Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-05-03
RICH MOND:
MONDAY MORNING.. NAY 1871
Coz. Se,oard's Reply to Mr.. Potion.

| oop. separds Reply 10 Mr.. Patton.
| We hnd in the New York American this long.
delayed document, and transfer il to our column,
MS Excelency assumes a lofty tone, and with
some Just reflections mingles much sophi,,rv.-I,
Is evident, that he finds himself in false nos;,;o,
IN respect to the abstract question in CONTROVERSY
and he studies to throw that out of view bv p,ess.
ing the informali,y Of the demand and the insuf6
cheney OF the evidence to convict the negro thieye,
oil the crime alledged. Had he based hi, refusal
upon THIS ground in the beginning, the unpleasant
and Improbable controversy had never arisen
But he alleges IN justification excuse of hi, cours.
the easerness exhibited by the acting Governor.
thopklns) for discussion of the abstract point
ana SAID acting Governor, being less wise than CHI
Various opened with such a ridiculous dissertation
upon the law OF nations and absurdities generally
ana presented such fair mark, that Seward could
no. resist the temptation to use him up Seward
dia '~is' him ABOUND his finger like wetrag. In
lhis condition, Gov. Gilmer found the controversy
heiorthwith abandoned the untenable and nonsen.
seal positions Of Hopkins, abou, the Law of M.
tons and all that and brought the oblisa,;ons oe
'ne ederal compact to bear directly upon his ad.
versay. Seward soon found he had n very d,ff.r,n,
individual TO deal WITH who understood The emn,;.
" ~ 'NiSS anu hSuIeS, anu could WELD the
club OF solid argument effectually as he could
But being committed, and witha aconcei,ee. win.
glorious man, he would not retract. but aound.rsd
on from one absardity to another, shifting his pos
ZION and incorporating the facts Of the case-un-
III al length, he has run the cycle of contrad;c-
housekeeping important points, which he coneed
ed eeiore-and which, if he had denied At frs,
would have obviated all difficulty.
In the letter before us, there are manv
obnoxious to just censure. OF this character i, III.
following
The Executive Of this State, would be faith.
Tess 10 the spirit of its constitution and laws Il h.
DID not MAINTAIN that all men, of whatever me o.
condition, are men, and OF right ought TO be free.
men," ~ " ee
The mad leaps Of South Carolina could no,
utter more arrant absurdity than this. Does not
uo'. seward take an oath to support the eons,itu-
non OF the United States Is he not bound IN re-
spect that oath and to maintain the constitution os
the United S'ates2 Does not that constitution re-
eosn'ze men who are not freemen7 Does il not
guarantee the institution of slavery within The
slave holding States7 Even Garrison and Ri,cbi.
admit this. One knows not whether IN asc,hs
such an exhibit OF unmitgated folly to obliouitv of
intellect or something worse
But we indulge the hope, that all the evil which
can arise from this prOhtess contest, is past Con-
gress should at It's next session amend the net of
49, SO as TO make Imperative upon Federal officers
alone TO execute Federal laws in this PARTICULAR
mat wi" put an end to this, and prevent any future
controversy OF the kind from arising