Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-07-02
SENATOR RIVES.

c. RWes Esq. touching the present position and the
| future purposes Of that gentleman, and the hopes
and fears which agitae the bosoms Of his frends,-
il not his own The letter seems not to be authorized
by Mr.. r.; but the writer had nevertheless the best
reasons, doubtless, for believing that its publication
would not be dsagreeable TO his dsting ushcd friend
and, whether this be SO not, it bears internal
evidence that 1t may be regarded authentic
script Of that friends feelings and opinions.
The publication Of this letter furnishes with
suitable opportunity for saying that up to the period
! Of Mr. Rivess vote for the Expunging Resolution,
notwithstanding were frequently opposed to his
opinions, always avowcd our belief in his integrity
and placed the highest estimate upon his talents.
But when he gave that vote, our feelings underwent
a radical change We could not then see-nor can
we now, when the lapse Of time has aayed the ex-
cement which the angry discussions of the day pro-
duced, and which may be supposed to have had an
uniavorable influence in the formation of Just opin-
ions,-how any could, in the first place, deny the
right of the Senate to express legislative opinion as
to the character and tendency of Executive acts or,
even denying that right, could assert its power to
ob,erate and deace the records which it was enjoin-
ed TO keep by the CO lst'ution which its members
bad sworn to support. And we have always believed
Judgment and a reprodching cons :ience-that his
| tongue trcmbled as he pronounced the affirmative
response and that the tremor OF his voice was but an
external indication OF the stings which he felt within
Nor can he be defended on the ground that he was
| instructed lie knew, when he was elected to take
the seat of John Tyler that he would be required 10
perform the very act for refusing to do which Mr.
| Tyler turned his back upon the Senate Chamber,
prelcrrng private station to office which he
could not hold without dishonor. This was the con-
dition upon which Mr. Rives re-encred the Senate.
He knew the work which would be required
of him when he accepted the appointment and, so
knowing 1t, he is permitted to plead those in
sructons in extenuation of his conduct.
The writer of the letter to the Alexandra Gazette
broadly intmates, what Mr. Wise long ago asserted,
and without being conradicted, that Mr. Rives's
"Prlrate optnions' were opposed to the Expunging
process. If this be So then Mr.. Rves should never
have accepted that Office with the :" condition prcce
dent staring him in the face. lie should have de-
clned the equirocath honor, with proud disdan And
had he done SO, few would now have occupied
a more prominent and enviable position in the politi-
cal arena. Even those who might have been offend
ed by what they would have deemed his f,stidlous
squcamishncss, could not but have respected scru-
pies, the honesty Of which would have been made
manifest by the sacrifice which they rendered nccessa
ry; & thenceforward he would have stood height
which the shafts of caumny, though sped by the
strongest arm could never have reached. But he
chose do otherwise and although recanta
ton of his might now, his friend remarks,
subject his motives 10 suspicion, yet persistence i'll
that error must, the other hand, perpctuac that
I,l;o distru bcw
Wings, consequent upon its original commisson,-
unless, indeed, ii be excusabIc in the Wings 10
look it, in order to effect that change in the public
councils, which, is necessary, in their opinion, as
in his save the country from ruinous Experiments,
fatal alike TO its prosperity and to its liberties
This is tns question which the Wings will be
called upon TO decide next winter, should Mr.. Riyes
be nominated for re election the Senate. In op
posing the financial policy of the present administra-
ito with an uncaculatins and steady zeal u with I'M
surpassed ability, he has entitled himself to the
thanks not only ofthe Wing party, but the whole
counry-bu has he mered the support of that
party, in preference who have borne the
heat and burden Of the day Even he exempt
from the odium of the Expungiug resolution, we
, should doubt the propricty of besowng upon
him the of the Wing party, to the exclusion
Of men, who have done that party good service, in
resisting that fatal series of measures hich he sup
ported, and which have brought upon the nation all
the calamitics which it has recently experienced. and
subjected TO the dangers from which we have
but barely escaped, ly the defeat o the great Govern
ment Bank. But justice in the be-
stowment OF office, by the Wings, upon gentleman,
who, now, far as know, agrees with
them but upon single point, when they have in
their own ranks statesmen of equal proby Of cha
ractcr and of superior talents, who, if elected i'll
we are very willing to give Mr. Rves all the credit he
deserves for his recent patriotic course-a course
r which he certainly would not have taken had he
consulted only the dictates of a selfish AMBITION
no, disposed to see him elected to the Sen
ate, by Wig rotes to the exclusion of such men
James Barbour, John Tyler, Robert Stanard and
Others who have stood by in the darkest hours of
adversely, and who have suffered persecution, abuse
and prescription from the hands of intolerant
ory, of whom Mr.. Rives was not the least conspic-
uous-who, indeed, expected to be. as he was, the
chief beneficiary Of that proscrpve spirit.
Mr. Rlvcss friend hints that his re election to the
Senate is The price mhich The Conservatives fr, for
their support Of The Wigs against Fan Buren. For
one, we canno, consent TO buy their support, any
price, if Mr.. Rives could, as he cannot trans