Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-04-30
POLITICAL.
(From the FinraS,ie Dsmocrat J

TO THE REPUBLICAN VOTERS OF BOrETOCRT.
FELLow.CITizESs: Depending, as most of us do, on
our daily labor for the support of ourselves and our la
milis, we consequently but indIHrrenily prepared
10 compete equal terms, IN wordy warfare, win
men who do little else than drive quill, or harangue
the people in a court house, or I'm The rostrum; ana
hence we have declined addressing you as long as We
could possibly do either in justice to ourselves our pat
", the advocate; hut believing that it would
De highly criminal in US to submit in silence any long.
er 10 the continued unfair systematic attacks that have
been made and the meeting q! the 22d February
last for four five weeks in the Fincastle Democrat
bv Col Thomas Shanks and his army Of anony mous
Wing scrbbets aided lsterly by our Senator (w'io
abandoned his the Senate nearly two weeks Ne-
fore the close OF the session. and is now making po
cal speeches and distributing electnnPerng documsnts
we have concluded TO address you our own proper
Names relying the undyng truth and justice OF our
cause 10 atone for any absence OF method or home'
ness of style that may be apparent in composition
Ia pursuance Of n notice published IN The tincastle
Democrat. meeting was held at the court house on
the 22d February 81, al whcN the Undersigned were
appointed committee 10 report preamble Gnd resou-
tions To he submitted the consideration Of The meet
ing and having performed that duty had Inc pleasure
of seeing them unanimously adopted. Believing that
the right Of the people meet in their primary assem-
bes and discuss the public Of their public servants
and me,e out to lhem in respectful! manner, whatever
mod,cum Of praise Of censue they thought that they
mered could neither he questioned nor censured with
proprley have recently seen with The greatest sur
prise the exercise Of ibis privilege the meeting alluded
to- loudly complained OF by Col Shanks and his new
Wing allies in the articles above mentioned and il ia
chiefly for the purpose OF defending the rights Of
selves and every freeman in the land from these Despo
tic attacks, that appear before you. DO Col
Shanks and his supporters mean to contend, that
he and he alone has exclusive right to represent the
people Of Boleourt in the House Of Delegates, and that
until he thinks proper 10 abandon his seat, they
ceve his permission, they must not expressany opinion
Of his public acls bring out any candidate 10 oppose
him? We presume that they will not openly take such
broad absolute ground this; and yet me whole DRIFT OF
tha,- IN
that assumption und indeed will not reasonably admit
Of any other construction In their estimation there
improperly in Col Shanks offering his services
10 the people of Boteourt al The February court NV"
years ago, without consulting our aith,ul" delegates,
then and for nearly two months afterwards, diligently
representing their constituents, hu "Presto, change
no,o when the Colonel himself is the incumbent, it is
arvel0usy improper in the People elmer 70 censofe
his course select any other gentleman to oppose him.
If be does arroga,e 10 himself the right To represent
you during his will and pleasure, why has he de-
cared in the early part of the two last sessions 'nal he
would not be candidate for re election, and again sp-
pears on the "tur the moment that the public press or
The people their primary meetings dare to express any
dissatisfaction at his course We leave it to an ntel
gent community TO decide on the proprley OF such a
course, and how far they will sanction It,
In one of our resolutions simply "regrct the vote
of Col Sharks for resolution embodying MIR. Clay :
distribution principle and the other "dIsapprove
of his vote for William e. Rives Is there any thing,
fellow citizens coarse, harsh disespectfui in these
words? We think And yet il Is openly bruited L"
the world in The Fncaste Democrat by Wing special
pleader that we have made uioisnt and unjust attack
upon him " We call on impartial public to decide on
the whole facts before them, whether this special
pleader has not made "vioent' and caumnious sat
tack upon Us, and whether justice does not require him
TO retract IT, But not enough for these modest Wing
Conservatives abuse Tor disappearing Of the votes of
Col Shanks but it appears that we must also ask their
permission to approve of the course OF Capt Craig Tor
they loudly contend that il "un ust and unfair TO
Col. Shanks for voting for resolution embody
A. ,h,,,.,, hD
meeting passed resolution expressive OF our unqua-
lifted appreciation Of the of Capt. Craig, who
hsy say had expressed himself in favor OF he same
principle Of distribution In reply we compelled to
cay, that il is both "un Just and unfair in Col Shanks
and his Federal friends 10 to such pa pable mis-
representation of the positions which he and Capt Caig
occupy with respect to the distribution of The Public
Lands But let US examine how far they are sustained
BY the facts
On the Both January last, Col shanks voted for the
tw" following resolutions:
9TH Resoioed That The lands which coded by the
several States the IT, s jed in trust for the
benefit of oil the States and this General Assembly doth
earnestly urge upon Congress The speedy adoption OF
some equitable plan for the distribution of the neil pro-
ceeos OF the sales thereof among the States.
9th. Resored, That the lands acquired by the U. S +,
BY purchase, are held in trust Tor the common benefit
of all The States; and this General Assembly doth de-
clare the opinion that the most just and equitable plan
for dsposng OF the nett proceeds Of the sales there
Of ia by distributing the in just proportions among
all the States.
Now, fellow citizens these resolutions embody the
principle OF distribution for which Henry Clay has so
long contended, and which Cen Jackson so long and
successfully resisted upon the ground, that il adopted
the States would become the pensioners of the &c.
neral Government, while if the proceeds used as
they have always been, 10 deay the Of
the Government the people would be substantially
benefited thereby, as would aid essentially in keep
ing down the duties imported goods, which Mr. Clay
has long and zeaousy abored to raise to the highest
point Agreeing with Gen. Jackson on this question,
The meeting Of the 22d February regretted the vote of
Col. Shsnks for these resolutions, which they believed
were calculated to aid H. Clay in carrying out
hich they hsd always been opposed Now let Us see
how far Captain Craig comedies with Col Shanks, and
then you mustdeslde how far acted inconsisently
sCol Wilson objected the word fai o. he did wish to
pss spogy hi. 'sees but the " Of the committee