Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-05

to maintain The independents o; tie legislative par
mcnt resolve themselves:
But adopting Tor the sake If Argument tie :'an,i-
bic assumption, that his objection 10 speak "ui aTosc
from apprehension that he might nc charged VITA
desire to c3nciatc partI2an support ny proer :" h's
opinions. (Which believe who can-cred0i J1dGns .fr-
pcila, cgoD how does the case no" stand lie =
still Senatorial candidate as much as he ever was and
the election of members of the Leg stature t. whic
the choice is TO be made approaching 1t Is indeed
,rnc, that he Will have TO vote for an electoral tck.'
before that Legislature meets but what IS there ~ MS
position in this duty which requires that the act
should be preceded by letter Of ten columns, lraugit
with arrumensatvr and iuilamnatory appeal IN pc
half of of the candidates and IN opposition 10 Inc
other; appeal WHICH shall hereafter show, deli
beratey alsliies history and is throughout bSiSehh-
ons and deceptive: Why suddenly break his Inyse-
rous reserve, after having been tastid"us on the
point of political etiquette if it be not To earn The
support of the friends OF one of the candidates. ana
TO win it, too, by an extent and depth OF prohi'
gacy AT which virtuous mind would shudacr But
let us follow this arfu dipomatst little further IN
his willy track lie deemed ii, torsooh, umhccomns
in him. political prudc he is, 10 avow his OPINIONS
upon the presidential question which his name was ne
fore the Legislature FOR that high Office Dare he face
the better knowledge and honest feelings of the people
of Virginia, and deny tina, he had made the Wing por-
ton of the Legislature and the State understand per-
iecty what was his determination with regard 10 me
Presidential election, before the election Of Senator
came up That he had done through private letters
and conversations the Courthouse, and the thousand
roundabout ways and ohlique channels through which
crafty makes TO reveal his purpose and to al
tain his object, when there is danger in speaking out
plainly and taking the open field will have the
lardhnpd 20 deny. Will he any of his friends pre-
tend, that the matter not well understood then
as now: Why, his new organ, the Richmond Wing,
which for "driving him naked through the world,
and applying ga whip of scorpions 10 his bare back,
laughs to those who have pretended to doubt his
position for the last twelve months. He had snbstan-
italy submitted TO The naughty terms of capuatlon
imposed upon him by the iInpcrIous Leigh lie was
good enough Wing for the bitter Richmond iactlon.-
He had secured tcm for the very pregnant reason, that
| they had secured him. Good enough Wing, did We
saw With the ardent anatIcism of new convert he
went far beyond his associates, and added to their zeal
the oum McOogiicnm, the sectaran luminosity Of he
rrtical bacssIlder. lie was more Royast than the
King.
Or will he attempt TO himself from the charge
of Inconsistency, BY alleging that II was only TO
formal and public avowa that he objected; II his
private communication should have been equally frank
and explicit To both sides That this, however, Is
what he intended 10 avoid and by this practice
fraud upon his former political associates, is PLAIN as
proof of HOLY Writ The letter his friend Funainc
ducd at Castle Ill., on the 9th January establishes
this fully, that it would not be in the power of the
most ingenious diplomatic casuIst, were nc lallyerand
or Mettcrncli, To explain II away cover ltup. Mr.
Greeycr an honest nan, and a representative from
Smvh county, Is well others also, il bclrev
cd felt himself under obligation 10 his constituents 10
vote for Mr.. Rvcs, long that gentleman did not
furnish uncGuvncul evidence that he In the
reelection of Mr.. Van Buren, Mr.. Rivrss letter 10
his friend in New York IN which he wished success TO
the Harrisburg Nomination. was published without au
ihorty II reached Richmond Al critical pcrind.--
To the Wings it supcriluou> but with men, III the
position Of MIR Grccvcr, il might prove fatal. How
Was this biunacr 10 BE- rcctcd: The dplolnatist was
put his irumps, but not long without eXpcdl
cn misve instantly despatched to his convenient
friend Mr Senator Fonaiuc, be shown to Mr.. Gree
YER in winch is set forth, that the y. York letter was
,, ,,I tlIat ua
IA full belief that the intrigue in New York 10 substitute
Gen Scott for Mr. Clay of which the armed neutral
was fully advised, would lie successful; that General
Scott. native of Virginia, in whose military character
the State felt pr!dr, and whose political principles
were substantially unknown he certainly willing
10 sustain but that he had then idea that General
Harrison would he the Wing candidate leaving 10 MIR.
