The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-06-05

The following letters are from distinguished gehue-
men invited 10 sttend the dinner gwen TO WM Z.
RivEs, Esq gt Amherst Court house Monday week:
/ BAaBouRsviLLE. May IL, 1889.
i. Gentlemen: duly received your letter Of the 9Th
inst ant, which you invite me Ia parIake Of public
Edmncr 10 be given ut Amherst Court late
n dsing ushed Senator, William RvEs, rs mark Of
app,bs,ion Of tho manly and patriotic stand taken by
that gentleman against Executive insIue aud party
dictalion; " aud regret that Indispensable engagements
will deprive Of the pleasure Of uniting nh my el-
low. citizens Of Amherst on such an occasion.
i Your guest deserves well VI his country for having,
with great ability, opposed the financial measures Of
the Executive, but too justly denounced, few short
years ago. by its advocates, measure, by unit
| ing tho purse and the sword. calculated TO enlarge
alaningy the already more than royal perogstves Of
the President and TO put our hard earnings into hum
bred additional hands, which recent melancholy expe-
renca teaches Is but another nane subject them
to additional plunderers.
Bot owe him still more, for his lofty and indig-
rebuke of the doctrine avowed for the
first time by power, that is not only the right but the
ouiy Of the substerns OF the Executive TO interfere
with and endeavor control populsr ctions-an in
teffrencoiru y characterized by JEFFERSON smother
ing the public voice, and turning the balot-bx, that
atk Of liberty, into inockery In all the oncns un-
favorable they generally are, see nothing por
tenous Of mischief than this doctrine, aud the
practices in conformity thereto; for, so long the
power Of arbitrary removal from office, for opinion sake
exercised by the Executive The Dcunbents Of office
his slaves; aud adding insult 10 injury, they taunt
with the assurance that these slaves-the breath OF
whose nostrls is the pleasure Of the Execu,ive-are
the 6ttest apostles to preach To the people that JEALOUS
vigilance oil Executive power which our fathers taught
us was the price Of Liberty For myself unless this
power Is restrained by the law or the Constitution,
despair Of the Republic-for America, like Rome, in
the language Of Jngurtha, will soon be waiting only for
| purchaser And is for his manly stand against
these obnoxious MISUNDERSTANDING to betrsy his trust
AMI TO become his supple tool-thut the Executive and
his followers are seeking 10 beat him down. Il is also
too notorious 10 be denied that the course Of your
guest was in conformity TO the wishes Of Virginia
An issue, therefore, has been rendered TO US by the Pre-
sident, whether his i'll shall prevail and his opponents
he outlawed or whether the people, IN despite OF his
dctaton will rally around their representative, who
has had the Independence manfuly TO do his duty and
him from the threatened doom in other words
whether the Republican system presented IN the Con
stution by the wisdom of ancestors, whose adm
nshaon was to be confined 10 The independent coun-
sells Of the wise and viruous to be elected by the peo
pie aud States Is TO be maintained or TO give place to
that inonsifous anomaly, dcnocracy-for so 1t calls
itsefto be controlled and governed by the will Of
man-for such, Praenee, has been the American Co
vernment for The last ten years.
While such issue is pending, for myself will
neither look behind beyond to exraneous mat
Ter Let us settle II on Its own merits, and learn by
the decision whether we have any thing left worth con.
tending. The result is full Of interest Can be pru-
den, IN the people 10 add additional Incentives sub
sersencv The Executive Is the number sutfi-
GENTLY frightful already Who honng after the flesh
pots and Esaulke. prepared to sell their bthrght tor
a mess Of potsgel Or is il desirable 10 swell the
number, by sacrificing the representative who has firm
ness enough TO discharge his duty and thus piocIamng
that there no house Of refuge against Executive III
dgns'ion! Such course on the part OF the people
would not he unlike that of the sheep who destroyed
their Watchdog at the suggcs ion ofthe wolf,
The people OF Amherst II seems 10 me- have looked
at this Issue IN its true beaang, and have done justly
aud wisely in offering TO their CUES, this tribute OF their
APPRECIATION It's the only return the ptopie can make
TO their representative for turning his back on party,
and scornlpg alike its threats or its brbes-a return
most precious indeed in the eyes Of sincere patriot,
aud which he may, uuhesistingly, weigh against, aud
accept AS an equivalent for, those offices or contracts,
though embelished by extras, regular irregular. with
IN the gift OF power and exclusively dispensed Tor party
purposes and which, according to the modern doctrine,
!. seylle livery, procldnnng the obber OF
all works, and ready 10 do the bddngs Of his master
have expressed myself frankly To you. have no
motive to disguise conceal my sentiments ! an a
mere locker aud further concerned Ia the current
OF public affairs than common to all men. Occupy
Ing the condition Of independent ttr OF the earth,
without any other resource, and with Wish 10 change
that condition, to me personally, II Is matter oil the
most entire indifference what or what parties are
exalted or abssed. My sole wish is TO the return
OF those older and better times, when the Offices Of the
people were bestowed the worthy, and not prostitute
cd TO the vile purposes OF rcwardlng yenal syco-
plant,
owe to you and return my profound acknowledge
ments for the very favorable reference you kind
to make to the part have borne In past times. As
Tar as sta Is entitled to commentator you have only
done me justice Bot no feels more senshly than
myself the wide difference between what have done,
aud what wished do. My only consolation is, that
the avaIls of my stewardship far return for the
small number Of talents wherewith was entrusted
Your fellow citizen.
JAMES BARBOUR.
To Mcssrs Robert Camm. Darid Paueson,
Vim. II. Waller, and Ed Penn.
RICHMOND, May l6, 1880.
Gentlemen Your letter of the 10Th inst. inviting
10 he puhlic dinner O he honorable I'M.