Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-18
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RlCHMoND, THURSDAY, JANUARY Is.


RICHMOND, THURSDAY, JANUARY Is.
Mr. RIvEs-His PAST AND PRESENT POSITION
No man who recollec,s what Mr. Rycs has been, and
considers wha, lie u.s. contemplate his csstIny VIII
ont profound a.,onishmeLt and concern. lie stands
forth IS monument oil the violence oil the passions.
-He is a beacon, TO warn every young sirg'nan
,unnst the dangers OF blind self 1ve and an over
wpening confidence in his own popularity. How ngn
did he once siand-to what an abyss has he descenueo
Once he was The favore asPruut to the hrst oice 10
the Republic And now he has become the humble
a,tache Of man. who's principles he once aho
whose affections he Gisdained
MIR Rves was in the year 1886 the most popular
man in Virginia. and perhaps IN the Union. bfed up
at the feet of Gamalie endowed with his Principi >,
and possessed of his confidence, n had entered he II
of Representatives with the affections of his DISTRICT
and amid the hopes of his Site. he had talents, the
enerpes of Industry the labor Of research, the fluency
of eioquence at his command He did not m'ngle IN
everv Inv. dr. bate-bu he had the wisdom TO reserve
his powers for important topic which should stsfl
forth in the path Of Legislation. Whenever he spoke
it was neneray at the heel OF debate, well prepared
TO make strong ard effect u'gument de had deVo
ted himself 10 the principles OF The VH9inia schooi
lie generally defended them with great earnesthrss
and success. His speeches were Distinguished 'nf
Great ability. lis reputation rose with every ef'
fort In S29, he sought the mission 10 France
and he obtained it from General Jackson lie there
achieved very difficult and brilliant negoc'a''oh
md he returned his country with additional eclit
The gratitude Of Virginia next raised him 10 seat ID
tho SENATE New honors crowded around hun. Ana
when Mr.. Van Buren, was sworn INTO the rres'cenl'ai
Office in March, 1897, man OF his age sloou highet
in America No man stood farer chance OF reaching
the highest office in the country Wen oil the hish.s'
character, in end out of Congress Republicans IN
every nuarcr nf the country looked to hm as the sue
cessor of MIR Van Buren,. No more certain to
attain the Office if he had but proved true t. his prin
cipes and faithful t, his country. lie would III all
probability, have been made President, 1t he had mol
with his own hand thrown dowa the ladder oil his am
bitlon.
Blu, an unfortunate "change had come over the spirit
Of his dreams" A dim eclipse vas coming over HIM
BY what strong and secret motives, th's feVuosoH was
effected in his feelings and prospects, men are puzzled
To decide Different theories have been sugsest'a-
some of private ch iracter, and GONE connected WIN
public measures-and 4 third class, asc'ibing 10 MN
motives of both descriptions. Our own partaiit'es ior
Mr. Riyes induced to adopt the most liberal inerPre
tation We hoped, that il he had any private ieeings
10 indulge time would soften entirely ssipa'e he,n'
we confded in the STABILITY of his principles. we
hoped for tho best In The summer OF 1851, M van
Buren, proposed his Suh-Treasury Scheme to the tx -
Session of Congress There were many who obee'e1
to it-and among them was Nj k'vFs, NE most ct e'
ded and the most distinguished OF lll us oPpn-
nents II 1cas misfortune 1, differ WIN Tue
eminent man. who then administered the Govern
ment upon that question; for, we could no. resist
the arguments which had been urged by many o. tue
prominent Republicans, few years before ~hen zen
Gordon proposition re acted IN The House hao
TO, probably allowed sufiic emily for the experiments
which had been SUBSEQUENTLY made in the Safe banh-
ing system We yet insisted upon separation oil ihe
fands Of the Government from the BUSINESS OF ihese IN
su,ons-and the further EMBELLISHMENTS OF the sys
tenn have shed new light upon It's errors, ana reconcsa
us with mere effect entire Sc pa'aiion oil the re-
deral Government from the Banks. Nj k'ves, how
ever ultimately rejected al! these mod'hca'lons and
onnosed The proposition Of Mr. Van bnren with all his
;ngenui,. eloquence md force There were not want
IND friends however, him against the excuses
MO which he might be hurried by his feelings lhey
besoupht him TO confinc his opposition to ihis measure
alone He did give several Indications OF snch
course Bat his feelings became too strongly eSclsu
'-His ardent associates particularly one oil Tue
Conservatives Of New York; hurried him on, I'M
fl he had reached the brink OF the ABYSS. MS
missions were nflamed His judgment became echPseo
Mr. Van Buren, had given him, as lar as we were
aware. no personal cause of offence lie had Healeo
him as we'll as we are advised, with great courtesy
md forbearancc but Mr. Rves conceived disl'ke Tor
The man. and mantle sed determined spirit OF oppo
s;t;on to his administration HIS friends conuhnea 10
caution him against his danger he was to'a hat ne
could not support MIR. Van Burens election, ne ought
moi 10 throw himself into the arms OF The wings
,hot if he owed his reelection 10 me SENATE
IN their votes it would cut him off from his Repub
can friends, and contribute to seal hs tate. lie
was earnestly conjured to escape from ms oiiemha
TO wait for other and better tmes-and retire 10 las
lie Hill All these opportunities were IN vain. MI.
