Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-01

III.
w"nld enable Tia" House to do So He EXPRESSED his
view ~ t!ir Importance of making clection-no.
thh5 sh"r' OF an lpos>iblty should prevent it, NEST
Important objection {" ndonrning without an election
was the precedent thereby set, precedent which he
deprecated strongly.
MT ENABLE was opposed to the proposition for post.
pcn"mrnt. He had rather 90 for an indefinite post
P"n' nrnt Every member of the Assembly was pre-
sent. Inc Democratic party in the minority, and
could mol make an election. The Wing party had
majority and could make election and he wished
!" throw The responsibility upon them OF making an
election, or p"sponing It indefinitely. Fit post
pcncd, an election would depend npon chances, re-
lance upon which he deprecated
Mt. STEPHENSON came here TO vote for Mr.. Riyes
because he had the independence when he had the
oices IN the rift of the Executive AT his command to
resist Executive dictation. Mr.. II. was not his first
choicc, but he took HIM hecase he had maniully stood
up against Executive authority, which had assacd the
rights and dignity OF the States, through tia Senate.
Bnt ne was willing 10 take any other candidate. He
spoke oi the Importance of making electon-and
was wiling to postpone until tomorrow, TO give time
for deliberations
Mr. BrYLY did not mean to vote upon the question of
postponcmcnt-Thc relation he bore towards the two
great parties III the House prevented him from doing
so. lhry might make their own arrangements. He
knew IT would be the interest Of ~ politicians in hun
drcd TO accuse HIM of defeating election. He should
proudly disdain to answer the accusation But he
wished it distinctly UNDERSTOOD that it had been
IN his power to make election but Yesterday He
dad not then do and had he done it, he should have
incurred personal dishonor lie rrioced now, that
that time passed, and that his vote could not
make an clcction-he glad that the temptation
removed from him. He further proceeded % allude TO
the attitude he sustained towards his constituents and
the grounds he took before them at the last election.
Mr. CRorrER had voted for MIR. Rivcs, because he
thought he was the only available candidate, and be-
cause he would be thorn in the side of the Admins
tration-hc anxious to give that party dosc-and
for that lie voted for VIM. &. Rives He assured
he would be supported by his constituents in his
Il was that party which had dragged from the Senate
of the United States of the distinguished sons
of Virginia
MIR. BAyLY replled-and among other remarks, asked
his colleague, (Mr. Cropper,) who the Senator
they had dragged from his seat
Mr.. CRnrrER said that they would have dragged
him from his seat, (lr. Legh,) if the party had pos.
scsscd the power TO do it.
Mr.. BAYLY | merely asked who that Senator was,
that mi ht remind my colleague who the nstru-
mcnt, (Alr RIvcs,) by whom that party triumph was
effected.
Mr. TuSsr>Ir admitted that he did not condemn
the course of the gentleman from Accommodate even
admired the spirit with hch he adhered to his posi-
ton; but he hoped, that after little tTc and with
effort, the fragments of the Wing party might he
united 1t n vain and useless effort, however To
be going TO call the House again and again. 1t
mere child play 1t was impossible to effect election
with the candidates before the Housc-N1r T. sad he
could Devil from postponcment till Wednesday.
This idle call OF the roll only wasted the time of
the Commonwealth, and dSqIalcd and untitled us for
any kind of business
Mr.. MCRAE regarded the election of Senator para
nounsto the election of individual. If a Wing
was presented to him. he would vote for him. He was
for posponng the election for the present He hoped
that conference out Of doors might enable them
Stunning the subject to effect election.
Mr.. RIDLEY was surprised al the arguments of those
who III favor of posponng. If he were not
mistaken, every gentleman who had spoken for post
ponemen, had indicated his willingness 10 vote for
Wing Why, then, did they not put Wing in nom
nation: Why not nominate to-day, as well as defer It
I'LL Wednesday: Or, are gentlemen waiting to resort
TO the patent machinery of n Caucus TO work out
minee; But cannot gentlemen throw out some barrel
10 the shark; Can they not, by some nomination or
other feel the pulse of the lIouscAs for HIMSELF he
said he here To vote for Mason; and his last vote
would be for him But BE- called upon other gentlemen
to make good their professions and nominate Wing.
He called upon them TO show their hand. No caucus
for him-and let him say hnt he believed two-thirds of
the gentlemen who had voted for Mr. Rvcs, had acted
from sheer policy alone.
Mr.. McRAE asked the gentleman from Southampton,
if Mr.. Mason had not been nominated By cancms:-I
For himself he confessed he saw no objection in con-
errng with his political associates, 10 know who was
the candidate that they ought 10 bring forward
Mr.. BAYLY 10 make an additional explanation:
He had said that he would consider i, personal dis
honor TO vote for Mr.. Rivcs-not from any personal
feelings against that gentleman; but because Of an cs
vote for him, he would sacrifice every principle which
he had held dear.
Mr.. CmarM IS said, that they now had before them
state of Things which they had scarcely ever witnessed
beforc-cvcry man in both Houses in his seat. If
we cannot make an election now, what is TO he done
Are gentlemen waiting TO throw the responsibility of
indefinite pcsiponcncnt upon the other party They
had tried the experiment Of voting for two days and
they found themselves unable to make any election.
He would under such circumstances the respcn
.,hi1 ,f nryun InIpf
would never consent TO risk election IN smaller
House, when some mcmhcr might happen to be SEX
and some are already threatened to be detained BY such
a cause. Let then indefinitely postpone ii; send it
back 10 the People, and let them decide it, since we
cannot, when every man was III HIS seat.
Mr. SouTHALL said. sto this complexion then we
must come last; and indeed he iorcsaw from the
signs of Yesterday that this motion would be made
But after trying only days to effect an election are
we now willing abandon every effort 10 send it back
to the People and TO rc-cxcitc already agatcd coun
try; The proposition itself calculated TO startlc
us Are we really devoted TO party, that we must
overlook the best interests of the State: and because We
cannot get the who would please every appetite
will we make no choice at ALL and return commits
sions to the people, AID tell item cannot do their
work: Are we to send it back to them, that may
again raise the cry of 'ro the Polls To the Polls
Are we all 10 do, as the gentleman from Southampton
declares himself determined to do nail the flag TO the
mast and 90 down with it, lie advcrtcd with some
which the gentleman and his friends Ind themselves
freely cmpovcdand he added, that he and his friends
had taken the candidate that they thought could be
elected Senator If that selection unavalling let us
have an armscc for few days, order to review the
ground re organize orr forces and bring another can
didate in the field. He great public inconve-
nience from postponng the election but for few days.
bnt if gentlemen were determined to nail their flag to
the mast the House might be compelled, or mcccsSitate
rel 20 postpone the whole election. He begged his
tn
Indictment and his excellent heart; take down his flag
for few days. and look about for some other nd'v
dual who might the State, besides John l. Ma
;,
Mr. CRrronrrELn opposed to the motion He
asked for some little time to review the ground on which
they stood He surprised at the course taken by
the gentleman from Mcrroe, Did he not some time ago
press upon the House the importance of making an
election Did he not urge the necessity OF proceeding
to make il, whilst the House asfull rs it cold be
expected TO he-But now, when the House was as full
as it could possibly he: whilst every man was IN his
seat this the time TO arrest every effort to make an