Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-11-05
PHH.ITECAlI.
SPEECH OF W. & RlYES,
At putlie Dinner Gir,n him at Louisa Court house.
pirginia The 7M September, 1899
CONCLUDED.


the ind cimen; against me; and call upon you hnnes
and CONSCIENTIOUS men TO decide between me and my
occusers Who, fellow citizens, has lposatissd from
the genuine doctrines of the party as few years
sgo-tor TRANCE il may the charge of apos
tacy that Is most frequently and shamelessly urged
against me. In relation to the Subreasury scheme
what were the doctrines Of The pary in IS34-5? We
have SEEM that the whole party was then most vehe
mently oppos I'd In IL ught with ncalcu
liable nischei' 10 the country. As the party then
SO am now, firmly and inlexbly opposed to il. But
where now are Mr. Van Buren, and his supporters: IN
iav"r oil H. and sraining every farce il upon
the country. w ho them has apnsialsed-l or my &C.
cusers; As 10 he Bank Of the United States you well
remember gentle men, the and POVERTY opposi-
sit"n Of The who'll party, under Gen Jackson admin.
istra,on, 10 this lnHuton and the aga,ions and
yulsons through hch the country carried to dis.
solve the connexIon between il and the Government p
Who in spite OF the most solemn of .uncompro
missing hostility has wed that connection: Let The
President and his Secretaries answer. Who, true TO
the former professions of the party has had the temer
y, in The face Of power 10 expose the illicit and danger
Gus character Of than connecticut; need not tell YOU ,
gentlemen, for my aCcnsers have told you But ! ask
whn il is that has chauged,he person accused or the
accusers' In reference 10 the new and alarming doc.
rne preached by the President in his Message 10 Con.
gress at their last session, that the Executive should
have discretionary power 10 employ Banks or not al ills
pleasure fiscal agents OF The Government what were
the principles repeatedly incu!caledby General Jackson
and proessed and avowrd by all his political friends =
Why, That, this subject ELecurc discretion should
be strictly limited and restrained by clear and positive
enacments Of Ian Who sill maintains this creed,
and who IS tina, has renowned II for one, bet
ter suited for the purpose OF power: Let the record
answer; and then say gentlemen who has incurred he
sin OF apoSi0cy-he accused, ar Tie 0ecastrs2 Lastly in
regard TO The doctrine now openly proclaimed and prac
lisrd as we have seem and threatening 10 sap the oun
dalton Of Representative Government and Federal office
holders may Of right, and are in duty bound interfere
and busy themselves in popular elections what did The
party, through its highest and most accredited organ
General Jackson, at The moment OF his installation in
Office, say' Why, that "lhe patronage Of the Federal
Government ought not and should not be brought into
conflict with the freedom of elections In relation
this vital and fundamental article in the creed of The par
ty, who then has aposiaiisrd? | call upon you say
gentlemen. who is guIIty-!s it the accused or Me &C
cusrrSP
But there is another and higher view of the issue be
tween me and those who have orraIgned me this
charge OF apns,acy, 10 which beg leave 10 ask your
attention. gentlemen, for moment Who s it that
apnsatised not merely from the doctrines OF the party,
few ago. bnt from the great aud fuuda.
mental principles which have bsen onaiderpd as
forming The distinguishing creed Of The Republican par
": And hire. ieilnwcIllZrns, Mr. Van Buren, himself
shall be witness and Judge That gentleman. in speech
made by him in February 1888, the question which
had in The Senate the powers OF The Vice Pre-
sder presiding officer Of that body took 10
go very wide survey of the history of parties in
this country, and Of the pnc Piles which had separated
and still divided them He ref rred to the "altempt
which had been made by the then President, (br.
