The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-03
ADDRESS
or he Conservative Republicans, &c
General A sssa,biy 10 the people ~ V"g'As'
ADDRESS

s,a,e.. exured on tie 4ln day oi ms "on'" ~.
tom ,l.on Of this event. the dn's aeso'''u
nresrnt GeaYrsl Assea,sly nnoer 'he .e'.'h..,
~ !, Il. .,cce.sor WIN. e. Raves was the ',c""e'n'
S -. ~, \; uonins,ioa for reelection; and The up,
$4,000 adhered 10 hIs support with cons's"cs anu
.a.I .,,,,yyie nnexamprd IN tho history ~ VIZ.
80. n, 10 Duration. and the pertinacty WIN winch
IN dyoca,es OF the several candid ites adhered TO men,
eo.,mcd until iI bellesed nnpossihe 10 make ~
.lcc,,on and after consuming seven days ~ tue eho'
the order was postponed indefinitely.
A. Il is determined by sl parties, that this subject
,h.l not he disturbed during the present session. ihe
duty Of supplying the Vacancy will devolye an the mex.
General Assembly. and thus. Ia especial MANNER
i, necessarily and directly referred 10 the people
Hinder these circumstances, seems 10 us that pro-
pretv dictates full and candid exposition o. he 'o.
iiyss aud feelings which have Influenced us, during t"o
LIE executing Contest and which viii govern our nnu'.
course While we did desire 10 AVOID that sha'e' y,
the responsibility OF making the election. w'is" $3.50
upon US constituent poriionoi the i'eelss'e Up.
which that duty deyoyes. we at me same u'e "sn
h. d,nc,y ood as not the lsas, depfeca,ing
thar anpes 10 the sovereign authority Of the popular
will winch has been produced by the extraordinary
STATE Of parties and opinions IN The Legislature, I'M
deed tho ony Of regret on that score IS, mat
tina appe, canuot be made more absolute and COM
plete The House Of Delegates, where the re election
Of Mr. Rves repeatedls sustained by decided
plurality is subjected the ordeal Of the popular Suffrage
every wear Whereas, the Senate is only renewed
every lour years. aud three fuhs of that body by s
removed for the present from rssponsi-
bty for any disregard Of the popular w, Wneh ,aey
NAV nave committed IL the Senatorial election. That
those who were members Of the Senate
had no isposItion abuse that immunity sufficiently
eyinced by the fact, that when il proposed 10 an
early stage OF the contest 70 postpone the election IN
definitely an amendment was moved and voted Tor by
chem anexipo as condition that each Senator should
resign at the end Of the session, and thus put IN the
mower Of the people elect Legislature which should
fully reflect their wishes Had this obtained there
would ia that have been danger hath action
OF the Representatives fresh from the people, woad
be .check mated by body removed Heasuraby
from their CONTROL and who might safely bid defiance to
their wishes. This proposition, however, was voted
down. and even by some Of those who most strenu-
onsy urged the propriey and duty Of waiting fornew
hqh,s fro the people" before ven,uring TO perform the
hyh and responsible daiy Of electing SenatoO
We do not to indulge any complaint that the
election has been postponed Some OF at least voted
for it, from conviction that il had hecn demonstrated,
that the Legislature was so constituted as TO render
impossible for majority TO agree upon any individual
Claiming for ourselves TO have acted according TO our
honest and conscientious convictions OF duty ~ refns
ing be accessory, directly indirectly to the defeat
Of Mr.. kives, we have no disposition, if we had
the right, to question: and do to censure the
conduct Of any win refused To cooperate with
in supporting him Recognizing freely and fully our
own responsibility TO our constituents aud to public
opinion refer others to the great tribunals and
leave them 10 jistify themselves as they may.
