Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-18
FoR THE WHIG.
To the Legislature Of Virginia.


Deeply is the public mind agitated upon the ou..
ton of succession TO the two Senatorial offices re-
CURED by the Constitution to be filled al The
session Of your honorable body. And deeo and
pervadng is the apprehension that your BODY in IN,
zeal OF party feeling, may again defer one or both
OF these appointments TO a subsequent Legislature
While the writer Of this article entertains not ths
slightest fear as 10 the ultimate triumph Of the p,r.
ty TO which he belongs yet he sincerely hopes Ibis
fruitful source OF excitement may be disposed of hi.
session. The whole country is sick of excitement.
The evils OF II are felt and Acknowledged bv bot,
parties Every interest Of society is more or Ies,
afflicted by II. As promoters therefore Of the
general welfare, II behooves you to use ali means
placed within your power TO advance the public
wea-or forbear, at least, the adoption OF any mea-
sure, the tendency OF which, is injury TO the public
But what objection can exist 10 an election this
session Both parties acknowledge the right o,
instTuctlon-and no one more than the probab le
electors OF the majority Of the Legislature. Mr..
tives has given practical illustration Of his deyo.
ton TO this principle. Gov Barbour Judge S,,n-
ard and Judge Upshur accord with Mr.. Riyes. and
would, II indicted TO Office, practically enforce The
same. What evil, therefore, can result TO the pre
sent minority Of your body, even in the event OF
Their success at Tho next Spring elections, by the
appointment oi either OF the aboVo- named gentle
menI Their wishes can easily be effected tbrougb
this grand conservative principle Of Rep1bljcs3
the right Of the Constituent TO instruct, and the OBJ
legation Of the Representative to obey. when
therefore, gentlemen, the evils involved in the failure
70 elect are properly estimated every consideration
should induce a compliance with the teauisitons al
the Constitution and the demands Of popu AR rights
But question OF equal magnitude arises, should
an election take place-Who is the individual upon
whom should devolve the responsible trust Gin con.
junction with Mr.. Rives) Of representing this Com.
monwealih ~ the highest branch Of our national
eouncilsi unhesitatingy reply, that viewed in
any light, that individual should be JaDes Harbour
Of Orange.
Who IS James Barbour and what the relation
be holds towards the two great parties Of the dsv
ne solution 10 the hrst question found in the al.
most entire history Of the country. Commanding
his political career in '95 and 80, he signaliled him.
sell on that occasion as master spirit "a debate in
olucdating those principles which have since been
the creed Of the Republican parry. A stripping IN
age and experience, he measured strength with The
hfsI men Of thst day, and proved himself a worthy
90. pdjutor Of Madison and Taylor, Of Caroline
Passing TO another epoch in our history, we find
him IN 1911 and 2, the Governor Of our Common.
wealth, standing Palinurus like, at tho helm vbsn
the blasts Of war were bowling in fnghGn fury
around the ship of State. Constitulonally invest.
ed lex oihcio) with the command Of the army, hs
took the held IN person, disciplined our forces and
" arranged them that days warning would ena
bic him 70 meet the enemy ut any point Of attack
With bankrupt Treasury he pledged his private
residence towards the formation + fund 1.-THE
amount Of which ultimately reached, we thnk
s5OO,OO0) on which the soldiers yefa sustained f
an honorable peace was secured. Such was The
appreciation with which bis conduct was viewed by
the Legislature Of that period, that before bis tern
OF Chlel Magistrate expired, he elected almost
by aoelsmaton 70 the Senate Of tho u. s..
hehigh esteem with which he was viewed BY thai
honorable bOdy, was evidenced in the investment o
| honors which, by usage, belonged alone 70 the ox
pcflenced and "old IN service" lie was early elect
ed Chairman Of the Military Committee, then o
Foreign Relations, and ultimately President pro tenn
OF the Senate, which station he held t Transferred
20 tho War Department 'Twas At this period N,
Simeon Of Jacksonism began its blighting nauenoe
and ultimately swept vito the force Of tornado o'e
this land OF promise. From the s. Johns 70 III,
Suli o. Mexico, from The shore Of the Atlantic TO hi
base Of the Rocky Mountain, virtuo and talent an,
worth were hrnted with the fsrocity the hye6a-
. kobespiencan lnqUisiton established In Washing
ton, and ramihed into every corner OF tho country
caused 70 be sacrificed upon the altar Of proscriptol
every Official Of the Government who dared To exer
ercise the rights Of a freeman. Consequently sucl
men o. Harrison and Barbour were the FIRST TO ben,