Adams in his inaugural Address. 10 the origin of
the two great political parties which have divided the
country, from the adoption OF the Constitution 10 the
present day Ia causes. more or less. {" temporary
character He commended the other hand that these
PARTY divisions of Federass and Republicans were
founded in the very Of things and from the
constant struggle OF two g'vu. a","=""st principles
in operation md which he described as follows
"he one, tnr Fec-rs principle, he alleged seek
ing To absorb. MS far practicable. all power from s
legitimate sources and 10 condcmSc IL into single h0d-
ihr other Uhe Republican princip!e) "abnrng assdu-
ousIy Ia resist the entertainments and limit The srf
EIccuirc auhoruy" The former, he said lis essen.
lie the lniIe
OF society
Now, gentlemen let Us see on which side Of this line
of party division traced by MIR Van Buren, himself
stand he and his supporters III the system of measures
they have hitherto pursued Who IS seeking to absorb
power from It's legitimate sources, tie peope and their
rcpresnt0treS and 40 condrnse il into single head,
fhc E1ccutirt' What is the Subtreasury scheme hut
nke the people money from the rgh'in control Of their
RrprfsfniQrfs 20 1--WE the possession and unlimited
control ni il This single head, the Erecutrs9 What
"a the new doctrine al the President that the Executive
should be lett liberty employ Banks not fiscal
agents ns may fl. but absorb most important
power essentially legislative in lis character from its le
rrirnare and constitutional dcpost"ry-the Representa-
hrs If the peopic-and to condcnse it into single head
l.r Erecnrc, thereby giving TO that single head Jan
rrturs dominion the aehofe moneyd institutions Of
the country? What finally. is the bold and alarming
doctrine rece ny Proclaimed and sanctioned, both IN
theory and practice, by the highest authorities {" The
GuvrrnuIen-lhat II IL both right and the duty al
Executive office holders 10 busy themselves in and 10
Inference and control popular eecllonsbut TO absorb
rnr;i the psOpe McmSfEtS the VIA! attribute oil their
yPipniv and virtually 10 invest II IN this SINGLE hfad
The E1ccutirc for The elective principle. MIR. JEFF
prsn has told us becomes absolutely nothing II It may
bp smothered by the patronage oil the General
Government" Mr.. Van Buren, himself then, being
witness and Judge, nsk, gentlemen, which side OF
the old and true line OF party DIVISION MS marked and
dplnealed by his own hand, he and the advocates
and supporters of his measures Are they on the Rfpub
Iran "nboring to resist The enrroach'nents and TO
limit the tntcnt Of E1eeutire 0uMOriy9' are they on
the FEDERAL side ssfkng Ia absorb power from lis Iegl.
innate sources and condense 1t into single brad.
which head he now IS: II is almost Inockery TO ask;
for with tie p0uer tie public money the po1cer
,he mGnd Institutions Of e country and the pooer
pop,ar rcti0nS. which his different measures are cal.
cna,ed absorb from the Legitimate source Of Tic
pc0pls and Mfir Representatives,, and ITO coa'ass IEo
The single head Of the EJscutre, it is difficult 10 con-
ceive what other powers would remain 10 be 4bsoTte4 or
could be condensed uo sing recipient BY any art OF
political dislilISrlon
.Rirhs submitted would leave him % ssi1e."
Truly then in the language Of the President, has it
become n question between ihe ''Eonarchtcat, and The
drrnocr0tirai spirit OF society.
But one more power could be wanting 10 establish an
absolute and dPspoc supremacy in the ELecutiUs-a
power over the freedum OF individual opinion and con
scer.s nd 10 not TINT power fellow citizens, already
supplied. through the medium elayish systsn of
party Giscpiine which has received fearful and pr
en,uus development under the auspices OF the present
Administration; Has il not come 10 Or recognized as
funda mental maxim OF political morality that man
must 90 with his party right or wrong, at The sacfIhce
Of the mos, solemn convictions Of his own judgment,
and even the humiliation IF belyng and going coun.
Ter recorded npiaons deliberately proclaimed 10
! NIL the world: Have this principle oil
psrts obedience enforced by the rack and the sitbtt
/ the dcnuncn'inns of the press, the deprivation OF
office and he introduction, even, OF social eommu.
ninn by a!txing the donmtd offender. The lonIest
! epi,hes of moral and political Disgrace? Md who and
what fellow citizens, the p0Tiy' viii tell you
The Pr SIDE md HE President alone is the party lie,
in the mysterious solitude OF his own WILL determines
whu, measures be proposed, and which the party
are to required support These measures are then
brought forward by two accredited organs, whose
introduction of them considered warrant t1i 'ney
have received he Presidential sanction. Ii any mem
Der of lie party should exhibit signs OF thinking ios
hmse!:, and Of exercising his ogn Judgment on Inc
merits Of the proposed it is immediately inu
mated him, thai the President means 10 stana o' Ja
Ihs ANIMAL Is ma de