Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-11-01

election Of any officer Of The Federal State Govern
ment
certainly had much broader soeep than The Sc
dition Law Of The Black Cncksde Frderalisls of So
which did not interfere with the freedom of SPEECH how
ever much il may have abridged The freedom Of the
press
q Although you hive Of late Sir, land since this
unhoy attempt has been gna lily rebuked and 'rowned
down hs pubic opinin endeayored 10 dsconnect your
cell from fnl participation in this black Transaction
yet The FACTS of The do you Of having
substantially aided aud sided with Federal party and
heHrd the grssps, abuse upon the Democratic party
| account "f his SELF SAME GAG LAW! In the
SPEECH which you made The subject, "a sketch Of
which appeared IN The Baltimore Paor, and which you
have never yet contradictory you did no, content your
sell with merely opposing The Report q" ihr Judiciary
COMMITTEE, and abusing It's suthnr tut yLu did osn ad
v"cate IN substance the conSuitonay I" Crrl;entrns
BIZ ms substitute or some Bill similar 10 tihcr. The
following such extracts from that reported Speech of
yours, as have more immediate bearing The subject
"ie (alr RlvPs) did not look the report The
work OF an individual but he development of sys
tenn concerted by the leaders OF party; system which
isoks 10 the patronage Of the Executive and the infu
ence brings 10 support its authors and supporters in
power" "The Chairman coni"unds The RICH, Of voting
with the right Of interference. No proposes 10
abridre the right of voting: The BILL faye. and so
you did defend the Bun is designed prevent inter
ference with the independent exercise Of The right by
others. Compared with The character Of this Report
important as The I'LL undoubtedly was was dust III
the balance HE (alr R'ves1 con,rovprted the posi-
the press" "His anxiety so great for the pas
snge Of Ibis Bill that deliberate d.suvowal of the
doctrines which the Report contained, should he made
by The Senate" So THAI you here plainly acknoa ledge
that though you did not feel - great anxiety. still you
give 10 understand, that you felt anxiety for the
| ''pnssage IF his Bill" Agnn: The reporter Of your
speech snys, Mr Rivps examined the statement of Mr.
Wall that tits harsh and cruel and uncnnsliu ona
prevent the interference which The Bill is designed 10
prohibit The f0rmer conlioverted This with great abb
/ hiy : MIR Rrves also commented on Mr. Wallis de
clamalion against the Legislation of England This
subject. Mr.. Wall had sneered al The legislation of
England aiding precednt Tor this Bill, and had said
! thai such plant might b. indigenous in such q so !"
NV hal sni?' exclaimed Mr. Rives THE English soil!
| the Anglo Saxon soil! In what soil has the Tree Of
Liberty hourishpd more than in England :" "He read
several passages from L0ckeS Treatise Government,
all enforcing and illustrating the Importance :" prevent
ing the interference OF Government officers Now. this
is exactly the argument, Sir which resored to
BY the Fsd,raiSS Of So in justification OF The Sdiion
Ln,c-and Mr. Madison, in his immortal Report,
bats with signal ability this Ftds,di iena Of citing
British authorities 10 Justify uSurpation and 10
der The customs and common iaio of England PARA.
MOUNT TO The written Constitution nl free Rrpubll.
America Thus far, then, and TO great exrnt,
you stand identified with the advocates Of The Srdon
Law For, when you told that this ,nost infamous
Bill would VIOLATE the Constitution, you ieplrd
with great cOmptaceney by suntng English authors and
prtcedcnts in It's favor. What admirable way this is
uf getting rid of constitutional scrupes and provisions
And really, Sir, II yoa 90 on improring at this rate,
/ ~
ency OF 'H"use o Lords, because so blessed inst
tuition s recommended 10 US by English custom md
authority But this is not all there is Other and
dnubd evidence going TO prove your advocacy OF Crit
endens Bill. MIR Buchanan in his speech in reply 10
yoarSrf and Mr. Craendtn, made the following alIusnn
| III gour presence which you neither DID nor DARED
10 contradict. hfXs Senator from Pngnia (.Nr Eirrs)
Inns gons tmrthfr into the argument and HAS Af1ENPr
| Ed ! o PROVE THAT THIS BILL Is CONSTlTU
TiONAL. Al the proper time, shall endeavor 10 fur
nish the proper answer 10 his remarks 5" In the face
OF all these tae!s. then. which DIRECTLY CONVICT
you OF having been ahettor liz this nearlous trans
action il is extremely amusing you Sir,
endeavorng to patiiae and smooth d"un he par, you
acted herein and 10 avert that just share Of PUBLIC
ODlUM which you have richly attracted and dpsrrv.
