Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1837-01-31
VIRGINIA E~EesssEATgSE.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
HOUSE Of DELEG&TEs.-F1iday' Jan. %

dty, upon every OCCASION OF This sHt, % gfat''y ~ u,
patient promp:ings of an eStravagant party z"al, a'io |"
prosecute is harsh, and iiliberal purposes o. elimination
and detraction, that it was now. verify, a nader OF COIN
mon ex expectation, that no appointment, however tuai9lt
or exalted, could be here made, without eyoi'ins a ue-
gree Of party excitement and w%rangilng.a alike "ul'agin1-
the dignity and the ordinary cnurtesirs uf legislative pro-
ceedings. 1t would seem, said Mr.. r., tina; in the es'''
nation Of certain gentlemen, no more TT occasion ti!ah
that presented by the exercise in any instance CT our c!tc'
torai functions, can be- found for launching on the wide
ocean of political discussion, anI dragging up from It's
turbid waters, the bitter, though prolific themes oi par
tizan warfare aud inrective. No sooner Is Ii announced
that an appointment has 10 be made by tins ocoy, 'he" Il
becomes the signal for the champions OF party s!Il'e to
repair, with all their vauated ctIra!ry, to tEs tinof-l'
couch their lances, and tilt away at such bare phaiitnHls
of caucus management and dictation, as Start UP before
their Observation-Disclosures as they are. by the c~I.ai!
prospect Of their deiea.-and thus 'jrigA Mcss J"0m Metr
YTopriety.' -.
: Ii this were the case alone Of the 'young Hotspurs'
of the House,-cululous Of forensic fame, MIR. Il. could
pardon much to the generous impulses "i ''''ir l'hpeiu'
Gus blood. But when he saw the veteran leaders O. IN"
party, opposed to him, with perfect disregard vi lie true
character Of the OCCASION, and Of the subjects Ieg'ti'
mSteiy connected with the duty of the Gensral Assem-
by in the election of public officers, wander w!:!!oi!
the sphere of appropriate discussion, to urge i"rwa'-
this attack upon The conduct, and This gratGI.ons aspsI'
sion of the motives Of other members, MIR. Z, with all
his Difference for their experience and sagacity, mus! be
permitted to suggest, that they were carried nway BY
their Incorporate zeal into 4 course, which prJstra!rs tie
dignity, and forbidS the calm delibe-atlon, that should
always characterize the proceedings OF this body. Sir,
said Nj. R., my heart sickens and rcvo;s within me-.
when l. contemplate the frequent scenes which have OF
late been enacted in this Hal! upon Legislative appoint
ments TO office, and :scur 10 the prcned:tated lnrcctITe
which has served to lash up the lilggtng spirit Of party
slrile and viluperdtion, mud 70 inPirt zest To lhs severity
OF political dia:ri5as. The limits Of parliamentary coar.
tesy have been transsresSed in the extraordinary eager
ness with which this impairment warfare has been, an
is still, waged against the Course which members Of this
booy have chosen TO pursue, under Gil the Wslgh'y re-
sponsibiiIties Of their station, III order 10 redeem the just
expectations OF their constituents, which inpes!ously
demand Of them harmony o.! opinion cad Concert Of &C
ton.
With this estimate Of the appropriateness Of this dis.
cussion, MIR. L. would gladly refrain from any parlicipa-
ton in it but the comments which had been so freely
and harshly made on the course of the party 10
which he was proud to belong, equally implicated
himself as other members of that party, and called for
some reply. He desired 10 justify himself, and 10 say
something in defence Of the much-decried .node that
had been pursued here to ensure harmonious cooperation
among those, who, composing the majority of this body,
were truly responsible to the people for their appoint
ments and measures.
In The first place, it occurred 10 Mr.. R., that it was u
matter of notable surprise and amusement, that all this
industrious et,urt to create embaIrassmenis and difficult.
ties upon the bsstowal Of this Office, originated with u
Party, who: from their oulcries against all etiec-hoding,
and office seeking, might be naturally supposed TO AVOID
the renioiest connection with this odlUus business Of con.
ferripg office, as ian abomination and offence" in their
eyes. 1t would seem, that, ii they really entertained
such q holy horror of this business as they ciumurousIy
profess, they would, al least, disconnect themselves from
it as far as possible, and refrain from d~abbIing in u stream
which they ait Ct 20 believe SO impure and unhaItoM ed.