Greeyer the ready inference, that between the latter
and Mr. Van Buren,, Mr. Rivcs had not yet taken his
ground. And mark, in passing that at This very
mcnt, Mr. Rivts had as fully determined to support
Harrison as h has done and had probably prepared,
al least the topics, of the ettcr-which is under
review for h. is what the English call slow coach.
II we have not rightly interpreted his motive. why
the Fontnc letter written at all; OF what other i'm
porance the distinction suggested II not Tor the
opporun- differences, which II was doubtless supposed,
a few parole limitations from the political gobetwecn
would strengthen and render erctua!' 1t Mr.. Gree
yer had been the lax or duh he supposed to
be- the scheme would have been successful tie would
have been furnished with plausible excuse TO his con-
stituentS and put IN possession oil document whcli
would have enabled hun to blunt the point of the y.
York letter If il had ever been brought up udg-
rncnt against HIM Eu unfortunately for tn" proiiI@ate
device, plain Mr. Grccvcr proved 10 be an honest man.
he saw through the bandage which was placed over his
eyes IN the shape OF letter from Castle HILL lie re-
pclled with scorn the advances that made TO him,
and although he had the day before voted for Mr..
Rivcs throughout, he renowned his farther support
and true man he is, publicly declared his for
the CHANGE 1t IS hard tn deceive upright man, If
. lint trus tn the Sll,lun of
readily cheated requires little spice of rognery
hate when bolt her arguments,
And has tongue 10 check her pride.
But why trouble ourselves harass the public with
an examination of the motives which have induced
{ Mir Rvcs Ia do that which he refused to do be-
fore: that IS to tell the people, whose confidence he
sought what his opinions upon great public qu"s-
ton which agtates the country from extremity to
the other; We have already spent too much time IN
tracing the wndings of his snuous path in unravcl
linz the tangled web which the willy diplomatst has
been two years in weaving We therefore liascE TO
the close of the present number, promising that the
following ones will not be- extended. Mr.. Rvcs
was no longer free agent in the matter, and had no
longer any thing gain BY concca!mcnt. That is the
whole truth, in vcry few words TO carry ms point
with The present Legislature he had TO steer so close
10 the wind that his sails had been torn 10 tatters,-
To obtain the votes of Wings, who his deadly
personal enemies, and between whom and himself
there had been fuds which were naturally supposed
20 be unappeasable he had been Obliged to make
laons and to excite expectations which did not leave
him cover of the size Of fig leaf to mask his naked
deformtv There no longer Democrat in the
State whom his aposacy was not apparent in all its
hideousness He had made his last draft upon the
duy of his former associates and it had been dsho
nored He had carried his faithful squires in the
two Houses the election of Governor, plumPly into
the Whiu ranks He stood before the country known
and detected desericr from his principles and his party
What motive in the name Of common could he
have for affecting farther conceolmcnt, fit were
possible: But he had, the contrary, every nccn-
tive disappointed ambition, hear!eating ranconr con-
scious and irretrcvabc loss of bright prospects, and
worse STILL of high character aborvely sclfdegradcd,
10 stimulate hiss vndictive malice The last shot which
remained in his locker while ranging himself openly
on the side of the enemy the conflict which RACES
fercey he discharges at the generous friends by whom
he had been cherished and elevated and whom, viper