Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-04-04

ston press. The movement was q little too SUDDEN,
indeed, for of the honorable and consistent
members Of that party; and their firm adherence 10 prin
cpes defeated the coalition The spectacle presented
By this conflict does not reflect much honor upon Flrgi'
MA IL exhibited want OF tranknrss and cantor which,
TO say the least OF it, was dscreGabs Day after day,
while party was proclaming Nj Riyes un undivided
Whg the small band Of Conservatives were equally per-
tnacious in insisting that except upon question, lie
friend of the Administration. Had not the
been dsgraceful il had been ridiculous. Letters, even
emssaes are said to have been despatched by The Wing
leaders at Washington, containing the most satisfactory
assurances 10 their parznns ct Richmond.
1t the duty Of Mr.. Rives, voluntarily 10 put an
end tina, ienobe face-His whole course especially
during the late winter his pvesent manifesto leave
doubt that he has Withdrawn his attachment aud sup.
port from Mr.. Van Buren,. " ny not, then, uvow it
mhnfuly, at least when called upon by those whose
vote depended upon the normaon II was his duty to
reply candidy and ca,egoricaly 10 the demands Of his
constituents IL is not correct 10 say, that he was re
CURED "to manacle himself beforehand by pledges,
bind himself by ndentures, to do The bidding u Execu
tive power. He was simply requested by his eonsl'-
tuenls 10 define bis attitude 10 show his hand. When
member Of the other House. he had hesitation in ex'
pressing his preference for Gen. Jackson, when lie
sustained the reelection of that distinguished man
In Virginia. above all other States the obligation OF the
representative 10 the constituent is recognised without
reserve qualification. and the communications between
them have ever been frank and complete II was The
of Mr. Rives himself which rendered it neces-
sary question TO him He had voluntarily assumed an
ambiguous and cquIvoca position
Important is the sub Irrasury question, it does not
swallow up oil o,hers. Abolition National Bank, Tariff
Internal mproveme also have their weight and
these points even, those Of The democratic party In
Virginia, who differ with Mr. " buren, the financial
question, find him emITPniiy sound. They have comb
dence in his integrity, faith in his principles, respect for
his character II he has last grnund elsewhere, as lie
"Northern President with Southern principles that is
an additional claim upon their regard aud support
They look upon him as The main reliance against Fc-
ito hos nj DIlIt n
Doubtless They would even take the SUB reasury,
rather than submit TO the sway Of the father Of the Pro-
tective SYSTEM the great PARTON OF unconstitutional I'm
provement the proposer Of fifty million National Bank
the latest in the field the against Abolition. II ID
10 the present Chief Magistrate mere person. that
the Republican party Of Virginia is devoted, but Us the
Teprese Of certain great doctrines md principles
In conclusion, cannot help regEeltng That the
course Of the Senator Of Vrg contrasts disad
vun,ageousy with that Of his Conservative associate
presenting Stale whose politicians has long been the
'hnn TO charge with dup!Iciiy and intrigue. What
may be hOugh of the course ct Mr. ianadge, or
its motives, no one him OF a want OF frank
decision lie has not shown rnnIe hostility or
displayed consciousness towards the Adnlnslra.
lion than Mr. Rves yet as soon rs hedecded upon OPP
position, he quilted the camp and iook.n position which
did not admit OF ecure He sought strength solely
from the avowrd enemies Of the Administration, and re.
nounced without hesitation the arg lance Of lis friends
We cannot but wish that this had bern The course oil the
Virginia Senator II would have reflected more honor
upon himself and upon the Stale. Having entertained
a sincere regard for Mr. Rves, cannot refrain from
EXPIRE ssng profound regret al the character Of this
manifesto IL is not the paper for winch we Looked
Both frrrd and foe expected from him calm temper
ate well reasoned vndlCaton Of his cou!sr aud submit
ting. with Difference yet dignity, 10 the tribunal of the
people. Instead Of is have nothing but qusrulous
appeal about himself, his private greis, his personal
wrongs. If lost sight of altogether these should have
been least made subordinate lu the great Questions al
issue. COMMON SENSE.
COMvUNCATED.
