Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-11
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
TO TIIE EDITORS OF TIE RICHMOND HVyC


be!orc tie public and more particularly before the pco
pie OF Smyh County, for dereliction of principle and
dav, which if lru" wonl surely place me in an atli-
tude, the most unenvabc, and might almost add dis
graceful which il is possible for representative TO
cupy. plead II your charges not because rccog-
nze N you citizen Of Richmond any right to put my
trial for alleged offences against the voters of Smyth,
but because ca!umnr, If that be too harsh word
src presentation ii not met and relntcd will often do
mcrc nury ,iIan If it true; the source from
whence Il cnanacd, and The motive with which j, was
promul gated being wholly mmacral.
You profess = have felt great reluctance al ';advert-
ing - my disregard Of tie express acknowledged and
repeated orders Of Tie people Of Smyti" but TO me
really, your tender lner"ie' resemble mc! those ci
hungry panther TO some luckcss fuwn, which NJ:
have fallen into hi- clutch. Even the You of.
fer for me- calculated to degrade the laliiatoniyou
find, would render contemplate. Gentlemen, you
do njusce--l do not lay claim to superior under
standing, but hope however moderate ny capacity
may be, is sufficient discern the true path Of duty
aud feel thai | have The spirit 10 pursue it. You
assume, tha, haze mis7cprcscntcd my constituents,
aud tnfiict upon me, the castigation which such act
| mght merit Would il not have been much more in
accordance with ;hc principles oistlcc, TO have esui
l.SiiCd tie charge by some mere substantial evidence
than assertion before you undertook 10 nat
might prove injury TO an individual whom yon did
know: The day viii COME and that tco at the
next election. when You yourselves will ackno wedge
that if n;srePrcscntcd ,ic people Of Smyth, II was
IN voting for Mr.. Rvcs ii all.
The voters of Smyth instructed me TO vote FOR Mr.
Rives believing him true and faithful friend Of the
Administration, differing with ii alone point
For the truth OF this assertion, appeal to the citizens
Of the county, TO MIR Rvess friends, and TO Mr. Rivcs
Address. You, gentlemen cannot be ignorant OF that
fact. Now let ask of every candid man, is such be
the political feelings Of constituents could as an
honest Representative, vote FOR Mr. Rves, ajier The
proofs sufficiently strong 10 enable me- be, ond
doubt, 10 satisfy my constituents that Riycs had gone
/ n h.. Inc, H-r,s art. Nv
humble juG-:-"nt tells ne | could not.
have sa,d another occasion, that my mind was
mcasurabiy satisfied 10 Mr. Rvess position before
the Senatorial Election came on, and that MIR. Rvcss
letter Mr.. Fontaine, taken conjunction with the
New York letter. satisfied that Mr. R;vcs had sutii-
GENTLY exhibited his real feelings, to convince the
friends of the Administrator that he not OF
them. Let examine: Is ttac that this letter really
'.anouns to nothing: Is it nothing in the mouth OF
such man AZ MIR Rycs declare that sstlc personal
and eectionrcrns efforts Of the President himself had
been used to the people from their convictions
and their duty TO the country: If elected would lie
have gone into the Senate the friend Of such Pre-
sdcnt Your solicudc for his election answers, that
he would not. 1t may be owing TO my duncss of per-
ception, but really can difference between Mr..
l Rvcs expressing his hope that New York would Fri
umph in the election Of General Scott, that of Gen
Harrison 1T IL sufficient for me, that his hopes
enlisted IN behalf Tie party opposed TO the Democra
cy Of the land. | Jeevc there is not Il man in the
after reading MIR. Rvcss letter to New York and that
10 Mr.. Fontanc, but would at conclude with me,
that it is proof sufficient to shew beyond all shadow OF
doubt, tina; Mr.. Rircs is enemy to the present Ad-
mins;ratinn.
Strong language may nothing TO men Of tow
ering intellect. 1t may have meant nothing TO say,
that the ''Whg party could never support The Lille
Erpnagcr for the Senate Of the L. s" And it may
mean nothing for this Lus Eapungsr - say, that
he hoped the Harrisburg Convention might nominate
/ 10, Il
eectoneerng the State might triumph in the election
Of the nominee. But toa plain and humble individual
-uch language goes conclusvcly to show Mr. Rvcs is
at present decidedly opposed to Martin Van Buren,. !
you, those Two letters referred to, in ny mind,
place the matter beyond controversy
Now gentlemen. in candor let ask, II it no:
due from Mr. Rives 10 come out and answer publicly
whether or he in favor Of The reelection OF
! Martin Van Buren,; Was it proper, was it manly was
il honest that e should observe strict silence upon
that allabsobing subject, when he knew the solcude
OF the People 10 know his sentiments, and the Difficult
ties and uncertainties to which his silence subjected
other gentlemen The time was when MIR. Rives made
no conccaimcnt to his opinions then, they IN
accordance with those of his party. The times have
changed with Mr. Rires, and now he conccals his OPT
Mons for neither they his feelings in the chan
mel with MS former friends As the representative o.
a Democratic Van Buren, county, could not vote f"l
any cncGy of The cause, after the proof of that fac
was plain enough . satisfy my mind, that no human
being could doubt, whose left free TO decide
upon The question
Gentlemen, have but single more remark to make
and have done. What have said is in justification
of myself wish earthly to appear in newspaper
has impelled in the and last Of all do de
sire to make myself mark for your anmadrersion
You may be assured that most heartily wish you had
been left to the desire you had, o say nothing abou
nle-not that fear the scrutiny, but that hate the
notoriety.
As TO the "nfucnecs" brought to bear upon me, you
are again entirely mistaken hope would be as in
capable of submitting dcsaton CT improper socita
tons any, even of chose who would condemn IT most
Your insinuaton abont the undue influence of CT
Goodson me, is evidently intended for the bc"'t
of the people of Smyh at the next election 1t vii
not answer. you may rest assured-it will not gain
credt-and if it did, it would be Invested of its often
sveness because, according to your own shewing i'll
cxerted to effect precisely the and wishes, which
according to my honest belief, my constituents have
] most at heart.
1 You have thought proper, no doubt, in honest
discharge of your duty, to bring me conspcuousy be-
fore the public, aid ask as matter Of justice thai
- P'''''' - HIRAM A. GREEvER.