Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-03-11

paper is prepare the legislative aduncts ofthe new
Administration to adopt them.
CORRESPONDENCE
Washington City, Feb. %, 1871,
4 To Mr.. Vas BrRrs,
President of the United States
i SIR The undersigned Democratic members of the
Goth Congress- in common with others Of their fellow
citizens your political friends, anxious to have
departure from Washington City; and for that pur
pose, invite you to accept public dinner such day
as may suit your convenience about the time of the ad
journment Of the present session of Congress.
Occupying position TO have been close observers Of
your conduct both public and pvate-witnesses of the
ability patrio,sm frmness aud dsnteIestedness with
which you have pursued the straight path of the pub
lie good-approrlng The great measures and principles
of your Observation-Disclosures the frankness and
6ecorum Of your personal drporment in all the trying
scenes through which you have passed-and entertain
nr for you the highest degree OF respect and esteem
the undersigned could not reconcile it 10 their feelings
To separate from yon without soliciting opportunity
of giving public and formal expression 10 the sen-
men,s Of respect, confidence, and appreciation with
4 which Your conduct has inspired them
The undersigned know full well that IT has not been
your custom to accept public dinners, public marks
of respect Of any knd-,hat yonr ann has been 10 dis
charge the duties and avoid the honoTs Of your
allied station and that nothing could be more agrcca
bic your feelings than TO leave the high office
which you have filled, with the same modest, nolseess,
and unambitinus steps with which you entered upon
but they hope that you may fnd in the circumstances
Of the present OCCASION inducement for departing
from general rule, and that your friends may have
the qualification which they have asked, oimeetng you
at public dinner.
We have the honor to be, Sir, most respectfully,
your friends and fellow citizens,
4 w H. Rnanp, a. Anderson, Daniel Surgeon A.
4 III. Sewer, II. NJ. Young, c. {. Clay, John NJ. Ro-
bnson, Henry Hubbard, W. Allen, Perry Smith, a.
O. P Nicholson, Benz. Tappan, w. 5. Fulton, A.
| / :, n Rpn
son Lumpkn, Lewis +. Linn Carrot d. Wall, Jas.
Buchanan, Sas Wright, Jr., Franklin Pierce, Renei
! Williams, Robert {. Nicholas, John Nnrvell, Andrew
, Berne, John W. Davis, Geo. {. Dromgooc, G. W.
Hopkins, Francis f. Rves, J. W. Jones' G. Swee-
ney, Linn Banks, Lewis Steenrod g. Il. Samuels,
r William Lucas Walter Coles, Joseph Johnson, II.
r Swearingcn Thomas Davee, A. Smith, II. J. Ander-
son, Virgil ID. Parris Nathan Clifford J. \. Lowell,
John B Weller John jameson, W. Blackwell,
Andrew W Doug, A. G. Brown, Philip +. Thomas,
! JAS Carroll, Cow Hemblr, A. handicapped, Edward
Rogers Thos jackson, jan e. Floyd, Judson Allen,
| S. B. Leonnrd, John H. Prentss, A. &. Hand 7. Il.
Strong. Edmund Bnrkr, Ira \. Eastman, J. W VIII.
liams Tfis,ran Shaw, G. G. Aher,on, J. D. l.. Mon
tanya, Henry ". Conner, Jas ]. NJ Kay, Jno. Miller,
Geo. NJ. Kern, Chas Mcclure, Geo. alcCuoch, Sa.
mucl W Morris, r. II. Hammond Edw. Cross, Arkan-
sas David Wagner, Robert Craig Sol lillen, Jr.,
John DAVIS Of Psnnsyl vania, Isaac let, Peter New
E hard, ID. A. Sarkweaher, John Hastings, VIII am
; Beatty j. Smith, WIN Dnan, A. Duncan, R. 3 Rhctt,
+ Ja.n Reynolds, Thomas ID. Sumter }. A. Bynum, Jno.
