Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-04-09
W. CT IVES.

We publish in another column, a letter signed
by snndty crzens of Winchester. nosr Of whom
we're recently supporters OF Mt Van Buren, inviting
MI RIves 10 parake OF public dinner in that place
the 18Th iusr. roctthe, w,.h the manly aud eo
quen' rep'y Of thai gentleman. O,e let, adver ed
10 III than ondenre deSerr.s tie sober consid
Grafton oil very ienecnc NAN aticuiarIy of those,
al both parles, Who seem DISPOSED 10 attribute Mr..
Rives's 20 In selfish al Il amb,..ous rloves. 1t
Is ths-thaI NJ Rves, when he determined, in his
own en platte a. IN p,ess We language 10 serre his
country railie llauotey las pariy instead Of throw
ing himseifinto the ANS ol swimming majority,
WHO ght have rev aided his "aposiacy" and "uea-
SON., il is called, with high Office absolutely sa.
cr'hrcd tie most brilliant lno>pccis.--tamp'mg up
on selfish and ambitious Considerations, thugs OF
no weight when compared with tie interests Of The
people, witch he believed 10 be endangered. and
Win lie safety OF our free institutions which lie be-
hcyed TO be usdonsy assailed lfhc bad regarded
his own political rronilon, the path Of subserrcncy
would have been. 10 linn, the road To Byzaniium.
Did lie desire lie cleo ion to the Senate! He had
only To give pledge 10 "suppor Mr.. Van Buren,"
and Two years ago, that dies would have been era.
tifed. Did lie desire TO bask in the sunshine Of Elk.
country He had only TO sg,ee to ''sink o, SWIM"
with the man whose elevation he had so material.
ly contributed, and whose Administration he was
anxious 10 support, aud the field Of selection was
open him. Any Office in the eff Of the President.
he could have comn anded-A Home Department
or Foreign Embassy might have been MS. had he
but slgn6rd his ngns IS 10 accept the one OF the
other. But he spurnrd the idea purchasing dis
lnclion by The sacrifice of personal homer and pa
riotlc obligation. The Senatorial robes, or ihc
trappings of Executive favor would, under such cir
cumstances have been the badges Of the
emblems Of iniamy. He disdlned to contan,inate
his hands with the base bribe. As an old Revolu-
onary General said 10 the emssaries of King George,
said Mr.. RIvcs 10 the tools Of Martin Van Blu
ren: Rich as your kiag may be, he is TOO poor to
purchase NE, !" Aud yet. in The face of this noble
sell sacrifice, he is declared be selfish In view
of tbs utter contempt Of ligh station when the al
tan1eut Of 1t could only be secured by his support
of men whose measures he believed to be alike cn.
mlnal and runeus, he is SAID to be influenced by
ambition With these tvlde ces of devotion To- his
County lnl before u.s. he is denounced as an Apes
tate and Traitor. hired pens-by pen5oned cic,ks
who feeding at the public Glib. and who can
!
than by assailing man who leo incorrulible TO
be purchased by his countt,'s "spos," and too
courageous to be driven from his position BY the
thunders of My Lord Pipe, echoed aud echoed
by all his priests aud cardinals. We appeal 10 Tie
old friends Of Mr.. Rves, who, whatever tlley may
thnk Of hlm rs politician, know HIM 10 be an
honest man-whether they will counenance and sus.
tam. by their votes. that unn,any and virdictlye
spun Of persecution ard intolerance aud abuse of
which he has been the unc'asing object thong h not
yet, thank Heaven, the proslrale victim The
cords and The sttke have, it is tue be, n prepared
the iaggols hive been htaped around it, aud the
i'millars Of the luonslinn have so d by with light
ed torches ready and eager kinde the sesrliclal
il'me. Bat, AS yet, tie piedtsrln,d victim is un.
houhd aud fee. Executive vengeance is not vet
omnipolent. The arms Of IA free people, IN defence
oil whose fgats aud interests and Liberties Mr. Riyes
has provoked tins fierce Storm of Official w,ah vel
shelter him from its fury. And they wH protect aud
sustain HIM as long The glorious principles o.
10 CONTINUE To animate and warm their hearts.