Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-27
TO 7HE EDITORS OF TIE ENQUIRER.
MASE0 nris,


Since the memorable hard cider campaign Of 1910,
have rarely spoken or written word on political mat
ers and would not now deviate from the have
pursued since that period, it did not believe that
the duty of every true-hearted Democrat in the
"Old Dominion, to contribute his mite in aiding you
TO expose William G. Rives, who now, with the most
unblushing efronery, while declaring his datermina-
ton to support Hcnry Clay, The Wing candidate for
the Presidency in opposition to that welred Repub-
lcan Martin Van Buren,, claims for himself and his
followers the merit OF consistency!
In pursuing this object beg leave to call II your
recollection the exciting personal and political sous
between the Democrats and Conservatives of the
county of Boetourt, during the Spring campaigns Of
1888 and 1882 and the personal and con.
Hcts that grew out of them; of which, you will
recoect, originated in the public declarations Of the
Democrats that Mr. Rives secretly preferred Mr. Clay
TO Mr. Van Buren,, and would Ultimately gn to the
Wings. The "Fncastle Democrat" teemed with com.
muncatons on the subject; and several handblls
published on both sides of the question in 1889, in
which the Democrats affirmed, aud the Conserv atves
stou,ly denied, that Mr. Rves ever could would go
over 10 Mr. Clay or the Wing party; and they loudly
planned of the outrageous injustice done by the De-
mocra.s 10 Mr. Rves, supposing him capable Of such
apostacy-and yet, wonderful to relate, Mr. Rives in
the teeth Of all these declarations of his friends with
any regard for their feelings their veraciiy,
nnbushnsly avows, over his signature, his deter
Ininaton to support the same Henry Clay preference
to the came Martin Van Buren,. Verify his followers
have hard task master
ture Of Virginia, (among whom wss Mr. Fontiine,) in
$780, then missd by Mr. Rivess verbal and writ
declarations whether their object to misead
their conidng Republican followers will now be
seen by the course that they will pursue, alter Mr. r.
has fals6ed over his signature, al! their unqual
fed denias Of his intended spnsacy, and has called
on them par,ake in his detection by voting for the
very that they unanimously determined 10 drop
and along with him, (Mr. RveaJ Cor preferrng to Mr.
Van Buren, 1889, which alleged preference, as ap-
peas by The following letter, he then promptly denied
in letters Conservative members Of the Legislature
Of Va in order to scure his election to the Senate Of
the u s, then pending in that body
ExrR,cr OF a letter from Mr. T,ha r. anderson then
/ member Of the Senate of Virginia. TO his friend,
Mr.. Oiirsr Cuiieghan, dated Richmond, SM FeJru-
! are, 1882
"The Senatorial election exces some feeling. II is
very doubtful who will be elected There were rumots
here that Mr. Rves had deserted the Republican party
ard joined the Wings, and that he had expressed his
| preference for Mr.. Clay over Mr. Van buren,. The
! Conservatives held meeting and unanimously deter
mined that there any truth in these repor:s they
would drop Rives il they were not true, they would
10 man sustain him, 0nd eRdsr no circumstances
mould eac of them rote jor Waig" Several Of the
party immediately wrote to Rves, informing him Of the
ramors in circulation and requesting him to say whe-
her it true; and he promptly answered these let
ters denying these charges: assuring TINT he had
formed no conaexinn ,ch the Whg party or anu mem
Der of it, and did not intend to do SO; which, together
with other information We have obtained, has salts
fed all of the Conservatives, that there is no,
! the least foundation for the charges against him,
and tina. they have originated with designing and
interested politicians for political effect Mr.. Rves
differs with the administration upon no important
question: except the Sub Treasury; and | ask you,
| how those who agree with him that subject,
not only consent tina; he shall be destroyed but aid IN
doing it, and thereby become the authors Of their
infamy.
have complet, file of al! The publications made by
Mr. Rves conservative friends this county in 1885,
from which can quote passages, if necessary, to re-
mind them of the indignant terms in which they
PEELED the charge OF his intention to go Clay
and the Whigs; but for the present will content my
self with sin lie extract from communications:
EXTRACT from a communication Of a friend of Mr.
Riccs, published ~ The Fiaeastie Democrat in The
Spring Of 1889.
you see, fellow citizens, why il is that the
Whss support NJ Rives, and not Is alleged, that
he is Wing. The truth mig ht we'll be told al once
as | know that you have been deceived on this sub
ject. | will ask, what constitutes Wing: The cues
ton is easily answeredhe, for instance Mr. Clay,
is in favor of National Bank, Internal Improvement
by the General Government, and high Tariff. THIS
makes Wing. Well, what constitutes Conservs.
tive, for instance Mr. Rres-the reverse OF all
these, What constitutes the Democrat, or, IT yon
please, Republican, The of all these also
So far, the Conservatives, the Rveses and Van Buren,
ties together in the ranks, and the Wings
are arrayed against them. Yet, to turn the people
against the Ryesites, the Democrats tell them, that
ticy have gone over TO the Wings. They might as
we'll attempt to mix oil and water, pass camel
through the eye of a needle
You will perceive, gentlemen from The above e1-
tracts that the preference which infatuated Sc
na,or now avows for MIR. Clay, emphatically de-
med on paper in 1889, both by himself and his friends,
and yet he has the reckless assurance, in his lte 1t
ter 10 Mr. Fontane, 10 claim the merit of consis-
tency in supporting Mr.. Clay. lie richly deserves to
| be uashed naked round the world with whip OF
scorpions the punishment which the Richmond
Wing formerly awarded to him.