Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-04-05

the sourca whence It came. deemed unm or;hy of no.
tce and determined therefore 10 treat WIN se,''
contempt Currency, however, was soushl 10 oe
given to it amongst nay constituents oy 'he wing
nr.ss of Winchester This induced portion OF
INV friends and constituents 10 rcpel It through
the columns of the Winchester 'rgmah, which
they did, entirely without my Know ieGge. "a rep'y
sceedly followed on the pait o! The richmond
yb,r rei,eratne the charge and in addition assert
ing that upon another occasion, hao, also, "ous'
ed the responsibility OF voting, coupled win lhe
allegation that on the latter occasion had submitted
TO gross personal ndigntv III the hands OF announcer
member understood to be MIR. Hunter Under these
circumstances felt it due TO the friend, or Trends,
home, who had thus generously sorgmt 10 ''hui
against the aspersons oil the wing, 10 et'P
forward and relieve them from the embarrassing STU
,;on in which otherwise they were likely to be placed
The CHARGE of sdodring votes, considered as
necessarily implying, not merely la'iuie " 'o'e' u
that such future was the result oil some base or I'M
proper motive. Else why have preferred the charge:
For surely the mere failure 10 vote exclusive OF any
improper motive, could not be made the subject OF
serious censure. J., therefore, felt myself bound 10
view the matter in that light, and in the notice took
of II, treat it accordingly In reierence men, 10
the imputaton Of 'dodging, | gave simple mar
ratve of the circumstances which prevented me from
voting on the occasions referred 10 by the "h'e'
which oonclusively vindcaed me from the mputat'on
of having been Influenced by other than correct ana
Unsuitable motives. That narrative has not oeeh ana
cannot be refued In reference to that OF my having
been the passive subject Of disgrace!ul Ind'gnty,
produced and published in the Enquirer letter from
this same rcdonbta6'e Mr.. Hunter, the person under
stood TO have been referred to by the wing, winch
proved it to be utterly false The rerGciOus editor
however in the mean time, 'geting wind of the dis
closure about To be made by me, after my article mao
been placed IN the Office Of the Enquirer for publication
aud was as learned, partly IN type, admitted Tue a'S
ty of this charge and stated that by the assertion Of
my having been dragged INTO the Hall By the collar
&c, he mean; merely .fgare Of speech Indeed :
Figures of speech employed by honorable men to
illustrate truth, but it would seem are used by tS ed
tor only to convey talsth0od"!
Here supposed the whole matter would terminate,
as the statement of facts which had made could not
be rcfuted, and as in making IT, had so tar as was
consistent with the purpose OF sevihdication, been
studious avoid furnishing cause Of offence In this,
however | was mistaken Shortly after the appear
ance of my card IN the Enquirer, the Wing contained
another assault upon me, marked by the most vulgar
scurriirtv in which, among other things II was stated
in substance, well as recollect tor the article is not
now before me- that the editor authorised to say
the responsibility of Mr.. Vance, that although had
voted several times for Mr.. Sloan, in the election
above referred to- after had learned the fact OF his
being Wing il was he believed, my purpose to de-
feat the election of that gentleman THIS charge thus
made, involving impuiaon OF duplcty OF which |
felt myself apable, determined promptly 10 repel
but in doing 10 avoid the use OF any harsh expires
sion IN reference TO Mir. Vance, who is much older
man than myself Accordingly, soon as 1t was seen
by me, | procured statements from Col. NJ Pherson OF
Page, Mr.. Holloway OF Allegheny, and MIR. Thomas OF
X.
mocras and the last Wing. MesSrS. II and J. proved
that after had been admitted that Gen. Sloan
Wing, | urged my political friends TO adhere to him.
and n0p say did So for the reason that his quai
cations deemed eqaal 10 those OF his opponents
and the Office not being political one, his grade and
seniority in military rank and commission, entitled him
10 it. according TO military rule. MIR. Holloway also
proved rs did Mr. Mcpherson, that Mr.. Vance had
prnctised upon them both, gross deception IN refer
ence to the political character Of General Sloan, by
presenting him n Democrat, when, IN fact he
Mig. These statements accompanied BY brief com
mentary from me, have been already published in the
enquirer and will he Published cotemporaneously here
with IN the nches,er Nlrglnian. i'm the reply above
referred to- to which the signature of Mr. Vance ap
pended, he made To assume very superabundant
degree ofse:compl aceney, III the enjoyment of which,
far from my wish 10 disturb HIM: especially as
its only effect is To exhibit him wherever known, in
most preposlcrous light. lie is also placed in the
odlous attitude OF making disgusting and unjus
ti.iab.e attack upon Colonel Mcpherson, who is too
we'll able defend himself TO require that should say
one word his behalf except Ia bear testimony to the
fidelity with which, a member, he adhered 10 the
PRINCIPLES of the Democratic tah and TO the high
fdence which his political brethren IN the General AS
semby reposed in his devotion 10 those principles
THIS poor old has also been placed IN the pitiabe
predicament of asking the public, IN regard 10 Messrs
Holloway and Mcpherson, tboM Of whom unequvocal-
~ testify to the fact OF his having 'atStad TO them the
political character of Gen Soan) to believe that the for.
abors under misapprehension and that the latter
his satemcnt, he beng party Interested, unsus.
tanned by title OF proof from any competent source!
This rather heavy draft upon the crcGuitv OF
the public And If TO render the moral obliquity
thus fixed upon Mr. Vance the more pa! pabe, ne is
made appear to publish note from DR.. Leyburn, u
Wing, which prOrcS that in statement made before
himself and others, prior the election he declared that
General Sloan Wing. Taking this evidence in
connection with that of Nessrs Holloway and Nc
Pherson, it establishes the Seener Mr.. Vance, and
that while he represented his candidate TO Democrats
being Democrat he took to Jet his Wig breth-
rem know that, in truth he was WMgi! 1t is true
the Doctor adds that of the others he mentions as hav
ing been then present. "So7ae, he t'aks, Of the
opposite party. This, however, is too vague TO have
any weight the scale of evidence lfthc fact really
had been so, it 10 be presumed that the Doctor must
have hnolra, and could have stated, 1t posaictiy.
There is also another communication subJoned to
the article over the signature of Mr. Vance, which is
my purpose 10 notice. refer TO note from the
aforesaid Edmund 7. Hunter, who is ushered upon the
stage under the imposing title OF Colonel-(God save
the markD The object OF his testimony is 10 prove
has understanding OF the spirit in which made re-
mark (Which u former communication stated that
had made) in opposition 10 an explanation upon that
subject which had given. Now by this testimony the
who has furnished H. either intended TO impugn
my veracty he did not intend 10 do II the lat
ter then his testimony wholly mmatcr al especially
considering that he has not sufficient perception TO
form the most correct understanding upon any sub
ject requiring the exercise of penetration, and there
fore such should have supposed none but sense
less dolt would have exhibited TO the public If on the
contrary he did mean to impugn my verac,y, then |
pronounce him A wILrUL LIAR, 1t remains tor HIM
select either horn OF this dilemma as may best suit
his views and purposes.
have now done with this subject for the present
other and important claiming my attention of suf-
fcent magnitude To occupy me for length of time,
after winch | Will again resume ii, If necessary.
r Z. BYRD.
n B. The Richmond Enquirer and Virginia Rcpub.
lcan (Alar,inSburg) w'lI please IF justice 10
me- publish the foregoing article
urxyE>TySEysSTIJ CoNGEESS--od SECESSION