Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-06-26

RrpuDilcanlsm, and TO strike the hnal dow Tor victory
and for liberty. 1t is all important, Messrs. Editors,
that each county should act promptly upon this subject.
Let them all hold meetings at their July courts, respec-
lively and appoint Delegates to the Convention let
the delegation of each county be numerous, and COM
posed of the ablest men that can be chosen; and let the
public meetings exact, if practicable, 4 promise from
the Delegates that they will certainly attend. From
such a Conventions, great good must and will result.
CROGHAN.
SCENES rs GREENE oUNTY
70 THE EDiIOR OF THE EN4oIRER.
On the 18th ult, the Little Expunger made his bow
to the citizens of Greene; and | assure you, sir, he did
t IN a manner that manifested a due portion Of SeJ:rc.
sPect. He and MIR. Smith of Culpeper having been in
vIted by persons of both political parties to discuss the
political questions of the day at Stanardsville on that
day, some propositions were made by the Admlnistra-
ton party to have a fair discussion, and rejected by MIR.
Rives and the Wings; for, it seemed to be 'an OBJECT
near their hearts TO cut MIR. Smith off from the priv.
legc of n fair discussion.
Mr.. Smith arrived about 10 o'clock, having rode 10
miles that morning. Mr.. Rives arrived about III or II
o'clock, having come about s miles. He determined
not to commence the discussion TIL after early DIM
ner. In the meantime, 1t appearing that a large ma
Jorlty Of the people were anxious for the parties to
have an equal chance, a meeting was called and a COM
mlttee appointed TO wait on the orators of the day.
The committee proposed to Mr.. Smith that the time
occupied in discussion should be equally divided. He
readily accedcd to it. They submitted the same pro-
position to Mr.. Rives, who rejected as promptly as Mr..
Smith had acceded TO it, and proposed that MIR. Smith
should commence the discussion, and be permitted TO
90 on as long as lie wished, and then he would COM
mencc. Several other propositions were suggested,
but this we were finally requested TO submit to Mr..
Smith. When we stated to Mr.. Smith what had passed,
and the proposition of Mr.. Rives, he smiled, and said
he felt himself complimented by the anxiety the gen
tleman manifested 10 prevent him from replying 10 HIM.
Some one at this time came in, and said Mr.. RIves had
gone TO the Courthouse. Mr.. Smith then said, we will
arrange it there. After they got to the Courthouse,
Mr.. Smith arose and proposed that MIR. Rives should
commence the discussion, and that the time occupied
IN discussion should be equally divided; that they should
each speak one, two, three, or four hours, as Mr.. Rives
might prefer, urging as Il reason why MIR. Rives should
commence, that he had been invited to make and sus-
tain charges against the administration Of MIR. Van Blu
rem, and he, MIR. Smith, had been invited TO defend the
administration. 1t would, therefore, be changing the
natural order of things for him TO commence the de-
fence, before the charges were made in the presence and
hearing Of the present audience. A gentleman from
.Albemarlc rose in the crowd and rejected the prUpo-
sItIon, stating his reasons very briefly, which do not
distinctly recollect. MIR. Rives then rose, complained
of the consumption OF time by this scollateral contro-
vcrsy;'' said he had not expected to meet Mr.. Smith here,
that he was not a volunteer, that he would not consent
TO come until u nurncrously signed invitation was got
up; he then was willing 10 submit to the viii Of the
people; that he had been invited by both parties, and
did not expects to be regulated; he considered it unkind,
ungenerous, unlIospitablc trcatmcnt-that he was pre-.
pared TO proceed, if unlimited, but he was not to be
subjected 10 terms he considered II a badge of sla-
very. lie did not ~cxpectto be brought in contact with
the distinguished champion who had conquered SO
many, and whose friends had already represented as
having demolished him on a former occasion. After
proceeding about thirty minutes in this strain, taking
care every now and then to remind the people that he
was not Interested as a candldate-that he was no Office
seeker, he appealed 10 the audience if he should not
proceed. At this the Wings cried aloud, eco on, go
on, 90 on, Rives.' Smith stepped forward coolly
and upltbpratplv- and INSCRIBED lS rIrit 10 rrDlv-
The Democrats cried, "Go on, Smith 20 on, Smith. F."
