Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-09-01
To q. h.

respect; but there are RECEPTIONS, when the motive
Tor assuming mask is clearly and from internal
evidence, friendly or benevolent one. This seems
to be the case in the present instance, and there
lore, after sufficient reflection. have determined to
comply with A. BPS suggestion, and the rather that
tho circumstances Of which he has heard a very
imperfect account, arc, from their nature, partcu-
larly liable TO distortion and exsggeration in the
process Of circulation Though the undet-currents.
| la Novem6er, 1910, when every mail came
iraught with the returns OF the Presidential Election
and before the final returns from New York bad
been received, the Wings OF Richmond apprehended
Tor % hours that the day had conc against them.
This impression was caused by the complexion Of
certain Loco Foco statements issued from the city
of NJ Y, Two days after the election in that
State, and which claimed, with tho greatest conf
dence, that her vote had been given to MIR Van Bu-
rem. 1t subsequently, appeared that these states
men,s, which cane from imposing authority. were
put forth with the view of influencing the vote Of
Pennsy lvanin, that State voting several days after
New York.
| But this circumstances was not then suspected by
the Wings Of Richmond, who were accordingly
thrown into CONSERVATION: for ii New York had
thus disappointed the ssngune calculations made
|
ed that Pennsylvania, whose vote was hoped for
rather than confidently expected, would follow her
lead, and the vote OF Virginia. was already sufi
GENTLY IN 10 render 1t next to Certain that she had
voted for MIR Van Buren,. The consequence was
almost inevitable, that Ihese three great States had
united in his favor, the Wings were defeated, and
MIR Van Buren, elected. Such a catastrophe
ihs,i, when the Wing Party were wound up TO the
highest pitch oil confidence in victory, and exul,a-
ton in the glorious fruits which they anticipated
| from it TO a misrued country would have been ap-
palling. Noio, there are few Of them, | pre-
sumo, who do not wish that such had been the re
suit for is better TO fall in fair fight, by the hand
Of an open and manly enemy, than to be robbsd
and murdered in the dark by the eaiia whom YOU
had trusted.
! During the "a hours Of suspense have mention.
ed, the excitement in Richmond WINS very great and
was much increased by the prevalent, | may say
the universal conviction of the Whis party OF that
place. that there had been fraudulent voting in Viz
ginia to much extent, sufficient in the counties OF
Page, Shenandoah, Rockingham and Madison
! alone, TO counIerbalance any majority by which
Mr. Van Buren, could have carried the State. How
Tar this conviction was we'll or III. founded, il is not
now relevant 10 enquire; enough that it prevailed
honestly and sincerely. Ii then MIR Van Buren,
was re elected by the vote of Virginia, wthou,
whose vote he could not have been re elected, and
it was manifes; and could be judicially established
that he was indebted for his Virginia majority 10
fraud, the question passed from man to man, what
was 10 be dOne7 What was the remcdy7 Would
the American people submit, to b, ruled by a mi
noriiy, carrying their point by ftaud7 Ought il to
- -. Ia l..
| esced in would it not be repeated, and deluged as
our country always was, and would annually con
tinue TO be TO constantly uusmentng extent, by
immigra;ions Of the most ii;erato classes Of Eu.
| rope, should we not speedily be at the mercy of
him or them who could embody the greatest mum.
Der Ct mercenaries TO drown the voices of the true
and real American peopel Ii the Constitution
and Laws afforded no redress. ought not the people
TO take redress into their own hands, as a case was
presented when submission TO the wrong was a
tacit REIMBURSEMENT Of free Government and virtual
savtryl Such were the questions agitated at tina,
moment Of excited feeling and painful suspense
Gentlemen Of the Bar were consulted as TO the
legal course which ought 10 be taken If Mr. Van
Buren, had been elected by the aid Of Virginia and
could be made TO appear, that his majority in this
State was fraudulent. They were Of opinion that
there was no legal redress whatever, and that the
returns OF the Presidential Commissioners were
hnal and conclusive, and could not be looked n,
hind. Ii these Commissioners, inaaned bv na,ti-
ian zeal, had annulled the Constitution and per.
mitted Aliens non residents and all oihecs 10 vote
or, bIibed with federal gold, they had excluded
Wings altogether from the polls nd suffered none
but their opponents to vote-and II oil this could
be established beyond controversy or the ability Of
single human being 10 question it--sti,l we were
told that the law could atord relief and that the
decision oil the returning Officers, that is the Com.
missioncfs, was unasslilaIle and could not be set
! aside. The Commissioners indeed could be pun
Shed, but their act which might and most prob,
oily would buovert the Institutions Of the county,
could not be reached or Temedied. | asastonisbed
then, md can hardly now believe this TO be a..
bnt 8" wns told by respectable legal authority
II President chosen Wy such means would as efTec-
tuany DC President as Gen. Washington. Tire
farther opinion wns expressed that II military force
was employed 10 controu the votes of the reonlo
the violence would be cured by the return Of tbs
Commissioners ! humbly submit these matters IN
tho countfy and the Legislature, as did before in
| November, 1910.
Political aud party passions already in bieb Ter
ment, were still farther inf med by the n,aur,ncs
that tho laws could olford no redress Tor the mon
sirous crime OF sirangng the voice of free Peopls
10y corrup;ng the ballot boxes Il il should even he
demonstrated that it had been committed. In Ibis
state Of feeling, three individuals who happened IN
DO together, interchanged opinion found an entire
concurrence OF sentiment nmorg themselves ard
hastily arranged the heads OF q plan for redressne
the wrongs Of the country by securing the person II
Mr. Van Buren,, previous TO his inauguration Thee
things were TO precede putting il in execution 1.
The cleo ion Of Mr Van Buren,. 2. That ne could
not have been returned WITHOUT tho vote of VIRGINIA
;. Proof carrying positive and undoub,ed certainty
with IT, TINT his majority in Virginia was fraudulent
| These prelminaries atcsrtained, twenty persons
men who could depend on ono another were IN he
admitted into the association under tho pledse of
secrecy and fidelity. Ten Of the nuoobsr vers IN
proceed 10 Washington in n fast steamboat giving
out that their object ilunt Of anuseroent ,o
witness the approaching Inauguration. TWAS ion,
gined that there would be little difficulty IN 6ndng
an opportunity OF conveying Mr. Van Buren, On
board by sraagem or force, and this done the boat
wos to run with oil despatch for Albemlrle Sound.
| previously agreed upon as the destination There
the ten were TO be met by their associates, and Nj,
| Van Buren, to be escorted Ivy tho whole into tbo
upper Districts Of North Carolinn, Cornwali,,s
| most rebeous People IN America" and whom we
knew TO be now Us slaunoh Wings 6s their faih.f1|
were IN 1850. Arrived there, a manifesto was IN he
| published, addressed TO the American Pcoplr a,
claring the motives and objects Of the act and he
| yicinogo assembled and appealed TO. Mr. Van
BurcI himself was 10 H. treated with the greote,t|
possible rospeoi and courtesy compatible with safe
custody. The manifesto was TO demand a nos
election aad the restoration Of tho rights Of the ma
jory.
| The next northern mil brought confirmation oil
great Wing victory, and Of course the plan Of al
duc,ion and MI thoughts Of il were abandoned
Whether IL would have been executed II the eyents
had fallen out tho anticpation Of which led IN lie