Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-02

any other course Will render dscord ineyi,a9le, ana
defeat probable ARlSTlDES.
January ], 1871.
CONFERENCE.-THE
VLNDIC4TIONof an .7mcriean Patriot.
If our virtues
Did not 60 forth Of us 'tweTe all alike,
As ii We had them moi. SIszsrEARH
The good name oil a public man is the common
property OF the people, and demagogues and ambitious
rivals may not be allowed to assai the fame OF ds'ln-
gushed patriot with mpunty. We do not mean to in
cucae resort to violent language to combat unworthy
and similar species ofsargumcnt; but we purpose 10
present. as an impenetraoc Ggis in righteous cause
to be defended the light of our own history and the
power of Truth These Legitimate succors, and in
IN honest cause be successfully used against poll
teal persecution because truth should be under
the control of Reason, which in Republic particular
w, should alone be the arbter in matters nvoly nG
treat questions affecting the rights OF eve
ry man, who is a component part OF the GoTernmen,
under which are secured all equal rights and equal
priyilcges. And while we must accord to the most
humble wood cutter of the forest right In call into
question the constitutonalty ofany proposed scheme,
as we do TO every public servant from the highest 10
the lowest in the different branches Of govern
mcnt-a "deccnt respect for public opinion should
prevent every from resortng to assertions as argu-
ments respecting the motives of public officer, that
cannot stand the test and the scrutiny that Truth alone
can bear.
| Did we wish 10 sustain the character of JOEL X.
PoissErr, against the insdlous assaults Of an active
politician Of Virginia in particular, we might adduce
the fact that had his patriotism been doubted, he
| could not have commanded the esteem and admiration
of the last President of the Revolutionary stock-we
mean JAMES MONROE, who devoted the blood OF his
YOUTH as we'll all his powers MS Statesman, to the
good of his country. We shall use no such aids But
we have right 10 revert to the session oil le2l when
the discussions of the Tariff had figuravely rendered
the Halls of Congress like furnace-a period Just
pror 10 his leaving the land Of his birth in enierbed
health not for the cnervatng climcs Of Italy and OF
France, but 10 70 10 our sister Republics ol South
America aud give Mexico, a. least, an earnest thai
Monrues solemn protest against tile interference oil
any foreign power those States was no IDLE vaunt,
when one of the chivalric South was again ready to
exhibit in his own self.devotion the sincerity with
which our people viewed their attempts 10 sustain the
rights of man in Soull America
Causes which Mr.. Ponsett could neither regulate nor
control his State however, deferred his dcpar-
ture to Mexico till the succeeding year. But III speech
of great power in the session mentioned Mr. ronse,t
predicted that the passage of the Tariff bill would be pro-
| ductve of much evil-of danger TO our political e1-
istence; that would create and foster hostile feeling
in the agricultural States against the manufacturing
districts and would excite strong feeling Of DIS
content in the South, 'ha lis execution would be re-
sisted hy every Constitutional means The bill passed
and il is not necessary 10 advert to the many and
conflicting opinions elected as to IT'S tendency IN dier-
ent sections of country, need say how stern
~ the cold Dominion looked upon her sisters Of the
East and the West for fixing, as IT were, upon her aud
her sisters of the South, 1.-The bill of abomlnations.
Poinsctt embarked, leaving the South pervaiing with
dissatslaction-b his departure exhibited III his own
person the prcponderance of SORROW not the peuance
OF anger He loved, indeed, the South much, but he
loved his country more-and he had counsceL modera-
ton TO her, though her planting interests shoald suffer
under the blight of unequal legislation, praciscd under
the forms and powers of the Constitution b. Congress,
II. admitted BY himself, however unjust and inexpe-
dent.
1t is necessary 10 sustain his character TO- patriotic
consistency to recite events too fresh in memories
and too painful sensibltes 20 be forgotten
He returned 10 the w. States still firm in his faith 10
the rights and duties of the South-as vel as what
was due 10 the integrity of the Union In Of his
patriotic appeals the substance of which given in
one of the newspapers Of the day, he is rcpocd
ing: 81 have contrasted in every country md under
every cline (or there few men living who hive
travelled more than Mr. P) ''ihc rrvaons lad suffer
nCs of the people of other nations with the blessings
and enioymcnts ofour own. know from what have
witnessed elsewhere, that this government dspenses
Of human happiness to those who live under it.,
than any other in the world however favored by heaven
and however free. know that it commands the re-
spcct of foreign nations and is the admiration Of all
who love freedom; that it example, and 4
model those who striving To establish free nstitu
tons and that whatever cndangers lis existence, puts
to hazard the liberties of the world Whprers- have
BEEN have felt proud III being citizen OF inns great
Republic and in the cmoes corners Of the earth have
wake erect and under the banner of our
try was in Me xico when that town taken by
sault The house ofthe American ambassador was then,
az ought be, the refuge Of the distressed and
prosecuted. 1t pointed out to the nfuriated SOL
dery Us place filled with their enemies. They rush
ed to the attack. My only defence the flag ofmy
country and il was flung out at the instant that hun.
drcds of muskets were leve)led at Mr. Mason IA
bravcr man never stood by his friend in ths hour of
danger) and myself placed ourselves beneath lis
ing folds, and the attack was suspended We did not
bench for we felt strong in the protecting of this
mighty republic. We told them tina, tn flag tina,
waved over us the banner OF that nation whose
example they owed their liberties and 10 whose protcc
ton they indebted for their safety. The scene
changed as by enchantment, and those who were
on the point of attacking my house, and massacrng
the Inhabitants cheered the flag of country, and
placed sentinels 10 protect il from outrage
The effects the Tariff of 1873 will long be remcm.
bered as preudically affecting the Soul in general and
s. Carolina IN particular Virginia, coinc ding in opinion
with Poinsett and others in his State, and South
ern patriots the floor of Congress, merposed, and
harmony and peace re.cstablished The compro-
mise bill subsequently passed, and every honest man
upholds it,
garded Justice and fair dealing towardsa political oppo-
nent the early part of this year, rs compare sys
tenn of organizing and dsciplinng the ma-brought
forward by Mr.. Ponsett in obedience = call of Con-
gress las expressed in his report pro orma addressed
TO the PresdenD-wth that despotic instituted oy
the miscalled "Proector who succeeded Charles the
First of England. And although orr own General
Wayne ever believed that the knowledge of menace
the part OF an enemy was sufficiently ian ,nrasion,
according 10 the spirit Of Constitution Justify the
calling out, and discipning the militia We, tho Virginia
politician unhesitatngly and unquafiedly, upon his
mere psc dirt, pronounced the scheme, upon first
blush, directly unconstitutional; and as necessary
coroafy, the protector Tor rather the mprover)
who would openly espouse to Congress the violation Of
the Constitution of his country! And this implied
charge has been circulated far and wide.
AS we remarked in the beginning Of this vindcation,
it is perfectly natural that there should be different OPT
Mons under form of government,- partcularly in
such momentous matters the kind of defence most
suitable for free people, and upon question where
the wsest and best Civilians have had their doubts,-
but surely it is expecting too much of the supposed
creduty of sagacous Americans when their eaelusire
instructors would persuade them that Joel R. Ponsett
had imbibed any of the vicious schemes Of Gait
line, Claudius, Cromwell.
A FREEMAN.
according d. Review hall passed through
Mr. Poinsett and penetrated a windowshutt
TO THE EDITOR OF TIE ENQUIRER.
Sr:-I send you the following remarks the