Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-10
PRINCE WILLIAM ELECTION.
Meals % majority,
ALBEMARLE.

The Advocate thus explains the causes which
led to the defeat of the Wings in this county. MIR
Rives' course on Distribution was disastrous, no
in that region alone. That was the only argument,
with which the Locos met the money question
everywhere-And MIR r. being quoted as the Wing
authority, It had weight which otherwise would
not have attached to it.
" While this result is sufficiently Notifying, it
was no; wholly unex pected. The majority however
10y which il has been effected is, we confess, very
surprising.
Under such circumstances, It is very natural TO
suppose the defeated party anxious to offer some
explanation Of the ciuses which have led to this
catastrophe, and accordingly it IS not uncommon on
such occasions to witness admirable exercise Of
the guessing faculty, and great pausibility and
xii IN the science OF conjecture. We shall not
tax powers OF speculation, nor make any extra
ordinary excrtion ottnncy to account for the result
The claims Of truth, however, and Justice TO the
Wing cause, alike demand the declaration that
very adequate and satisfactory for the defeat
of the Wing candidates does exist, and that this
result IS not fairly ascribable TO the numerical
pcTlority of the Democrats in this county. To the
Wings Of the county, well to the opposite par.
ty, u requires Scer's nrtno effort OF ingo.
nulty, to account Tor The defeat OF Messrs. Rives
and Massie.
AT such moment il may not bF pleasant or pro-
ftable TO 90 into detailed investigation Of the
reasons and circumstances winch materially contr-
buted to, IT they did not directly produce, tins result
Ia addition To the general feeling OF tllstrust and
apathy which has infused Itself into the Wing party
Of the country at large, IN consequence OF the IN
/ eXamped Teachery and apOstacy OF those who had
become IN an evil hour the hOnorcd repositories Of
its confidence and irs hopes, there existed in the cir
cumstances under which these gentlemen were
brought into the field and the dubious position with
regard to certain uoror questions of great interest
md concern 10 the people, which they thought
| proper TO assume, very much, 10 repress the zeal
and ardor with which they would otherwise have
been supported by the great body the Wings
and which would have produced a very different
result This obstacle TO their success, unfortunate
| ly, co operated with certain personal preferences
J and nntipathies, which mingled themselves in tho
| canvass and conspired with the unusual vigorous
and nctye efforts OF the other party, in securing the
county for votes, TO the triumph Of the Locos
The Wings entered into tho canvass with no zeal
| or spirit. There has not been contest in this
county Tor years past, IN which the Wings engaged
with less enthusiasm. There no representa-
tive of the Wing candidates az any Of the precincts
as has been always the case heretofore when there
hos been opposition. The vast minority OF those
/ who voted, cast their votes without interest, and
apparently without much caring for the result-and
| u has been computed that there were fifty Wing
votes nj the Court House alone, which were not
polled. We do not say this IN disparngement Of
the worthy gentlemen who were the nominees Of the
Wing meeting at March Court, and who canvnssed
the county with zeal and industry which mefod
la better fate. They are facts however which de-
serve to be stded rs belonging to the history Of the
occasion, and as satisfactorily explanatory OF n re-
suit which Otherwise would seem ineIplicable In
further development Of tho causes of Wing apathy
and Indifference, II should be stated, that on the
day before the election, letters received in this
county from Nelson county, IN which Il was an
nounccd that the Conservatives Of Nelson led on by
? Gen Brown, Mr. Rives' brother IN law tho they
had participated in the canvass which nominate ed
; Mr. Cabel! as the Wing candidate in opposition TO
I DR. Lyon, the late Locooco Delegate, and made
I known their determination TO withhold their sup
port because Mr. Cabell had ~ the declar-
ed himself favorable TO Mr. Clay for the next Pre-
sidencY. This unexpected intelligence, coming
, from responsible source and regarded as entirely
reliable, threw the Wings who were otherwise con
tent 10 vote for Mr. Rves, into The utmost oonfu.
sion and, coupled with tho unwilinguoss and refu
sal q Mr. Rives declare present preference f0
n Mr Clay as the next President, had the effect Of
losing to himself and his colleague, who was under.
stood 10 occupy pretty much the same ground, many
l. votes which they would otherwise have received
- IL s due 10 Mr. Rivos however, 10 state that on
submitting the letters from Nelson TO him. N,
4 promptly and frankly dsclaimcd my participation
n IN such movement, and expressed his decided prs.
ference Tor Mr. Cabe over his competitor IN Nelson
e This declaration was not made publicly however
Is and II is within our knowledge that the report
o from Nelson had materially injurious influence
g upon the election % the Court House and os WI
]
" is easy 10 perceive the banoful influence thes,
= ! causes aIl combining oxoued upon the Wing vote
u Of the county. Had lull attendance of tho peo
pie been bad tho time ofhc nomination Of Messfs
tiVoa and Mnssie, and had the clnvsss before thC
people been placed upon entirely Wing ground ond
" above aIi had both tho candidates boldly openly
and lcarossly announced their decided preference
o ~ NJ present advised, for HENRY CLAY o
= KENTUCKY, rs our next President, over any
n other man IN the nation, have no hesitation N
declaring our fullest conviction that the true Whiei
. Of Albemarle would not have permitted tho repre-
d sontaton Of this great central County 70 descend
+ 20 the present LocOfOco Delegates elect; but thai
. their accustomed devotion 10 the principles and
y policy Of the Wing party as identified with the bes
o interests ol tho Country, would have borne then
d Candidates thus psnopIsd IN truth and armed viii
tho public confidence, iriumphanty through ih
h canvass.
3; This defeat though u involves the Temporary
e eclipse Of one 81 the brightest stars IN tho WIFI
constellation, will produce very important adVan