Galhralh Joseph K", r. Chapman of Ala, Charles
Fisher, John X. Griffin, w. o. Batter, Hopkins J..
Turney, ID xnn ii Lewis, J. t. IT, Warrington, ). II.
Butler, ] Thompson, Isaac +. Crnry, w. w. Wick,
Thomas Smith, Jonathan Taylor, VIM. Parmcnter, II.
Williams, Isaac Fletcher l. Pnynrer, ID. F. Lradhet-
Ter, Lynn Bayd NJ. T Hawkins, T.. }. Black, W. Me
dill &. Johnson, A. V. Brown, II. NJ. Wa'tcrSon a.
; Mcclellan, Wm. II Cooper, Nehemiah II. Earl, PHI.
Dickcrscn, Isaac Parrish, Joseph F"rnance, 7. ID.
yroom J,hn F,nr Nathaniel Jones, Charles Shepard,
. Augustus C. Dodge, Daniel b. Ryal Jas Rogrrs,
David Hubbard, John Carr, Francis Thomas, johr
Hill, ~ {.
Iosiington, .Noreh lst 1871
Gentlemen Your letter, inviting me 10 public
dinner previous TO my departure from this city, as a
,est'm"ny Of respect from the Democratic mrmbcrs Of
both Houses Of Congress, and others OF their rll"w-c
zrns, my political friends, delivered to me by the
committee appointed for that purpose
1t can scarcely be necessary Tor me to express to
you the feeling Of profound gratitude witt! winch re-
ceive this mark Of your continued respect and conf
dence. Always regarding the office from winch am
about to retire. trust to be administered Tor the ge-
neral benefit Of others, have endeavored as far as
possible TO associate my own personal interest IN ITS
possession closely and inseparably with what have
believed, and still believe, to be the best interests
of the great body of the people, and 10 discharge the
highly responsible duties committed the Chef Magis
trae Of this great Confederation conformity with the
opinions and principles Of those who honored me with
their confidence
No one, gentlemen however sagacious, can pene-
suits Of great public measures more especially this
true of who has had active personal agency in
their maturity and adoption. Making, however, every
reasonable allowance for tn consideration, canno,
hesitate TO avow my entire confidence IN the complete
success and sauiary consequences Of the Important
measures have felt IL my duty To recommend, and
which have received the sanction OF Congress.
The testimony Of so large portion Of the representa-
tvcs Of the undivided Democracy OF the U. s. convey
ed your address, added to the support of much
greater number Of independent sufraGrs than that by
which was elected, leave without apprehension
to the opinion which was formed in respect my Off
cIa conduct BY those who made the depository Of
! their confidence.
These objects accomplished, retire from the high
and honorable station bestowed upon me By my coun-
trymen, without single personal wish unsa'ished J
find my self. gentlemen, incapable Of doing justice TO
the feelings awakened BY the eloquent expressions Of
regard and confidence with which yGn have honored
me Let ii therefore suffice TO say, lha, they
ceivcd with heartfelt pleasure, and will be long and
gratefully remembered.
You ha ve done Justice to the motives b. which have
been guided eretoore always declining testimonials
similar to that offered, from source which calls
for every effort Of selfdenia and coincide fully with
you in the opinion that the present is in
which departure from uniform course in this re-
specl, would be proper and consistent. If 10
consult my grctification alone would gladly
cept your invtatinn but when call 10 mind that the
period 10 which, from considerations Of official proprety,
| should be Obliged 10 defer compliance with yonr re-
quest, interfere with the natural desire Of tho
cmbers of the House of Representatives. who will BE-
at Liberty 10 return TO their homes unwilling tol
subject them 10 delay which they have generously
| overlooked in their wish TO do me honor. You WILL
therefore, hope ndn in respectfully declining
the public dinner You have rendered.
Yet, although may not meet at the festive board
cannot but hope that the gentlemen who have offered
me this OF confidence and attachment
moment which renders IT peculiarly grateful to my feel
ings, WILL before leave The city, afford opportu