Oar object. in this address, is to present to
constituents aud to the country for the
course we have felt II 10 be dnt" to take, and I'VE
shall await their judgment with the calm serenity OF
conscious rectitude We have no desire TO ahate one
Jo or TITLE Of the full weight Of responsibility which
have assumed. 1t was repeatedly IN our power, daring
the election by shandoning Mr. RveS. and by throwing
our votes upon John Mason or Chapman johnson. to
have elected either Of them We could nor. how
ever, reconcile It 10 our of duty do so, and
whatever Of credit blame attaches to u.s. are will
ling and ready TO enjoy 10 suffer il ALL Il is. how
ever nnqnestionahy true, and beg will he borne
~ MIND that the friends Of the other nominees stand IN
precisely the same predlcsment The friend. Of Mr.
Mason could. at any nen have decided the contest
IL favor Of Mr.. ltives Mr. Jnhnson, the friends Of
the latter could al lime. have decided 1t by voting
fIr Mr.. Rves or Jidge Masoa.@
We acted IN this matter with due deliberation. taking
every step calmly and dspsssonatcly. and now plead
our ,s,Itica,lon and put ourselves the connlry."-
Seeing that the large body Of the adninsl ration party,
with which had heretofore acted. Determined
withdraw their confidence from Me- Rves. and willing
and even DESTROYS To operate with them. so lar
could without an abandonment Of principle and duty
anx,ousv songh. 10 know npnn what gro nds those
protesting the principles Of the Republican party and
determined to sustain the character Of this unterrifed
Commonwealth coull aid IN sIrrendcrng 10 our dis
tingui,hei Senator. WIN e Rives. as . victim TO he
ofcnHcfH Oh what was cdliet debate the altar
bloody Moloch OF party. But we appealed ia vain--no
could he nsanced which forfeited his claims 10 Re-
Publican orthodoxy We very soon became convinced
that no Jlst reason existed for the fury and rancor
with which he assaed by the sink or Swim" ora
Giles Of the administration party the hand or by
the 'no'erdnt leaders Of the mpractcahle squad that
attacked him from the opposite quarter.
II will he recoeced, that scarcely three years have
elapsed since Mr. Rves recalled to the Senate Of
the u s. by that party IN the Legislature and out Of IT,
who are now so indiisrously plotting his downfall We
would respectfully ask them, what st expectation has
he not fulfilled What principle that he ever proesscd
has he deserledl What pledge expressed or implied.
has he vola'cd' Not one-no, no. one He has not
failed 70 represent the opinions OF Virginia il single
particular. and no man in the Senate Of The u s has
been more dhgen prompt energetic, able and intrepid
IN defending the principles, maintaining the interests
aud asserting the rights Of the people Of Virginia II is
indeed suspected that in his zeal for the country he has
not been sufficiently mindful of the interests Of his par
~ is thought, that in resisting the behcsts OF the
Executive, he has been devoted to the duty he
owes to his constituents, the people Of Virginia than to
promoting the triumph and adding to the power and
Importance OF the President 1.-The head and front Of
his offending hath this exent--no Many Of those
who with Phaasaical humility claimed 10 be the especial
representatives. Of the Republican part, the Ieg.la
tnre declared that they did not oppose the election
OF MIR. tives in consequence Of his difference OF OPT
MON with them and the President on the leading mea-
sure OF the Administration the Subtreasnry expedent
Indeed II has been announced cahed,a nv the organ
oil the "slnk or SWIM" party in Virginia. that Mr., Rves
would have received the united support OF that party
notwithstanding his hostility to the course Of the admi-
nstrston on the subject Of the finances. provided they
could have been satisfied he would have supported the
administration in all other things
Whether such pledge, under any circumstances,
would have been consistent with the character Of Vir-
gnia Senator, and proper to be required by the Legs
atnre any part Of il. the condition Of their sup
port, will refer 10 the Judgment Of the public. We
confident that man, properly mbued with the
spirit Of freedom, or duly impressed with the sacred
duties and solemn responsibilities Of representative of
the sovereign State Of Virginia in the Senate Of the
UuIted States, would ever require such pledge or
Justify any man aspiring to that station in making it
We trus, that the Senate Of the United States will
never he hunbed into the condition Of mere political
junto TO register the edcs OF the President, and in
stead OF being as was designed by its organization,
ha riaarl ~ rIIthI - H.