Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-03-30
T0 1'1E PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.


not welcome scenes of private li(e find myself Pur
sped with violence of denunca,on and bitterness OF
oboouy which allow choice but to appeal, IN De;
fence Of the character which party prescription may SUI
have left me- to the sober and candid judgment oil my
countrymen 1t is % years since first entered INTO
the service Of the State Which gave me birth, as heP
resenative Of the people, and froa that Per'oo 10 nus
with hardly interval, my time and taculties sue" 10
they are have been devoted 10 the public service nun"
bic as my exertions for the general veal, during ma
long period may have been, aud far short as 'hey n
undoubtedly fallen Of my own wishes, nave yel na.
ed myself that the Zeal and good intentions winch ~"
COMMANDED them had earned for me some sinai! s,a, "
the esteem and regard of my fellow-ci'lzens s
sought and now seek no other reward Cgics "u'I
never coveted, but on the contrary, nave o w ~ h
or re!nouished and hold nothing when Pu' II. W" %
lance against an honest fame, and The fesPee, y. ",
ous and enlightened people But to these tne MOS. pre-
cious possession Of life spent IN the puo''o
confess am not insensible-ana ca'no' 'r''e w.
render them to the mercess p'oscfiPooh "a Pa'Y, WV"
out effort, al least, 10 o'saouSe ''e ''' ~ 10y "
low citizens. ,. 40
dc, tho solemn convictions of understanding 10 OPP
nose (ayorts measure Of The Administration, whch
believed and still believe TO I've fraught with the graves
dangers TO the public liberty and happiness have been
The object of deep political resentment, and occasionally
of fierce and bitter denunciaon But, within the last
three or four months, the storm of Remuneration has
gathered new force, and been directed win uhspar-
ing fury against Inc. During that Perloo, Inc no
bespier-ean Press at Washington under the imme
daie control OF the Administration, has cay e3efteo
all it's dabolical of tasehood and defamation
to blacken my character. assa my motives, and msre
present nv conduct 1t has cued from its vocabulary of
abuse all It's most hackned terms of political vItupe-
ration such as Fedsratist, renegade, deSrer, Td.'
tor. and by attaching them TO my name, has sought
TO make il the object Of general odium and repro
baton At The same time, the parlzans OF the Adnil'
nislraion OF very grade in and out Of Congress- have
been laugh. that they could render no homage more ac
ceptabls TO power than 10 discharge, each one MS poi
koIo tho I0u6
and ALL Tray Blanche and Sweetheart" have all been
lie, loose and haIked in this general hunt OF oolo
guy" against And last though not least, Inc most
ancient and powerful press Of our own STATE lately agree
ing with me- too my condemnation OF the leading ano
test measure of the Administration, but determined, at
all hazards to "snk swim with the men oil II, aier
many salulaons of cart thou in health my brother, &C.
companying point of its dagger has at length open
" proclaimed the cry Of its party in The coming cleo
tons 10 be "Rives or no Ryes" The whole power and
influence of the Executive are thus combined to pursue
me. it would seem, to total annhttaton
What crime have perpetraled fellow citizens what
heinous offence have committed to have drawn dowr
upon me all this fierce and unrelenting hostility Hav,
| msrepresened the sentiments and opinions or oetray
ed the interests of my Sale II will not be pretended
1t notorious that large majority Of the people OF Vr
GINA we'll Of her representatives. in the Legislature
of the State, are firmly and decidedly opposed to tina
measure Of the Administration, which have felt il IN,
duty TO resist 10 the best of my ability.
Have departed from any principle have herelofor,
held :-Have abandoned any tenet OF the political ialii
have professed-,he old Republican creed OF Virginia
challenge the searching and vindctive scrutiny
10 point solitary instance OF such departure or aban
Comment. On the contrary, the complaint against M
is, tina! have adhered too sernly 10 my principles
which were but recently the proessed principles OF tht
entire party Of the have not chang
cd with the party-that have not been willing To sur.
render the settled convictions Of my understanding, to
ee,he with the well known sentiments OF my conslitu
snts 10 the mandates of party cpine and the inu
nf off nj he hpa1 o IN
Tending hath this extent-no more.
To account for this impolit;c sernness OF principle
incapable Of approaching other motives OF action
have insInuated that have pirate gTsts against The
President, and that have been influenced by ambition
These charges force 10 depart from decacy whici
have heretofore prescribed 10 myself 10 speaking oil Gel
Transactions, which we're, however known 10 other
the time of their occurrence, and have thus becom
already, partially known to the public So lar from how
ing private grcs against The President there has beer
every thing my personal relations with him 10 ilatteI
and to crafty me- II were capable OF being influenced
by such considerations in The discharge of my public
duties There nothing in the way oil official al
vancement, which could have expected or desired tina
not merely offered, tu; pressed upon me, in the
earnest and catering manner by the President, at ih
first nome of organising his administration prefer
red the service Of my State, where her confidence har
placed me- 10 any Executive station, and these offers
however aal,erng, respectfully declined
In regard 10 ambition, if had entertained The
lofty aspirations which have been gratulousy ascriber
10 me by some, and were capable Of weighing Tor mo
the pa!try interests OF that ambition against thu
great interests Of my country, how could have NOR
efecuay promoted its selfish aims than by continuing
to act with the numerous and powerful party which then
supported the Administration, and which formed at that
time, admitted majority Of the people OF the U. S. ;
had been associated with that party in of It's most
vital and important struggles, in defence as believed,
OF The liberty, union and hes, interests Of the naon
and the tauns which daily addressed 10 me- "of
the bright prospects have forfeited by my impotc
obsnacy, would seem to authorize the conclusion that !
enjoyed, at least much of lis favor and was as likely
10 obtain its future support in aid Of the ambitious aspi
Tatons ascIibed 10 any other Every conside-
ration of personal nature, then, urged me to sustain
Mr. Van Buren's administration in whatever course of
polio" it might adopt IF had been capable OF listening
to the suggestions Of selfish calculation, when the high.
est interests of country seemed 10 me at stake should
have suppressed the solemn convictions Of judgment
and in silence have eaped the reward Of my acques
cence and servility knew, too, from the bleeding
amples before my eyes what fearful thing it was TO in
the denuncation Of party But The conscious salts
faction Of doing what believed to be right aud Of up
holding far my feeble could aid doing it, the
liberties aud happiness Of the people ogans, the mschiev
schemes OF party or of power priced above every
other considerations and resolved 10 perform my duty
to the county, cost what it mgh Of personal sacrifice TO
myself.
The frs, question which occurred under the admins
traion Of MIR Van Buren, of The highest I'M
portance, and involved considerations intimately con.
neced with the fundamental principles OF the
meut | Rude OF course, TO The action OF The Exc"
cutve the Subject Of the celebrated specie circular
That measure had been condemned by overwhelming
majores Of both branches Of Congress bill, having
for its object, among other things, The annument Of the
circular had passed the Senate by vote Of Al to o. and
the House Of Representatives by vote OF l43 to o.
1t presented TO General Jackson within the last ten
days Of the session Of Congress and of his admins
uaon; and being withheld by him until the adjourn.
ment of Congress, under circumstances Of which it is
part Of my purpose 10 speak, it failed 10 become law
But though 1t was thus prevented from acquiring the
force Of positive law, its moral effect, authentic and
imposing expression Of tn. will Of the people, manifested
through their constitutional organs, the two Houses Of
Congress, was full and undiminsbed. il was, accord
ingiy, expected by the great body Of Mr. Van Burens
friends that the FIRST scI Of his administration would be
to defer to this expression Of the Legislative will by re
scindng especially modifying the specie circular-