ed. Accordingly, we find you making lust and dying
effort in your great Louisa SPEECH 10 puce yourself
rtc'us IN cura with regard 10 this matter; hot how is
poSUr for you Sir, any other Ia justify what is
III itself tifajc-ur in oIhfr words.
appear WHITE, and WHITE. BLACK; Why. SIR il would
be easier 10 haioo and saney The abode The damned.
than Tor you 10 justly your conduct satisfactorily in tbs
behaJ inn doubtless. Sir, IN ingenious man: hut
Too much ingenuity often times does man more ha'm
than s00d Look. for instance, Sir. 10 Mr. Clay; too
much ingenuity has heen The bane the curse, thu STUN
bnpbock TO his political advancement! Aud the Con-
stuh"n Of our Country has much 10 i0Se than 10
gam from the over refining OF as'nie lawyers and
scrnPu"us political aspIranls Indeed, 1t truth Is our
object had better apply honest, inelI
gent farmer to interpret the Constitution for Than 10
such ensuSts yourstD and your friend rom .7hiaHd
this is sorry excuse yet the hest which ou gvr
in your ndrocary of the rag law but certain that you
wrong then and wrong nooc, in making g" lame
attempt ~ paale such an enurmIv instead OF frank
! " acknowledging your SIN and ERROR at once =
You may 90 pursuing the ,chch y"u appear 10
hacc c0fd out for youTStJ but tell you once for
all that The part which you acted in this BLACK and
ODlOCS affair will stick you like the shirt OF Ms.
sUs, H will lend undyipg pruach your name,
hing that itself shall he remembered. You did
thereby assist the Frderu in tn altnck upon the
long cherished State Rights principles OF Virginia, and
you mu;l rue the consequences What although the
Constitution expressly declares that Congress shall
pas lac aGrdgng the freedom Of speech and of the
prtssyet you thu sol distant dlsc pie OF The cage Of
Monticello you who pTofesS 10 be Republican of the
| School Of 9S-yOu, Senator from venerable Demo
cratic Virginia. taking sides with C,uend<n
ond Hebste and Clay aud oil the Federal Mnnarcnical
party, /" EFFECT The passage Of this DAMNlNG TURK.
ISL GAG LAW. and Mus lay violent hands upon this
POSITIVE provision of our Constitutional law! Sure
~, il is than patience bear, to ,eho
would fain become the yiolanr of the Constitution "f
his country falsely charging the Secretary OF the Tea
sury with imaginary vnlat"ns of the laws! "Qui can.
remit in mnoe negOo ltgtm nncre, cum cam in mojore
negI'zeris?'
Neither can you escape the dilemma by saying. that
you preferred Crittendrns Substitute your amend
ane to The original Bdt upon uhteh The Judiciary Com
mee made their Report repeat Sir, that this quiJbe
you; BECAUSE far the constitutional qnes
ton goes that substitute and your amendment did uaIy
ABRlDGE the freedom Of SPEECH and iee'e Mereto'c,
as desp, as DAMSISG, and as FLAGRANf VIOLA
TON nf the Constitution the first. .Nachiarn him
self couid not get you nut Of This serupe.
Our language has no term of rppronch the mind has
idea OF adherence which adequately express our
indignation THE UNHALLOWED ATTEMPT which
has made invoke the of Jefferson in behalf
| Of this INFAMOUS bantlIng Of Federalism! The fol.
low ing passage occurs in your speech: have been
charged fellow citizens, with supporting and voting Tor
gag law! If have supported law have 10 tell
you then, gentlemen, that MIR Jefferson supported gag
law; for the proposition which offered and supported
was, eha presently show you, in the very words of
that great Republican Statesman. Can any thing equal
The sophistry The fmsy prezt the unpTincpied assump
ton Of this passagr' Can any thing -qual The miserable
gnitGe worthy only Of szh rate ianoyer which is here
Loldy put firth by you Justification Of your course
Is this ALL Sir, which you urge your behalf? IF
So let proceed briefly to strip This contemplate device