and the cry then was, $50 on, Rives! go on, Smith !"
from all directions. When this subsidized, Smith,
after n moments pause, commenced by showing he
had a right to reply to what had already been said;
expressed himself surprised that MIR. Rives should
complain of the consumption Of time in this collateral
controversy, alter having consumed 80 minutes; whilst
he, Mr.. Smith, had occupied not more than 10 mi
nutcs-said that he too had been invited by both parties,
that Mr.. Rives must have known it was the intention
Of a large portion of the people TO have such q discus
sion as he had been complaining of; for, a proposition
had been submitted to him (Mr. Rives) for a fair dis
cussion-and that, several weeks before that day, if he,
Mr.. Smith, had not been very much misinformcd-
said he thought his refusal to submit to 4 fair discus
sion when it was understood to be the wish of a
large majority of the people who were present,
was 4 very handsome commentary upon his boast
ed submission to the will of the People. When he
came to speak of Mr.. Rives's protested disinterestcd-
ness in not being a seeker for office, he was peculiarly
forcible and happy; showed clearly that Mr.. Rives was
holding out false colors, and exposed him to the audi
cnce as an interested witness, whose whole soul was
intensely interested in the result. lie showed SO
clearly and forcibly the want of candor Mr.. Rives had
eyinced in endeavoring thus to introduce himself as a
disintercsted witness, that Mr.. Rives seemed to shrink
beneath it. lie said his friends imposed it upon HIM as
Il condition, that he should not commence the discus
sion, inasmuch as it changed the natural order OF
things, by placing him in the predicament of answer
inp charges which had not been laid before the audi
cncc who were to judge. He closed after having con-
sulned 90 minutes. In this little skirmisling, he clear
" showed his decided superiority over his opponent IN
debate. Mr.. RIyes followed, and spoke until after sun
down, being 5 hours and 20 minutes. After he had
spoken about 3 hours, the friends Of Mr.. Smith COM
mcnced urging him 10 GO into the street and reply to
what he had already heard. Smith resisted it for a
long while. MIR. Rives seeming 10 be much exhaust
ed, It was hoped he would soon close; but Mr.. Pcndlc-
ton from Rappahannock stepped up to him, and wills.
pcred something TO him, when Mr.. Rives braced HIM
self up and declared he had much TO say, and would
not quit the subject until he had got through. The i'm
portuniiics of Mr.. Smiths friends then became so great
he could resist them no longer. He left, requesting
them to make as little noise as possible; but this, as
you would readily suppose, did not restrain them
About four -ifths, or as some of MIR. Rives's friends
say, about thrce-fourths of the crowd followed Mr..
smith out to the street, still leaving many Demo
Gratis behind who had never heard Mr.. Rives be-
fore, whilst they had heard MIR. Smith frequently
The Little Expunger gained no fresh laurels on
this day, to add 10 the chaplet of his fame
On the conrary, he fell far below our ~cxpecta-
tons. | still, however, believe him TO be an able
man, but not so far above others whom | could
name, as once thought. | know of nothing that
would afford me more pleasure than TO have the poll
tics of the day discussed, upon fair terms, between Mr..
Smith and Mr.. Rives, before the assembled people of
Virginia. feel well assured, from what | saw in that
DAYS discussion, that Democracy would come off from
the contest crowned with the laurels of victory. MIR.
Smith commenced about 6 o'clock, and spoke until
nearly dark. AS night drew nearer, the crowd gathered
close around him, and seemed to be anxious to catch
every word he uttered. The Wings expected to real
ize a gain to their forces from this days transactions,
but, If ! am not misinformed, ''the boot is on the other
leg" The Wings affect 10 express great surprise
that Mr.. Rives was not allowed to 60 on in his own
way, without having any propositions for a fair discus,
sion submitted to him, or without hSving any reply
made to him, unless he should deign TO choose. But
we are a set Of plain Democrats, who can sec no reason
why Nj. Rives should enjoy such exclusive privileges,
notwithstanding he has been a United States Senator
,,J t.Loop all tho NAV IN France and sepn the LADIES'