Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-25

and here again, Mr.. Editor, IN hittsng at the nan tney
will effectually kill the Major, by identifying him with
the Anti-Masonic, Abolition, Harrisonian Federal par
ty. aCease Syipcr, you bite n fle." Col. Greever is deep
ly seated in the affections of the Republican citizens of
Smyth, who will say to him on his return home, "well
done, good and faithful servant" | have known the
people of Smyth long and intimately, and beg leave to
assure the worthy Editors of the Wing, that they had as
well close their battery-all the shot they fired at the
unhinching and unyielding Democracy of Smyth will
be lost.
sense to be gulled by Wing letters manufactured in the
city of Richmond, and will never suffer the slightest
infusion of Federal poison into their principles:
AN OBSERVER.
OF The Wing is requested 10 copy. o.
The undignifed attack Of Mr.. John L. Anderson
upon me, published in a late Enquirer, has created in
my mind both surprise and regret. ! have, until quite
recently, believed that Mr.. A. was 'more sinned against
than SHINING but the delusion is dispelled. His course
upon several important occasions, has been such as to
remove all doubt as to his position. He has ''gone
over'-utterlya abandoned his long-cherished political
principles, and joined himself TO the inscriptions op-
ponents of Jefiersonian Democracy. Some will lmpute
this step, on his part, to mortified vanity and dIsappoint-
ed ambition; with what truth, the public can Judge for
themselves.
His published remarks (Which the friends who sur
rounded me at the time thought unworthy of 4 rcply)
are little else than a series of ungcnerous ~cplthets, un-
supported assertions, and empty defamation, for which
iuttS tWul SHtiSllid 10 SoHiSh q otUiou ~ 10
unfortunate in using the expression "pompously pro-
mulged" in relation TO my remarks; even admitting
that it could be applied TO them with the least sem
blance Of Justice, as a two-edged sword will sometimes
cut both ways.-lt is not my intention to handy cpl
thets with the Senator from Botctourt; nor would /
condescend to do so with any man; but it appears to
me, thatsin speaking of me in the way he has done, he
seeks, as Sir VIM. Draper said Of, perhaps, as dstin-
guished a parsonage as this inflated Senator imagines
himself to be, sSpargere r0ceS in rulgum ambiguAS-
\ m rnicn curn,c,pp IN tho mind oftla paoplp'-bllf
suing the language of the same author, 81 hope that
my countrymenw will be no longer imposed upon by de-
signing men, who, bankrupts in politics, mean nothing
more than to involve the country in the same common
ruin with themselves"
Might | not ask, in turn, aoho is this mighty Senator
from the mountains, who seems so pulled up and in
fated; puts on such airs of superority-and affects TO
treat, with contempt, his brother Senators! The spec
tacle which he presents, in these amusing exhibitions
of himself, is really ludicrous. But it is not my de-
sign to descend to personalities with him. | have been
compelled to speak of him, as | have done, purely in
selEdefcnce.
The language OF my speech, as reported in the En-
ouircr, NAV not be precisely the same as that used on
the floor of the Senate: but the substance is preserved
with more than usual accuracy, as can be proved by re-
ferring to those who heard the remarks in question. 1t
is somewhat surprising, too, that Mr.. A. should take
upon himself so much labor in replying 10 that which
he declares to be unworthy of notice! This plea has,
however, been resorted to by greater men even than
Mr.. A., for not attempting to reply to arguments
which were unanswerable.
