Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-26
IN SENATE OF FTRGLNIf-UondGy, January Is.
peech Of Mr.. TOD Of .iInlhcrS.

IIKGINj.3-.NUHi0u Is.
Speech If Mr.. TOD Of .iiaihcrs
on THE ELECNION OF A L. :. SENATOR.
Mr.. TOD said, he did not rise for the purpose Of max
ing elaborate speech upon the subject under consi-
Iteration indeed, it not his intention, when he en-
tered the Senate Chamber this morning. have parti-
cipated at all in the discussion. Not that he would be
understood to consider discussion unnecessary but he
had hoped that gentleman, better prepared than
himself would have performed the task which seemed
to devolve duty upon him. From what has been
announced the hand and conceded the other,
in another branch Of the General Assembly,
sonable 10 suppose that the time has at length arrived
when Mr. RiveS is to be reelected to the Senate Of the
L. StaesYes, he is to be be elected and not with
standing the people Of Virginia, the in reference
10 this matter of ali power and of all sovereignty, have
declared their will 10 be otherwise is useless for US
their representatives, longer oppose it. The deed is
TO be done-the sacrifice s be made-the debt is
due from the Wing politicians to Mr.. Rives, and
numerical majority in the House of Delegates, the
result of accident altogether, enables them to discharge
it. Under this state Of things, it might appear 10
unnecessary, that word should be uttered by the
members of the Republican party But, Mr.. T. said, il
did moi appear to him. lie deemed il due to his con.
stituens, and to the people Of the State, that they
should distinctly understand the position of this
eman who To be forced upon them against their will,
and the circumstances under which his election cf.
iected. The case Of Mr.. Rives presented most re.
markable phenomenon to the American people, md
certainly total departure from all precedent in Vr-
and his claims are, with unparalleled obstinacy, press.
ed upon the Legislature without any development Of
his principles. Yes said Mr.. T., his friends come
forward and demanded his election as right and not
only fail TO announce his principles but positively
fuse to respond interrouaiories touching his views
upon great and leading questions of the highest i'm
portancc II has been asked in another branch of the
Assembly and asked in vain, what his opinions at
this time in relation to the establishment Of Bank Of
the United States, the adoption by the General Govern
and the revival Of high Protective Tariff 1t
singular fact that u distinguished gentleman known
hitherto have opposed the election of Mr.. Rives,
had in his place in the other House, demanding to
be informed of the opinions Of Mr.. Rives upon these
great and leading constitutional questions, and pledging
himself to bis support, provided he received satisac
tory answer and strange to tell the friends of Mr. H.
were silent as death. Not word would they utter
in reference TO his opnions-not single intimaton
would they give of what would be his course of con-
duct, if elected to the SENATE They were still as the
grave Mr.. r. said he was not satisfied upon this sub
ect He trusted the friends Of MIR. r. in the Senlte
would feel disposed TO enlgh'en the people in regard
to his opinions He thought they mad right to de-
mand it, and in their name, and under their autho-
rity, he demanded to know what were Mr. Kives OPT
Mons upon the subject of National Bank; upon the
Tariff Internal improvements, and in relation 10 the
distribution of the proceeds of the Public Lands. II
would not do for gentlemen to tell him that Mr. Rivess
heretofore upon these subjects ought 10 be salts
factory. IL was well known W Tue
Riyes had changed his position in relation to the two
great parties in the nation; that these parties were
formed reference to these identical questions IN part
al least, and there every reason 10 ihier ln MS
change of POSITION that he had undergone total revo-
luton of principle. If it so, he wished the people
to know it, and therefore he demanded to know what
are the views of MIR. Rivcs in relation to these ques
tons at this time what likely TO be hs course IN
reference to them, should they be agltaled IN me
national councils during his term OF service. u was
known that Mr. R. had bygone days, distinguished P
himself an opponent of National Bank But wnal
change has come over the spirit of his dreams He
has declared tina, between the Independent Treasury
system and National Bank, he would pause ana ne.
state long before he would give his vote There every
reason to believe, and he supposed NO man doubted y
that in such issue he would go for the Bank W"no
such an issue necessarily crisc Did any man be
eve for moment, that the pet Bank system could ever
be revived in this country Did any man believe tia
would ever be seriously thought of?-A system, when
was denounced in its ncipiency by the party win
which Mr. R. acts, and which, in its explosion and
total failure had satisfied its original friends and pro-
ec,ors of its utter iuefcency fiscal agent for the
government Does any man, said Mr. T., can any mar