Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-06
To rHE EpIrsss OF rnE Vino.
nEDIrnI IOaN A. m


Iendeavored in your last paper to show in a few
words. the exceedingly preposerous attitude Of the
Senate, in assuming to decide when the House OF
Delegates was, or was no, ready to proceed in the
performance Of its constitutional functions. | do
not now propose to add any thing on tina, point
IL Is one OF that sort Of questions, which, when
'airly stated, is fully argued Il eanno, and does
not encounter any doubts or difficulties with any
right-minded man.
But supposng the question not to be clear: Then
what are the reasons of this "checkmating" pro
cess, which they have chosen to adopt According
to their logic, thirteen hundred ma ory out Of nine
~ thousand votes in Virginia, were given to Mis-.
ter Martin Van Buren,, and therefore the State be-
longs 10 Mr. Van Buren,, not only whilst he lives,
but alter he is dcsd-l is his and his heirs forever
Although driven from office az never was President
driven before-in very whirlwind Of public indg-
nation-although by the confession OF his faithful
servior, the Editor o. the Richmond Enquirer, he
has given us his expiring melody, and 'swan- like !"
sung out in his last, his Sweetest s,rains"-yet,
Virginia, because unfortunate enough to have been
hand-cufted at the door of the living, now TO be
chained at the grave Of the dead chi,itan. Suppo-
sing her to be SO infatuated in her devotion tho
sweet little fellow" that she courts with the devo
tedness OF the Hindoo wife, the honour Of perishing
upon the funeral pile Of her defunct lord.
But "eut bonei" For what end is this perpetual
Van Burcn organization TO be kept upl Is Van in
tne heio LOT aho'her racer Or, arc the scattered
forces to be kept together, order the more
venient fulhlmcnt Of that secret but detected ar.
rangement, which promised that Virginia should in
time be handed to the of the "honest null
liner" whose cooperation with the overthrown fac
ton, could be procured only on the pledge, that
events should be so ordered, 10 nbre 10 his bens
mr. Let me tell the consprators in this scheme that
though their attention is turned only TO cloud
IN the West (Which, by the way, is visible to other
eyes than their own, and TO them will prove no
.La.sr .l
in the end, from other quarters, difficulties, which
they have not yet measured or imagined. But am
getting off from the subject.
Thirteen hundred majority were given for Mr..
Van Buren,. How is this majority made upi When
the Legislature has decided the contested election
now depending from Madison county, it will under
stand something about that; an il there were a few
more contests between the brethren themselves, re-
presenting the strong Van Buren, counties il would
be found, that not only thirteen hundred but more
than twice that number OF illegal votes were polled
on that side. But suppose the whole election was
conducted with perfect fairness: This ihirteen hun
dred was given very nearly in n single county Of
the tenth legion"-and by the operation of the
general ticket system OF voting for electors OF Presi
dent and Vice President, it weighs down the ma
jorlties OF some twenty or thirty Wing counties.
But IS u according TO the meaning intention Of
| the Constitution OF Virginia, that mere numbers
without any regard to interests, shall prevail in the
appointment oil U. S. Senatots1 Not at all-Nor
the Senators Of any State in the Union appoint
! cd on any such principle. Our Senators are APP
pointed by pertors who not the representatives
OF mere numbers, but OF numbers and interests
combined. Eastern Virginia has in this matter
power beyond her relative numerical strength and
she has 1t in consideration of the preponderance Of
that very interest, which both the Federal and her
own State Constitution recognize forming legi
| innate part Of the basis Of representation.
Whether this be right wrong il is the law, and
all good men should respect il. Yet we find East
ern Senators, not content with obstinate disre-
gard of that part Of the Constitution which requires
them go into the election of Senators TO Congress
but actually justifying this neglect Of duty by an
argument which tends TO the practical notification
of that principle which their constituents in
sisted upon adopting, as great fundamental princ-
pie of the Government and Of special protection TO
themselves.
Take the counties and districts las represented in
the General Assembly, which did actually vote for
General Harrison, and by this rule, as a mere party
question, the Senatorial candidates favorable 10 Har
rson would be entitled TO a majority of some TWEEN.
~ or thirty votes on joint ballot. But Oh no, says
Southampton, my county. 1t IS true, voted for Har-
rson, but there is the "tenth les;onr which went
the other way. Mine, says Dinwiddie, voted for
Harrison, hut the Hopkins District" went the
other way by very large majority, and | am too
good Republican to disregard the opinions of my
political friends IN the counties OF Washington and
Tazewe!l. Such are some Of the beauties Of mo-
dern Democracy! Its champions are wonderful
men for the instruc iors Of their consituents-but
whenever their constituents decide agains, them
they have marvellous faculty for hunting up ano-
Their constituency.
The apology Of waiting for tho settlement Of tho
contested elections Of the lower House, is amusing
enough when offered by these gentlenIen-for il is
not forgotten that most or all of them expressed
most holy horror Of the same reason for delay when
urged last winter by another party. And there is,
besides, this difference IN the cIses-It was last
year urged by the House of Delegates itself-un-
dou btedly the proper judge-and there were but
two contests, and they admitting Of easy and rapid
adjustment; whist at this time there are so many,
that, in all human probability, the Legislature will
be compelled to adjourn before it can possibly dis
pose OF them.
One year says or il il could have spoken, would
have said 10 the House-"Genilemen, you are per-
iectly ready, though you say you not" The
next year, when the House informs them that il is
ready-"Oh, no, gentlemen, you not ready and
We cannot permit you 10 proceed"
Those entertaining less Difference for the Senate
than myself, have charged that their real object has
been TO gain time, within which TO strike a bargain
with some Wing, who might prove knave enough TO
be made an instrument IN the hands OF his political
adyersaries, and who has personal friends enough
added TO their strength, TO carry the ecclion-nnd
thus, by venal and corrupt compact defeat the
wishes, the we'll known and undoubted wishes of
ninety out of hundred Of all the Wings in Viz
ginia and the unanimous wish of all the Wings of
the other twenty-five States.
IL such has been the object, has there not been
time enough to carry it out? High Democratic au-
thority affirms that there has been no difficulty in
finding Wings whose zeal to serve their country
would readily carry them 10 the length Of serving
the Democrats, rather than hide their lights under
bushel-but the same authority asserts that the
little contribution Of personal influence was rather
too short. These accommodating gentlemen they
represent TO DC very clever and nice fellows but we
nre told they "eanr quite reach h.n
For my own part, do no, believe that any Whig
OF standing will consent to such an arrangement
first, because his principles will forbid il, If he is
honest; and secondly because, il he has any sense,
his judgment will condemn 1t as mpolit.c.
A REPUBLICAN,.