With all their bDasted DISCUS. for the corrup,ing gifts OF
office, the least 10 be expected OF them, was, that they
would quietly ana silently perform their unavailing part
in This election, and lns;i.cuyely shrink from tie Discus.
sion Of any such QUESTION. But, on the Contrary, they
are the swlttest. and lie foremost, to give Fictitious I'M
pUrlunce 10 This elecliDn: and to display, on every coca.
sion, L lurking aud iii-coEcealed passion and sensitive.
nps on the Sunipct of Gtfcc. Lei IL me IN urraurpI ,S
TO deprive them Of the chance Of influencing its bcstuwal;
and instead 9t congratu!I!i"g themselves for being saved
from a contamination, which they pretend to depreca:e,
they actually resent i, as III insult. and visit u;on in
nocent heads the blame Of consequences which by 40
means attach - them.
Our opponents, said Mr.. r are deceived D. a strange
Authorization, if they attribute their powerlrss situation
in this Hall, and upon this c!e"liUn, to any effect Of par
ty management on our part. 1t springs from i higher
source, and one Of more imposing authority. Why
make US, the mere representatives of the people, the
censure against W; We are but their .un,Gend!ng
brethren; it is thc ptnE'c, who have consigned them 10
their impotency here; ii $ tie peop'e. whose rdct, recold-
ed at the Polls, has denied TO them the coveted ~predomi.
nance in The councils nf HE State; il is Ms ptvtar, wl!u.r
will demands Of Us coaeeSted action, ard IMPOSES upon
them the ordinary lot Of all nIIn0ritits. lie! them, lhrn,
turn away their unjust wrath from us, and d;rrc, it
against those who are far better able to bear i'll our Sc.
rene aud impeftur5ahle S0efrcisaS and py;ncipais. Dis.
guise it as they may, it is Gear that all these caul.
plants and invcCt!ves have thur origin in the defeated
hopes end dlslppoin.:HeHts Of thos" who charge d,rsa.
ton upon the Republican Party mere, and not in the acts
or motives Of action Of that party The decree Of Ike
people by which a Republican maturity was returned t.,
this House, is the true secret OF all this empty ruling
and discomfort. Mr.. r. said, he knew it was In. FASH.
ion to revile those, who spoke OF Me Pe1pte; tie knew 1t
was not a courtiy phrase, and that IL sounded So disa-
gre-ably upon The eurs of certain gentlemen, as to pro-
woke them to ring snteriRg changes upoa it, aud ~ sub.
iect him who used il to the ilippanl charge of Gemanpaas.
ism. But, wholly conforming Genunciati"n of Tins sn.t
f-np, an, ,,rfn MO h. n,uIIn
that he had endeavoured in the part which he took IN
the conference, 10 which a!lusion had been made, to 20.
vern his course by the best Indications, which. he could
discern of the popular will, and he felt tha. in doing So,
lie was most faithfully promoting The caEsc which he es-
poused.
We have heard to.day, said Mr. R IL repetition of tie
stale reproacles, which have been visited upon the ma
jority here, for having met in 4 caucus, for consultation
upo, the merits of the several Candidates.
which, he mus, BE- permitted to say, came with Il very
bad grace from the Wig party; for they had jus, been
reminded, and it was we'll known, thai they had frequent
ly resor,ed to similar means for concentrating their
ngths-Yes!-th they had arailed themselves of
caucus arrangemcnts,a as often Us any party in this co,!n-
toy. And when Mr.. r. saw The grave gentleman from
Richmond, rise, 10 launch his solemn dcnuncia,ions at Il
course o! lne Republican party, exactly similar 10 that
pursued uhuer IKE circumstances by his own park. and
remembered The distinction. which his intolerance rnvr
him in all the councils, both secret and public, Of Thai
party-if, indeed, this thing BE- the CRYING offence whici,
he is seduced by the erdor uf bis elooue nee ,o r,nra.ari
it, MIR. r. awarded To him the ercdit nc h, rinr wa.,
faithfully enacted before this House the aimirah!e scene
of "Satan refusing sin
Looking TO the indications Of public sentiment, ,,a
emulating each other in the desire to give i, ure,,n -" ~
feet, it behooyed The representatives here, who had tho
weight of popular opinion on their side, to stand trna
to resist every effort 10 SOW dissensions and alien,.
tions among themselves, which might, either presently,
or in future, undermine their proper strength. WouiI
L not be a recreancy to their duty, an abandonment, oe
their trust, to suffer division in their ranks, by which
the wishes of their constituents might be sho,n OF any
portion of their full and legitimate effect, while concilia.
means were at hand TO prevent it? From all that
,e knew of the temper Of the people, he felt warranted
n saying, that after the victory which they had achieved
a their late struggles, nothing could come with q more