Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-05-29

addressed 10 him invitation to meet Gen. Baldwin;
but lest should fail in getting him, also address
ed invitations 10 Col. Mcdowell, MIR. VIM Taylor, and
Mr. Letcher OF ltockbrdge, and TO Col. Randolph OF
Albemare. Of these, Smith, Randolph and Letcher,
very kindly responded to invitation, and Mon.
day morning, the 18th inst, these gentlemen on
The ground ready TO do battle with the Wing cham
plon BY general consent, the task assigned to
the Hon. WIN. Smith; and to ADLER hands it could
have been committed BY previous arrangement be-
tween the parties, Gen. Baldwin to open the dis
cusson and to occupy two and half hours; to be fol-
lowed for the same length of time, by Mr.. SmIth-and
then for hour at time, long they pleased
This arrangement strictly observed. There was
large assembage of the People, by whom the Speakers
listened to with profound attention. and treated
with the greatest respect advert only to some of
the leading topics of discussion.
Gen. Baldwin dwelt with much yehemcnce and loud
yociie alton the topics usually urged by the Wings on
such occasions-ndignanty denounced excess OF party
and party that ought TO form
opinions of candidates for Office from the previous
acts of their lives and not from the principles political
doctrines they hold-deended the renegades from the
Democratic party, and rebuked severely this party for
Ieaping on them much obloquy for their desertion
TO the Wing ranks-extoed the military achievements
of Gen. Harrison TO the skes-atemped to answer the
objections urged against him-assailed with great vru
lence MIR. Van Buren,, his adhercnts and his admins
tration charged him with extravaganza corruption and
rpton-opened all the fsodgates of his eloquence
and his indignation, IN exccratIng what he called ms
Standing Army of 200 900 men-charged him and
the Democratic party with the intention of destroying
the credit system, and poured all the phlas OF his
wrath on the Independent Treasury scheme Upon
the whole, we had more Of powder than of baltimore
thunder than lightnng-much bold and reckless as.cr
ton and but little proof. In truth, have seldom
heard speech of greater noise and GLAMOUR and
have listened to which threatened much and
accomplished so little. General Baldwin, it is clear
is not in his proper vocation when making political
speeches.
The reply of the Honorable William Smith TO the
various topics discussed by General Baldwin was u
cid, eloquent, convincing, triumphant We had form
ed high opinion Of his powers public debater
but when came to hear him, were led TO ey-
claim as did the Queen of Sheba when she from
the far East 10 the glory and hear the wisdom of
Solomon, {" that the half had not been told us He
threw back most successfully as you know he could,
the mpudent charge OF party Explained the
only true and honest grounds which political par
tics ought to be formed and vindcaed, with great
force the proprety and the moral Obligation Of faith
fu adherence TO principles, and consequently to party
founded OH these principles. He plucked off the gau
DIV feathers with which General Harrison, the Jackdaw
of the Wing riy, sought 10 be decorated and left
him without glory as a military chieitan, and without
distinction as a statesman and proved him TO be
black rockade Fcdc ;as, by certified records from the
Senate Journal Of Ohio He nailed him to the wall
for voting for the sale of white slaves, and
cl;nced that nail by certified records, taken from the
Journal of the Territorial Legislature of the North
western Territory. This last quite to u.s. and
made deep impressions the minds Of our plain no.
nest sensible farmers and the mechanics. But what
was most needed here, and the thing in which he was
most successful was, in disspatng the miserable hum
bug of Standing Army. This weapon, which the
Wings have been using more zealously and perhaps
more successfully than any other in this county, he
turned against themselves most trumphantly by
showing that the scheme of the Secretary at War,
would he great relief rather than bu hen 10
the militia. This subject he made so clear, that,
am persuaded cannot hereafter be used to the dsad
vantage of Mr.. Van Buren, here. 1t was entirely I'M
necessary that he should maintain that this plan of
ranzinr the militia of the United States was the Sec
re,arys and that he alone responsible for il, and
that Congress be induced to carry this or
anv such scheme into executions; for he Showed most
conclusivey, thought that if were, in most of
lis provisions, carried into effect it would not only be-
net the country, but would relieve the people, in
great degree of the burthcn and annoyance Of the pre-
sent miserable system.
Upon the whole, this speech was powerful eloquent,
mastery, and allowed to be by the most candid and
intelligent Wings Not only was it powerful and elo-
auent but stirring, and highly exciting BY occasional
flashes of wit and appropriate anecdote to shake
the house with laughter and applause. The replica
ton Of Gen Baldwin generally allowed to be an
entire abortion; his and his reputation would
have stood better without it, Mr.. Smiths reply, which
occupied an hour, still happy, if possible,
thaa his first; he completely cleared away the thick
dust kicked up by Gen Badwns thunder, and left
clear atmosphere and bright sky
On the next day, the 18th, Col. Randolph and Mr..
Letcher addressed the people, in very able and appro
pirate speeches-the former full of useful instruction.;
aud when he touched on the subject of Abolition, his
remarks deeply impressive and truly eloquent
the latter eloquent Astounding with keen satire, and
much that was amusing sometimes defending his politi
cal friends and sometimes carrying the into Africa
His best effort, in opinion, was the contrast he
drew between the political opinions of Gen Harrison
and Gov. Tyler and in drawing this contrast, he cx.
posed most iorciby the recklessness of party who
supports heightened Fcderalist for the highest, and
Nulfer for the second Office of this great Republic
MIR Lccher with further experience and enlarged op-
portunitics WILL we think, make very distinguished
public speaker 1t was left TO them, however, only
TO CLEAN a field already fully rcaped. After the
speaking over, large number OF gratied Demo-
Gratis sat down to an excellent dinner, company with
our guests, in honor Of whom the dinner was got up,
and was furnished by Mr.. Van Pitt. Upon the whole,
this affair went off with the best feelings and in the f.
nest spirit OH the part of the Democrats, and the
Wings bore their Waterloo defeat, happy TO
say, in tone of manly philosophy We shall have no
challenges 10 public combat, but we shall still
have an active border and partzan warfare.
We hope the gentlemen who came so promptly 10
the rescue will find their reward in the consciousness
of having performed their duty to the cause orfrcedom
in the effective support they have rendered to the De-
mocracv of Rockingham and in the high qualification
their visit has gwen to the friends of Martin Van Blu.
rem For the doings of the Committee of Vigilance,
refer you the Rockingham Register to be published
this week. Very respectfully,
Your obedIent servant,
PEACHEY HARRISON.
Extract Of a letter from Orangr Navel
81 learned that Saturday last at Regmental