The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-08-10
From ihs Richmond WhIg.
70 he Editor ef ne RieAmoad Enqnirer


To Tie Editor Of the Riehmoad Enqnirer;
Your next ground Of accusation against Mr.. Rives
IL. that he Is the advocate of the principles Of Mr.
Cnttenoen oi 10 "present the interference Of public
officers with the freedom Of elections Whether,
editoriay, You charged Mr. Rves with sustaining the
bill introduced into the Senate Of the United States by
Mr.. Cdtlenden. do not distinctly recolect but
what is better you have permitted the charge be
circulated through your columns without contradiction
when you mus, have known that IL was uufounded.--
Nov, sir Mr. Rives did advocate for that
bill II is true, that be advocated the principle that
public officers ought TO be prohibited from interfering
with the freedom Of electioDsnsrk the expression, II
you please-fhe freedom Of eeeiiOns-and offered TO in
roduce measure 10 restrain their ineTiereBce. But
there il material distinction between the principle Of
measure. and the details OF bill TO carry out that
measure. The error Of Mr.. Crtcnden's bill was not
IN the principle, but in the Details leaving the offence
too uncertainty Defined and imposing too heavy penal
ties. Mr. Rves' proposition identicsly in the
language OF Jeiersons circular upon the subject
while President Of the United States and in the spirit
OF Gen Jackson's first inaugural, imposing no other
penalty Than removal from Office for palpable violation.
The speech which Mr.. Rves delivered upon that
CASTOR, and which has been so grossly perverted and
msrepresented was directed mainly against the demo-
rszIng and destructive principles Of Mr.. Walls report
upon Crittcndens bill which not only justified, but
urged duty upon public officers interfere with
elections, and characterised every attempt TO restrain
them as yrannca and despo,ic and invasion OF the
rights Of citizenship Now, sir, IL Mr. Wall is right,
that great champion Of Democracy Mr. Jefferson, was
wrong aud thus Federalst Of the straghtest sect OF
$500 is teaching the disciples Of the great Apostle
OF Liberty the true doctrines Of Democracy. To tho
extent that Mr. Jefferson wrong, Mr.. Rives is
wrong-to the extent that he is right, Mr., Rives is
right. now call upon you to decide between them
between the doctrines OF Mr. Jefferson, defended by
your great idol, Gen Jackson, the hand, and
those Of Mr. Wall on the other. challenge you, SIR.
to take up Mr.. Rives' speech, which you have
published and which Is It's own nvincible champion,
and put your finger upon the Anti Republican doctrine
which II contains. No evasion, sir--n squyoc ston
the doctrine--the paragraph--the sentiment This is
The true way to test every mans puncples-by his
speeches and his poes-and demand the sentiment Of
hr Rryes speech, or the vote which he has gwen,
which will convict him of that Federalism which you
and your associates charge upon him, or the slightest
departure from that true genuine, unaduiterated Re-
pnbcanism, which taught by the fathers Of the
church In word, sir, will you, professed disciple
OF the Jefferson school, swallow the doctrines Of Walls
report This is what want to know.
That public officers should not be restrained from
ercsng their right Of suffrage citizens, cheerfuy
admlt--That they should not be restrained from the
free expression OF their political sentiments in relation
to the principles OF Government or the measures OF
existing administration, admit. But when they bring
their official patronage and influence 10 bear upon the
freedom Of elections they destroy the foundations Of
liberty, and corrupt the very Of freedom To
license public officers to do this, is to license them
destroy every veslige Of freedom, and every
principle Of rational liberty The people will soon be-
come the mere rassals Of despotic power. Has Mr.
Rves gone farther than this, either his proposition
his speech II he has, you have the power as you
certainly have the wH, to detect and expose it, sir
as the friend of that abused, that injured aud persecu-
ted man, aud by more than YOURSELF challenge the
investigation. Now, SIR out like true knight
don't tell US about opposition to Martin Van Buren--
coalition with Henry Clay and the many phantoms
which float through your cratic Imagination but take
up the Speech dssect it. criticse II, sft it and sound
It, and expose, if you its anti Republic doctrines,
and if you find single one, ready to stand by
your side in resisting 1t But il you cannot, cease
your camor about Mr. Rves' sposlaey, and acknow-
ledge the injustice you have done him.
~ Mr. Rives political principles accord entirely
with those which you profess as think have sa,isfac
torIly proven, aud you have complained without just
cause, of his upon the United States Bank and
the freedom of election questions, your opposition TO
MIR. Rlves is narrowed down to single point, and
that the support Of Mr. Van Buren's election.
Regardless Of the differences of opinion between
Mr.. Van Buren, aud yourself, you have unfured his
flag, proclaimed your determination to support his re-
election against all competitors. and declared uncom-
promising against every member of the Republi-
party who will not rally TO his support and ii is be-
cause Mr.. Rves will not give in his adhesion, and
his determination to sustain Mr. Van Buren,,
right or pr0ng, that you now denouncc him. This is
the and substance of Mr. Rives offence, and this
is the cause why the hunders of the artillery OF sub
servent psrtizan press has been opened upon him. and
his destruction sought with much avidy, Your
true position is disguise it YOU may, the practical
advocate OF which you denounce and dscaim
For IN the unqualified support which You give TO men
who maintain principles to which you profess TO be OPP
posed. you give the effective support those
principles which you could give. Yes, sir although
Republican by profession you practically advocate
measures which you yourself have declared anti
Republican, and dangerous in their tendency. You
may attemp, to silence the admoniiions Of trumpet
tongued conscience, which will speak and speak the
truth, by crying out you wont 10 do, whenever
hard pressed for sound reasons-Hsnry Clay and The
Bank-you may attempt TO justify the awkward and
ridiculous position which you occupy, by holding up the
apprehension Of Wing ascendancy, but it will not all
do. The intelligent and patriotic, who look to their
counrys good instead Of the interest Of party, will
understand you aright-truly appreciate your course
and award you that Of indignation and scorn
which such position Justly merits.
propose, in succeeding number briefly to examine
the objections which Mr.. Rves urged to those measures
Of tho administration which he proposed, test their
suficency by those which you yourself have urged to
the same measures, ard determine from them whether
Mr. Rives is justified in his refusal identity himself
with the fortunes OF Mr.. Van Bufen's Administration,
and merits the denuncaton aud prescription with which
You have assalled him. and with which you constantly
assai him. For. sir, it would be miracle Of as
t0nshiDg character that OF raising Lazarus from
the dead, TO a number Of the Enquirer which
not filled with attacks Of the most yirdctive and
founded character against that gentleman, Attacks so
wantob, cruel, and unmered, that even savage
feroci,y itself would pause to be their author,
AMERICA JUNIUS.
IOCOFOCO HARMONY