Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-03-11
Correspondence 10 be Coutinued.)
MR.. ly.SE's ADDRESS.

l NAsHI:6ToS, March b, 1913
To The Coporrss;onai District cf Virginia composed NJ
lie Counties Of York, .iceOmac, &c.
To my old constituents need not say that, for ten
years, during the precise cycle OF census have been
their Representative in Congress- They sent me 10
the Capitol in n moment of deep interest and excite
ment and the excitement of succeeding scenes has
continued equally intense In the agtated times,
IN the midst of the most momentous events and in the
trials of the most extraordinary vcIssudes they never
once found necessary to instruct me; but, by our
intimate and mutual confidence, was enabled 10
present their will so certainly and much to their
siaction, that after my first contest was four times
elected without regular opposition, and with such una
nimity among themselves, and with such afect!onae
regard towards me, that were gwen Up by partiGS
and politicians throughout the country, as belonging
10 each other inscparahly in devoted attachment.
After this continued confidence; after sacrificing
much time and most OF my means and Gil my health
in their service had determined to retire this spring
into private life fully contented with the taste had OF
bitter fruits of public station; and tondly expecting
that this address would be af.ctlonate farewel
unpolluted by single topic or touch OF party politics
But Providence has wed otherwise and, instead OF
writing valedctory, am compelled 10 announce my
self aaan candidate for seat IN the House Of Re-
presenta,ives-to appeal TO all who may now compose
the District in which reside 10 decide the ISSUE which
| | had hoped could not possibly be made against me
! .'WIeiher | have faithfully and honesll! represented
the People whilst haee been member oil the Con.
/ gress Of the United States
This issue has been forced upon me b. the action OF
body no less dignied and worthy III respect than the
Senate OF the L. S In October, lS40, met the
plains of Yorktown, the Of "my people, united,
az We thought in good and patriotic struggle. My
eyerons Tor years have been exceedingly trying my
phy sicai constitutions and from the excitement and ia
gue Of that day was prostrated on bed of sickness,
from which arose not s'lo walk, but ,otter along
with shattered frame ever since In ISL, and again
in I5i2 Immediately upon The adjournment of Congress
in each case Frustrated again and again by the
most obstinate attacks of the bilious fever pre-
vent me wholly, during the last two years, from visiting
my District and renderng usual, 10 my constituents,
| Il true accoun, Of my sic ardshIp.
! Last Fall, after fever Of eight weeks had laid
literally al deaths door, the President Of the United
States visited my sick and saw that N; situation
should forbid my return TO the aborand excitement OF
the Representatives, HALF aud he kindly proposed that
would allow ha 10 enable me to retire IN such way
AS TO rcnyigorate my health He legged me- in fact
to say n,ysei! what he should do for in the way OF
appointment either al home or abroad. | utterly de.
cned naming any wish of my own, as had before
peremptorily declined his tender oil he Navy Depart
ment, when his Cabinet, in ISL, retired. My health
was sufficiently restored to allow to take my seat
during the last SESSION, and in the of it The Pfes
dent voluntarily notified me that he should nominate
to the Senate Tor the vacant mission TO France NJ
reply was that C! cr he had nominated me, aite. the
nomination was confirmed, AMI after the expiration OF
my congressional career, the ith Of March, 1913
and no; before, would inform him whether would
accept the place not. Ny nomination sent 10
the Senate, and II has been eec'ed The injunction OF
secrecy has been removed from The and the journal
but not from the debates and all the proceedings. and
left wholly ignorant as yet of the for The
rejection. We must rely alone the presumption 1
the What, then, the presumptive for
! this rejection.
Think not my fellow citizens, that am about to ar.
raign The Senate Of the L. S. Mo- Frcm the beginning
nf my from my first study Of the institutions
of my country, have too long admired the Consttu.
tlon long reyered the dignity end WORTH too often
I I'D f,rI and e hat,
conservative body for me now, that happen to be
der the ban Of lis censure TO turn upon il 10 from
lis proceedings single sentiment OF respect. Its va
lue is too important 10 be rIfied with by any mans
sentiments though his wrongs be great and gar-
irr Il is the House OF Conscript Fathers, checking
tie excuses of Executive power on the one hand and
of popular Righteousness the other by its WISDOM
lis sohriety its moderation, it's welltempered age and
experience ,s comparative permanency, and its double
link with the Legislature and with the President. May
| Heaven ever preserve il pure and untarnshed from
every act OF faction, ot folly which would cost it
the least of the confidence OF the People Never will
Fsay, as several have said To in my case, Gre
lection by the Senate is censurs 1t has made
man President and TO be beheaded by 1t is TO be made
head taller When this speech shall become IA
millar saying, the Senate will have lost lis dignity, lis
sanctty lis sel:.respeci, well as the respect o:
/ the nation and il will be for the Yiles
tending passions of the most corrupt factions, and wall
be secret instrument OF Tie most odIous and opp!es
! sye tyranny. cannot, ! will not, s patriot
gard it, The approval of the Senate should be sought
after by every man; and It's rejection should be, es 1t IS
To me, appalling 10 the p,ondes of the land. 1t IS true
It's proceedings and judgment should always be calm,
so temperate, just, impartial yTtuous and wise
az always TO vIndcae themselves, and to command re-
verence and respect for their sake but when 1t
does not manesiy appear that they otherwise than
all this, will not be ready TO doubt their propr-
ETY.. then, the vote Of this vcnera.ed body OF
the living Fathers OF the Republic, as vote of
sure heavy upon me, for 0mething-l know not what
And at this point, here only, do | regret, not
complain at knoic not far 'chat am thus os,r0oised
by body for which | cherish much respect.
am made feel the blow see the hand which strikes
1.-THE hand Of the Senate If tic tsited Statts-and
had i, been the hand Of Washington 1t could not
have bcen in my estimation, heaver-and, without
an explanation of The why, all that l. uncon-
scous of wrong, do, TO stand, as | would have
stood, had the Father of his Country himself thus
stricken, with folded arms bound to presume that it
was meant To be a just and righteous intiicon. And
here, let remark, in passing that am not prepared
to say how long popular sentiment which is above
law, within the pale of the Constitutions 1riu bear
these SECRET SESSIONS Of the Senate upon nom-
nations TO clfcc. Upon Treaties and the Exc, they
should he allowed to sit IN secret session But when
the character end feelings of individual citizens
much at stake. and are put upon Of trial, where
there is no privilege 10 summon witnesses for defence,
or 10 be confronted with accusers-and when a sen.
tence hf rejection Is 50 strong OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Is every reason why the Senate, though be the Judge
for itself Of its own proceedings, should not sit
cFet sesslon-why the nominee or his friends, though
they be not allowed 10 be heard, should be allowed
humble seat in the lobby, Q. the gallery, where they
may liar the reasons, and, pcrchance may have it in
their power to furns on the spot, to friendly Sc.
nltor, vndication from some charge, or correction
of some error or misake-why the country at large,
should have reporter ready to take Of the pro.
ceedlngs and Debates 10 satisfy il Of the allimportnn
fact that the body acted and reasoned as became itself
But enough of this.
The Senate, in my case, sat in secret session, and
debated with closed DOCS. They have published only
their votes. | an bound 10 presume, that they acted
dspassonately and reasoned sobsry and calmly, and
that, however mistaken they may have been, they
thought that they had sufficient fer nay rejection
What could that reason have been
! am assured that no reasons personal mfreiy to
myself, were urged in debate against the approval OF
my nomination. Had such, true and sufficient, been
urged, they would have been good Ii personal
9. Li SaturS Lacas.LeS he