Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-19
TO be 60 t;nued. }
(From The Pc!icy S.Ir.)


land who better understood this game, than our oppo-
nents-the Wings. Look at their papers and IN almost
all YOU will find the most nlterng calculations about
the result of the next Presidential Election "itarr-
is going ahead like fire in the Pralrlcs Harrison
will certainly be elected" with many other like decla-
rations All this is for effect, they want votes, and
they expect TO get by Dragging But as on~tor-
mer occasions they will find themselves mistaken
The p ope too intelligent and too much devoted to
Democratic principles, to be caught with such cnai
In previous contests ave succeeded, IN defiance OF
Wig prophecies-and the news from all parts OF The
Union justies fully in affirming that Mr.. Van Bu
rem will be re.eected-that the principles and mea-
sures of his Democratic Administration will be tr-
umphantly sustained
THE RICHMOND wIIIG. Mr.. MCDOWELL &c.
In reply to a sentiment complimentary to MIR. Nc
Dowe, which was offered at the Democratic Festival
by Mr.. Tod, charged upon the Richmond Wing the
support of principles, and measures, which had for
Their object the Abolition of Slavery The Wing
finds it convenient III article of the Sd to pass over
this charge without either an admission or denial
Of its truth. AS the Mig is great stickler for
PROOF, it shall have il this point In a.rtter ad-
dressed to The Editor of the Enquirer and which will
be found in that paper OF the 18th Feb last, nnd tins
sentence
III il perfectly true (says Mr. Plcasants) 'hat the
Wing, then under my principal editorial CONTROL did
in lS32, EsPoUsE, AND WARMLY ESPOUSE, INC
genera! doctrines an faror Of PRONUNCIATION, clo-
auent, supported BY Mr. McDowe-perhaps ALL
OF THEM, Il have no, required the fle,) very pos
siby that which asserted the INHERENT RIGHT OF
rHE LEGISLATURES to EMANCIPATE uitAom COM
tPENSATION TO THE OWNER
The author Of this sentence is truly proper person
to assail Mr. Mcdowell, and hold him up TO the CEN
sure of the Eastern people Mr. Peasants admits that
he s',caruy espOused the general doctrines IN favor OF
Emancipation '-s' very possibly even that which as
serted the inherent right of the Legislature to emanc-
pate without compensation TO the owner" Such are
the sentiments of a man, who comes before the
ne rnio ri, tn ho hp
pion of the rights and interests Of the Eastern people
Such the sentiments of man, who in utter disregard
of all the deccnces of social life, before the
public to assail and Willy MIR. Mcdowell as an 7coti-
ti0aiSti
But again Mr.. Nc Dowel has not gone far the
Editor of the Wing Mark the language of the extract
quoted above. Mr. Peasants there admits the power
of the Legislature to cmancpatc without compensation
to the owner. Has Mr.. Mcdowell ever claimed any
such po,eer for the "LEGISLATUREi" If so we
should like to the proof. Let this man who goes
for something than bare "aSScron who is sa-
tsfied with nothing less than the ''reeord now bring
it forward Give Us the proof of The assertion in b'ach
and lchie.
I Throughout Mr. McDowelIs entire Speech, sIares
are spoken of as property. The position which he
takes in his Speech land to the support of that posi-
ton his whole argument is direcedO is this the object
of government is the protection of the life and haPpi-
ness of the citizens, and if any species of property
jcopards either the .sofus poputi peoples safe
ty is the first object to be considered-tha the right ct
yroperty must yield to this first object of government
as she, Uhe State) says Mr. Mcdowell ''competcnt
TO institute right Of property, which she not compe
tent to remedy, qualify, withdraw, considerations
of necessity Of paramount interest may require.
This is the idea throughout the whole speech, and |
presume the position will not be controverted by any
one Again; in speaking of the claims ''of public
rty and "of private property, he puts this interroga.
them of ACKNOWLEDGE LEGlTIMACY-:he
resulting from the operation of law the other
resulting from the very purpose of governmcnt-how
they to be reconced witreach other in their prac
teal cficcts:'
II will be rccolected, that the scheme which met
with most favor, that submitted by Mr.. Randolph
usually called the ''poS natl principle This scheme
proposed that all slaves born after given day, should
after having served their masters fixed number Of
years. be declared free, and should be removed Of
Commonwealth In regard to the slaves then ''in
tracc he used this language If the holders cfthese
slaves decline voluntary surrender of their claim to
thcm then, The first place, this claim should be pur
chased out BY the State but if the State have not the
eans of making the purchase, then this claim should
be forfeited the State, in such shall best
ErcScrre the Interests IF Rdiriduds, without hazarding
too much the interests. and safety of the Common
wath' The "rght of property" in slaves is fully ads
mtted-and where in that speech is II asserted that
the Legislature have the power destroy that right
without compensation.
The adoption of asPrcamble and Resolution submit
ted by Mr. Bryce (of Goochland) settled the question
The Resolution is in these words, viz:
"Rcsoired, the opinion Of this committee, That is
inexpedent for the present, to make any legislative
enactnlents for the abolition of slavery"
This Resolution passed-yeas 90, nays So Mr.. Nc
Dowe voted for the resolution in company with Girl
maids, Faulkner, Boiling, ROanc, (o"r present Senator
Congress- Gallaher, Editor of the Yeoman Chand
Ter, Leigh, Ftzhugh, Rutherford, and others
There is one other fact which wish remembered
AT the session of the Legislature Immediately succeed
ing, Mr.. Mcdowell was run for the Senate; but not a
word was said at that time by the Editor of the Whg
about his Abolition notions, any other individual in
the House of Delegates during the discussion that
OCCASION so far as my recollection goes. Why was
not this objection then urged Was not Just strong
then nop9 If the objection is valid in 1910, why
it net valid in 1882 If il would be safe for the
people of Virginia TO entrust him with power no,c it
surely was equally unsafe at that time.
But this is not all The conductor of the Wing is
now the apologist of w. c. Rives, and is warm ad-
vocae ofhis reelection to the Senate of the u States
VIVA, is Mr.. Rives' position ON this question: Did he
not upon the floor of the Senate, when the Abolition
fever was at its very hegh-when petitions daily
presented-and when the South were exerting them
selves to the utmost to repel the assaults Of these ana
,non rrhfe nte he ut tha