Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-07-02
MR.. LEIGH's LETTER.
Richmond. Mau lG, ls3g.

at Amherst court house, on the 10Th, has
been delayed on the road; | did non re-
ceiye it till yesterday.
thank you for the polite terms in which
you have communicated tho inyisations--
Business, which requires my constant al
tention al home, would have prevented me
from ayailing myself of it, if it had been
received IN time. But eandor compels me
to add, that that would not have been The
only, or. indeed, the principal reason which
would have induced me to decline ii.
have seen much ia Mr.. Rivcs recent
conduct 10 respect and approve. am
most DESTROYS 10 see every man sustained
agaiast that despotisrn of party, welded by
The patronage oflhe Executive which al
lows no independence of thought or action,
and which, after having destroyed so ma
ny public men, is now levelIed against Mr..
Rlves IN his tarn, with Its ruthlessness of
vengeance. And, after having seen The
Senate of the United States humbled and
degraded at the Presidents feet, BY the
expunglng resolution, and its influence. in
manner, struck out of our political sys<
tenn. it has afforded me particular pleasure
TO see MIR. Rives asserting and maintaining
in that body his own independence of Elk.
ecutive control. and, at the same time, the
Independence, the dignity, and the Just au-
thorlty of the BODY Itself. Such conduct
ought to redeem him from the blame of
many former errors and faults. l am
even disposed to admit it as a partial atone.
ment for his concurrence in the expunpine
resolution. He is now an object of perse-
cution 10 the faction whose baleful power
he has contributed 10 establish; and am
really happy to see public honors bestowed
upon him by others who take different
view from mine of the present state Of
politics. But 50 long as Mr. Rives holds
himself wholly uneommitlcd on the sub.
ject of the Presidential election, | cannot,
in honor andconscience, commit myselfto
the support of Mr.. Riyes. AT the same
time, lam aware that my su ort or oppo.
sition is utterly insignificant and uneonse-
quential to him and everybody else but
myself.
While the doctrine stands admitted.
that the President is entitled by the Con.
stitution to the custody of the public treas
ure, it is, in my humble opinion, question
of comparative insignifcance, whether the
system of sub-treasnries, or the select
State bank system, with general or special
dePosites, or any other scheme for keeping
the public treasure, which the wisdom Of
the Legislature or The ingenuity ofthe Elk.
ecutive can devise, shall be adopted for.
the President alone. 1t is The doctrine it.
self which it behopyes the People 10 ex.
plode and condemn, as the most false, the
most impudent, and the most dangerous of
all Executive pretensions.
regard the Presidential election as I'M
truth the only important question, the
great question, of national interest, which
involves and abs0rbs all Others in the pres-
ent juncture of affairs. Nothing, in nv
sense of things, can stop, or even check,
The transition of the Federal Government
into mere elective monarchy, and mon.
archy elective through the instrumentaitv
of the most malignant faction and the
foulest corruption, but the dismission of
our present rulers from the public councils
and confidence forever; rulers call them.
for they are our masters in fact whatsoey.
er they ought to be in theory; and hard
masters too, who maintain and paw the
army of partisans on which they depeud
for power, by openly and ayowedIy deal
ing out the honor and emoluments ofoffice
without the least regard to any merit but
party zeal and party services. In one in.
stance at least land / believe in MANY
niorel an officers after having received and
appropriated public money to his own use.
has been knowingly permitted TO retain
his Office, and 10 enjoy the spoils, in order
to secure the continuance of his own and
his friends support of the Administration.
and the cabinet minister, who was Presi.
dent JAcKSoN's instrument in this gross
and indecent abuse Of Executive patron.
age, is still President Van Buren's Score.
tary ofthe Treasury. Corruption is rails.
ling her head with shame, without fear.
and lso far as the dominant faction and
the reigning dynasty is concernedl With-
out reproach. The stimulus 10 the Agra
rian spirit Administered by the Government
at w ashington through all its organs-lhe
cry of the poor against the rich, wIiicH has
been wilfnlly and successfully raised--the
clamor against all independence in the adj
t1inistration of justice, which is but the
prelude to an assault on the principle Of
pruperty-those disgusting professions Of
ultra.democracy, louder and louder; al
ways, in proportion to their co;isciais Is.
sincerity, and the success CT these odious
and dishonest arts-these are symptoms of
degeneration fropi our Republican institu-,
tons, the natl.re and tendency Of which
are not to be mistaken by any man who
has bestowed the least attention 10 the his.
tory Of the progress and downfall Of Re-
publican governments. And. unless The,
practice of these arts can be siunalIv re-.
Ihuked, BY describing from Office the an.
happy or guilty man, who, willingly q bv
compulsion, is the leader, or me s tool. Il
the faction which practice them: ! for one
| shall cease 10 have any hope Of he fepEIF,.
| lie. In fine. / must insist thai Mr.. R;ves
and every honest man, thinking as ho
thinks Of the measures Of this kdninistfa-
i ton. ought to stand forth with Mr.. Tall.
madge, and proclaim . uncomprouaisine
hostility to the reelection Of Martin Van
Burens
i ! have written this letter 10 avert the
. possibility Of any misundersta ding Of my
. own opinions By those who have thought
lpFoper to honor me with the invitation
which you have Communicated TO me.