 'o9,hi, practice had prevailed The pa,ri-
OTIS that period had no, disdained to meet and
consult in this way. A groa, stir had been made
about this meeting Of the Democratic Party, and
he, (Mr. d. knew why. II was to make people
believe that the Republican Par,y had, in ,rcrc,
conelaNt, been made to pledge themselves 10 vote
IN "A particular way, from fear, the part of
some oiits members, that when the party came TO
the discussion Of hi, subject, tho great talents Of
gentlemen on the opposite side. would induce some
10 pursue different course. IT, (Nr. D. was IN
idNor OF having their votes recorded, and no n
greed with the member from Pitt>,lvaun tina, It
was better Tor the discussion IN take place in tho
House, than in Committee Of the Whole and Inc
was willing that his name should 60 down To ro,,or-
ny with his vote, in whatever way the latter Nigh,
he e,S'. lie repeated thai he had mad, no such
pledge as had been astrbcJ to the ma oriy on ihat
floor.
Nr. WlTCflER said he did moi mind hrw my.
ny ''trrroraiorics gentlemen pm, to him. he
would answer them IN spirit Of the most perfect
truth and sincerity. II no forgot any hnr for a
moment, and afterwards rccollcctcd it, lac would
Immediately state such matter as had returned TO
his remembrance. We are tha,rcd ,aid Mr.. ".
with having had meetings resp, citing the Offices Of
Speaker and Councillor. Sir, dcny that these
meetings we're at all similar in character TO tho
mrc,in: to which We object. When we arc called
upon TO elect an individual to 81 an Office ", are
tfrcfors and IN such capacity there is nothing Al
all improper in our assembling for tho p,rpo>c nj
asccriaining upon wha, candidate VIZ arr mos, ike
ly 10 unite How different, sir--how wholly diff
iercnt is such meeting from the ono which has
given rise 10 this discussion. No vote or dctcr,ni-
nation 10 which We may come in the farmer case
Inicfiercs IN any wa, with our oath 10 tie Ccns,-
luton. All elective bodies, sir. hold and have
right TO hold these meetings. 1t has hccn the u
sage Of TIC country from time immcmnrial.
Which Is afterwards 10 come before the House for
discussion and considcratiun--is a very different
ma,ter-and am very greatly mistaken if ia,
late not the first instance @. the Kind ever
known to have occurred in this Conmonu calth.
Why are gentlemen sensitive upon this subject,
# they have done nothing mproJ"r' Why do
;D.y disown,hc pledge, and We, refuse to tell Nha,
was done a, TIC meeting, so tina, the people may
decide whether pledge have been s',cu VII,
did they sit, sir, will, closed doorsl Why did
they shun the light of day, if they w-r. doing
nothing wrongl Why do ,hcy shrink even from
avowing tina, such meeting has hren held Tho
member from Botctonrt, sir, is the only who
has had the boldncss to the fact, and 10 de-
fend il.
The gentleman from Campbell says lie gave no
pledge. ! ask him them what the oLicc, Of
tho meeting, and What il na, tina, he voted for 7
will answer any question the gentleman may choose
to ASK mr., and hope he will reeirrocatc. lie,
him say wha, passed at the meeting, and leave the
House and tie public to Judge whc her pledge
was given.
Mr.. DORMAN called for the aye. and noes up.
on the question of reference TO the COMMITTEE. of
the whole.
Mr.. WlTCIIER: Am Ito wines. the srccta-
Gle in this House, of the gentleman from Camp.
bell calling upon me to answer questions, and
when ! have answered them fully, f,irly and
frankly, refusing to answer question put 10 him
IN rotnrn---a question upon the same sub jcct As
that TO which the gcntlcm,n's incrrogatorirs r,la-
ted W i'll he keep silence under snch circum-
stanctg1 ask the nullic to draw ficir oN n in.