The documents referred to by Mr.. A. himself, sustain
the truth of my position, that one reason assigned by
the Conservatives for their supporting Mr.. Rives SO
zealously, was, that he was q friend of the Admlnlstra-
ton; that they had declared over and over again, that
they would abandon him at once, if they believed that
he intended to leave the Republican party, and affiliate
with the Federal Wings. This may be seen by the fol-
lowing letter, written during the session of the last Le-
gislaturc, by Mr.. A.. himself:
''The Senatorial election exctes some feeling. Its very doubtful
expressed his preference for Mr.. Clay over Mr.. Van Bmren. The
Conservatives held a meeting and unanimously determined, that If
there was any truth in these reports, they rouh drop Rtres; if they
were not trne, they would ,Sa a man ans sustain stan p h!n, and a under no no CIR.
party Immediately wrote to Rives, informing him OF the rImors in
promptly answered these letters denying these charges, assuring
us, that he had formed no connection with the Wing party, or any
member Of il, and did not intend TO do 20, which, together with
other information we have obtained, has satisfied all Of the Con.
servatives that there is not the least foundation for the charges
agans, him, and that they have originated with designing and in
tercsted politicians for political effect. M. Rdrss differs ruth the
and | ask how can those who agree with him on that subject, not
only consent that he shall he DESTROYED, but aid IN doing ii, and
thereby become the authors of their own infamy."
The Speech of Mr.. Fcnablc of Prince Edward is also
directly in point, where he assigns his reasons for be-
ing no longer a Rives Conservative, viz: that Mr.. Rives
had gone over to the Wings. No wonder Mr.. Ander-
son feels so sensitive on being forcibly reminded of his
"divorce' from the Democratic party, and faithlessness
to all his former professions. The able arguments and
developements of the Senator from Culpeper, shelving
incontrovertibly from MIR. Rives's letter TO a Wing in
New York, as also his declarations at Albemarle Court,
that he had Joined himself to Harrison and Abolition
Federalism, also "defincd the position of the Conser-
vatives, as manifested by the vote which had just been
taken. Mr.. Anderson is now, it seems, the champion
of those, who, formerly, when he and | were fighting
together, characterised him as sthe windy orator." and
were wont to heap upon him many other opprobious
epithets. l doubt not, however, that his recent con-
version to Whiggery, will furnish reasons sufficient for
them to convert him at once into a great mainland if
hattery be any rccompcnse for political regeneration,
I doubt not the gentleman will fully meet his rewaru.
With regard to the newly vamped story about my
having changed my politics, ! have only to say, that MIR.
A. has stopped beneath the dignity of a Senator to no.
tice il, and to assure him that he labors under a gross
misapprchension. | never was a Federal Wing; and
not only gave the lie to the charge, but proved it false
during my late Senatorial canvass-This unfounded
charge was brought against me BY the Federallsts, when,
six years ago, | was, for the first time, Eefore the peo-
pie, for a scatin the House of Delegates. then, when
the circumstances which gave rise to the charge, were
fresh in the memories of the people, ''defined my posi-
ton" to the entire satisfaction of the Democratic party,
and was elected by n very large majority over a very
popular and worthy gentleman, who was taken from
my own party, TO beat me, the regular Wing candidate
having been superseded for that purpose. The first vote
| ever gave after arriving at the estate Of manhood, was
in support of the administration of Gen. Jackson-my
first vote for President and Vice President was cast in
favor of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren, l
supported that Administration most zealously until the
Proclamation was issued, which | did not and could
not approve. l also objected TO the removal of the De-
posites. Subsequent reflection soon convinced me that
my impressions upon the latter subject were wrong
and | was no less prompt in proclaiming the fact, than
| was in denouncins the measure when l believed It
unwise and unjust. My views of the Proclamation,
however, remain unchanged to this hour, and my con-
stituents have always been aware of the fact. | ask
the Senator from Botetourt, if in all this, he was not
with me' We are now opposed to each other; who,
then, has changed Certainly not myself. Were there
any room for doubt on this point, it is efectually re-
moved by the declarations of MIR. A. himself, who
openly acknowledges in the note to his remarks, that
the Conservatives have changed their "politicaf rela-
tons" We now know where to find them; they have
at last the courage to show their hand in broad and open
day. Concealment is no longer the rule of Conser-
.Ata time when, if ] have been correctly informed, the gentle.
man thought our present Republican Chief Magistrate unworthy
of the support of Virginia, and took the stump on all occasions de-
nouncing Mr.. Van Buren, rs an arch and unprincpled intrlgner in
whom he had no confidence, and for whom he could not vote.