R,ves accepted his Office at the hands OF the wings,
and thus he placed in the most embarrassing at-
tn dc in which public man can s'and--oi aoanaoh,ng
his old principles, of offending his new allies lie
attempted the middle road, which is not always the
best for period OF great excitement he declared NM
self nentral-an EARNED eut.a respected by few,
and trusted by neither party.
When the Presidential campaign again opened, ana
Mr. Van Buren, again became The candidate OF lie re-
nubIicsp party the passions Of MIR ives did not per-
/ q, tain the DOsitIOn oil EARNED neutral
He dislikcd MIR. Van Buren, and his measures, 100
much for him 10 support him-or even to hold oil rom
the cones-but he determined 10 co-opernte with ms
Wing allies and 10 come out for General HARRISON
In this distressing alternative, Mr.. Rves addressed 10
some nany nous friend instead Of Of once gong before
his country his memorable letter OF Feb 10, lsi0-in
which, il is painful 10 witness the efforts OF an Inge-
Nous mind to reconcile his errors TO his principles IL
abounds with msy sophsres and bold ana gratu.'ous
assertions His ohjec, wo9 to show, that Gen barri-
SON vas better Republican than Mr.. Van Buren-that
hi. PRINCIPLES rcrc Republican-that he was opposed
I, National Bark, TO Prot -ctive Tariff, and ati-
tud,nous construct on Of The Constitution lie pants
Mr. Van Buren, S course in the gloomiest coore which
he could ernpoy-denies his Republican principles and
coniures up that humbug OF standing army
| OF 100 600 men, upon which M sober man can now
look back without astonishment and disgust. ne
rushed into the arena of discussion, with an nrdor
which no scruples difficulties could abate ne
attacked Mr. Van Buren, and his friends, without
mercy and without truth He pressed loat goa
spoon humbug, the l,tlest, basest trick OF a.! me
mummeres Of the Wings. Virginia was saved put
the Union went for General WIN. II. HARRISON IN
one month"; death removed him from the world-and
Mr. Rves repaired to the Extra to de-
ser, his old principles, but anxious I" reconcile mem
il possible with his support OF MI yle iamih's'la-
ton "rhs ge ph'sters and projectors again com.
mencsd Mr.. Rvcs set himself to work 10 forge on,
National bank, which, with some historical scraP and
sopistry he might attempt to pala, OIL up
on The country as a constitutional institution and al
tempted 10 "whip the devil round the stump He dev's-
ed tina, cunning system of Bank, to be established in
The District Of Columbia, with the power Of sending
branches into the States, with their consent That
notable experiment. failed But let the Globe take up
the tale of his achievements in Congress, and his hna
passionat. rupture with Mr.. Clay whom ne now re-
commends 10 the people as the next candidate for the
/ Presidential Chair
/ "Clay, he knew, was cold to Harrison, and Harrison
full of hate and jealousy Of Clay. In the Senate
/ Mr.. Rives TO become Ajax lebanon for the Ad-
ministraton, while mad Achilles was in his tent
What field of glory for our little man, 'leaplng to