Mr. Rires Exeulpaiorv Letter 10 The Peopie t prgniu
Mr.. Rives finds himself very unpfesan, situation,
similar that which Mr. Clay placed himself, when
the Kentucky Legislature charged him wnh The barter
aud sale OF the %: the Stale to John e. Adams -
Mr.. Rives has likewise followed his example, by aC-
dressing the sovereign people for the purpose Of excu
patng himself from the nauliolu charges which have
been brought against him He has e.''a'ny ohr~"
himself he Of the schnHlman, Than Inc states
MAJ q: the philosopher. Mental weakness preTades The
whole tenor Of his letter Of nearly four coumns: 1t
has even attracted The notice Of my little boy Charlie,
(who not always Charlie The sPol,) by The unusual
number Of personal pronouns which he said were one
hundred and twenty eight. The reason assigned Tor
this was the unpleasant position he had placed himself
n-somewhat like that Of the horse in the quagm're
His written opinion TO President Van Buren, on The cur
reucy, sufficient evidence OF his mental weakness
in the course he intended 10 pursue.
The concluding substance Of his Letter shows him to
be more Of the spo child any other passage IN his
etter-and much in that spirit in which Mr. Clay con-
cluGed his patoy address when he appealed to God
and the reclule OF his conscience, tribunal which
the people had control overland the same court to
which the unfortunate Charles lst claimed an appeal
Mr. Rives says, "For myself humble as am ee that
my ale s in this instance ndIssolubly bound 10
that Of the free institutions of my country, and 1t am
To fall victim to power the of liberty and truth
will fall with me, aud he who Is buried IN their ruins
q" is happier far than he who survives.
But Mr. Rlves has already fallen victim 10 pnwer,
and that power esnatcs from The people, and constitutes
.r-.- ~ NJ h.fo owl
pan idea for American statesman 10 express or even
10 conceive; "if 10 fall victim 10 power The cause
Of liberty and truth will fall with me, DC The plague,
pes,e and famine invocation OF the Henry, who would
be has passed harmless over our conn.
try and the cause Of liberty and truth WILL and must,
prevail, although thousand snch statesmen unite
's1'"'' '"| A SENTINEL.
P. S-Since writing The above, the following rather
sneerng criticism appeaIsin Wing paper al Mr. Rves
door Mir Rives will find it, when loo 'ae, that he has
changed his old Republican friends for very doubtful
Wing allies. They can have no confidence IN each
other This Wing paper (ihe charlottesville Advncate)
Tins saws: "Njr Riyps concludes his manifesto with The
E,,Iowins extraordinary sentence: Fn, myself humble
as am feel that my fate IS IN this instance lnos'
souby bound that OF the free institutions OF my coun
try; and if to fall victim TO power, The cause Oh
Liberty and Truth will fall with me, and he, who IS bu
rcd in their ruins is happier far than he who survives
them" If this be So then it is the bounden duty oil
eyery patriot in the land 10 rally around Mr. H. Many
Of U.s. poor simple souls, had believed IN our extreme
folly That MIR. r. might fall victim to power or TO any
thing else and tina, Liberty and might still survive
II never had occur ed to u.s. thai his fate iDdssou
bv bound to that of the free institutions of the county
and that if falls, must the orber we VIII mink
sbout this matter. In the mean time, We pledge our
selves 10 20 for him the bitter end as we can
ncnr with him in The opinion that the salvation of the
country depends upon his political savalon-Our pre-
sent impression is that could spare at lenst hall a
dozen such and still preserve our lice institutions
The same paper also says: ain regard 10 the next
Preside n,ia election Mr. r. says that he mas nae no.
thing TO do with il" that lie has hat higher ana more
,nnronra,e duty to Perform, lha! he is "uneommhed
T NM, or the candidates. ard tina, be could not com
mi, himself "wi,hou, dshonO'ng the people Of Vng
mia and degrading himself" In this latter senmeR'
we certainly canno, with him. That Mr. n
would not degrade himself by declaring 10 monins 10
dn. of Presidential ec,ion which ofihe candidates
he would prefer, quite sure: nd that Inc gooo