Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-04-08
A DID Il ESS
| 0he Conservative Republicans ofdae General Assem-
bly, 10 the People of pirginid

FELLOW CITIZENS The Time of service Of one
OF the Senators Of this State in the Senator of tho
u. ). expired on the ath day of this month. In
contemplation OF this event, the duty deyoyed upon
the present General Assembly under the Consttu-
Ton, TO elect his successor. VIM &. Rves was
the incumbent and was put in nomination for 70.
lection aud ths undersigned adhered to his sup.
port with consistency and zeal. struggle, unexam-
pied in the history of Virginia. for its Duration and
the periinacity with which the advocates Of the scve
raj candidates adhered to them, continued until IL
was believed impossible 10 make an election and NJ
ter consuming seven days in the effort tbs order was
postponed inde hnitcly
As it is determined by all parties that this subject
shall not be disturbed during the present session.
the duty OF supplying tho vacancy well deyolve on
the next General Assembly, and thus in an espcc ial
manner. il is necessarily directly aud referred To
the People. Under these circumstances, IL seems
TO us, that piopricty dictates iul and candid
position Of the motives aud feelings which have ln-
nuenced us, during the late exciting contest. aud
which will govern our future course. While, We
did not desire 10 avoid that share of the responsibility
OF making the election, which rested upon US as a
constituent portion Of the Legislature upon which
that duty devolves, we nj tho same time wish To be
distinctly understood rs not in the least dcprccating
the appeal TO the sovereign authority OF popular will
which has been produced by the extraordinary state
OF parties and opinions in the Legislature. Indeed,
the only source OF regret that score IS that this
appeal cannot be made more absolute aud complete
The House OF Delegates, where the rc election OF
Mr.. Riycs was repeatedly sustained by decided
plurality. is subjected 10 ,he ordeal OF the popular
suffrage every year Whereas, the Senate is onl,
renewed every four Years, and three tourhs of that
body by its organization are we'd Tor the present
from responsibility for any disregard of the popular
will, which they may have committed in the Senate
rial election. That those Conservatives WHO were
members of the Senate hid no disposition to abuse
that immunity, is sufficiently esnced by the fact,
HAT when II was proposed IN an early stage of the
contest TO postpone the election indefinitely, an a.
mendment was moved and voted for by them. an
ne king as a condition that each Senator should ,e-
sign at the end Of the session, aud thus put II III the
power OF the people 10 elect IA Legislature which
should fully retccl their wishes Had this obtained,
here would in that event have been danger that
he action ofihe Representatives. fresh from the peo
pie, would be check mated" by a body removed
measuiably from thel, CONTROL and who might safely
bid defiance TO their wishes This proposn on, no y,
ever was voted down, and even by of those who
most slrcnuously urged the proprey and duty Of
" aing for new lights from the people," before ven
turing 10 perform the high aud responsible duty OF
electing a Senator.
We do not mean TO indulge any complaint that
lie election has been postponed. Some of us at
least voted for it, from n conviction that II had been
demonstrated tina, the Legislature was SO cons,lu-
ted to rcnde, IT impossible for majority 10 agree
upon any individual. Claiming for ourselves 10 have
ed ac cordng to honest aud consc con
yiclions Of duty 10 refusing TO be accessory directly
or indirectly TO the defeat of Mr.. Ryes, we have
dspos ition even II We had the right, 10 question,
and do not mean TO censurc the conduct OF any one
W ho refused operate with in supporting him.
Rec gnizing freely and fully responsibility
to our constituents and to public opinion, we refer
others to the same great tribunals, and leave them
TO Justify themselves as they may.
Our main object, in this address, is To present TO
our constituents and to the country our own reason
for the course have felt it 10 be duty TO take
and we shall await their judgment with the calm
rcn,y of conscious recltude. We have no de-
sire to abate one jot title VI the full weigh, Of re
sponsibility which we have assumed. 1twas repeat
eddy in our power during the election, by abandon
ing Mr.. Rves, and by throwing our votes upon John
Y. Mason or Chapman Johnson, TO have elected Ell
Their one of them We could not, however, recon-
ce it to our sense OF duty 10 do So and whatever
of credit blame attaches TO u.s. We are wiling and
ready enjoy 10 suffer ii all Ii is, however, I'M
questionably true, and we beg II will be borne in
mind that the friends OF the other nominees stand
in precisely the same predlcamcnt. The friends OF
Mr. Mason could, at any moment, have decided the
contest in favor of Mr.. kiyes or MIR. Johnson, as
the friends of the latter could any time, have de-
cdcd it by voting for Mr. Rves judge Mason'
We acted in this matter with due delberaiion.
taking every step calmly and dlspassionalely, and
now plead justification and put ouselves on The
country Seeing that the large body OF the Admins
tfatiOn party, WIN WHICH we ndu "Cteu,
were determined to withdraw their confidence
from Mr.. Rves, and willing and even DESTROYS to
co operate with them, far we could without
an abandonment Of principle and duty-we anxionsly
ough, to know upon what grounds those protesting
the principles of the Republican party and delermln-
ed to sustain the character OF this Underlined Com
monweallh" could aid in surrenderDg up our DIS
tinguisbed Senator, VIM. &. Riyes, a victim TO be
sacrificed on what called in debate the altar of
of the bloody Moloch OF party. But we appealed In
vain-no act could be nstanced which forfeited his
claims to Republican orthodoxy. We very soon
became convinced that no Just reason existed for
the fury and rancour with which he was assailed by
the " sink or swim oracles of the Administration
party on The one hand, by the iniolerant leaders
of the impracticable squad that attacked HIM from
the opposite quarter.
1t will be recoected, that scarcely three years
have elapsed since Mr.. Rves was recalled to the
Senate of the u. s. by that party in the Legislature
and out of it, who are industrlousy plotting
his downfall-We would respectfully ask them,
what Just expectation has he not fulfilled What
principle that he ever professed has he deserted
What pledge, expressed or implied, has he violated
Not opc-no not one. He has not failed TO repre-
en-, the opinions oil Virginia in a single particular
and no man in the Senate of the U. S. has been
more dilgent, prompt, energetic, able and intrepid
in defending the principles, maintaining the inter
ests and asserting the rights Of the people 0! Virgin
ia 1t is indeed suspected, that in his zeal for the
country he has not been sufficiently mindful of the
interests his party. 1t is thought, that in resis
ting the behests of the Executive, he has been
devoted to the duty he owes TO his constituents, the
people of Virginia. than to promoting tho triumph
and adding to the power and Importance OF the Pre-
sident - The head and front Of his offending hath
this extent-no more" Many of those who with
Pharasacal humility claimed 10 be the especial rep
- l..u H..