Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-09-10
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF VIRGINIA.
II Tic Editors Of tic Enquirer:
DISCUSSION IN CUMBERLAND

I
/ DISCUSSION IN CUMBERLAND
Gentlemen: Several communications appeared
in the last Wig. pretending 10 Siye an acco ~; Of
/ tie discussion al Cumberland Court on the 16,h
uilmo, between Messrs Robert q. Scott and Jo-
scph X. Irving. From the statements of these
Whiglincs, il appears, that the Democratic Ora
tor on that occason was 30 match 10: ms colnpe-
tor ami was sisnaIiy Getcatcdby him. Making
all necessary allowance for the Partially OF these
scribhlors, will proceed 10 state the general char
acnr OF the discussion.
In consequence OF the notice, tha Robert o.
Scott of Richmond would address Tie people OF
Cumberland at their August Court, IN audience
| larger than any have ever Seen here before, ;.s
semhed at an early hour 10 l-;=n,od gentle an,
whose eloquent and patriotic appeals, and close
and convincing reasoning. had gained FOR him an
enviabIe reputation among the political Gchaters
| OF the day Hearing OF The ability with which
he defended the principles and policy O. the De.
mocrat;c Party, ard Of the triumphant success
which every where aticgHiei his efforts, the gal
/ liant and indomi'ahlc Democracy Of this county
were exceedingly anxious 10 hear him. Nor
were We disappointed in ouI high expectations
for, scarcely had the Orator uttered single SEN
tcncc-scarcely had his powerful voice sounded
! through the assembly, adaon;Shing the people oi
( ;hc deep AMI vital Interests involved in the ap-
/ preaching Presidential conflict before the crowd
/ compressed within a narrower circle, was eager
/ " liked IN attention, aS If 10 catch every word
which Tell from lh- distinguished speaker end
! that attention was unreni,lina and increasing dli-
I ring The whole time required for the delivery 70.
, his spcech-a perfect sketch of which will no;
! undertake 10 give, because | AN altogether III
! comre'en; 10 the task.
! Al II O'Clock, Mr.. Scott commenced his argu-
| Mcni, and continued Speaking Tor three hears
and halt He began by advcring to the OPT
/ mons expressed 10y the Wings OF Virginia in
! 1910, as the cardinal doctrines Of their political
! tailh--as well rs 10 the public declarations o,
| their then candidate for the Presidency, in oppo-
| >iton to tie cons.itulionaiiy Of Bank, and of
his determination 10 abide by The Compromise
act. He showed how. by these means, the Wings
succeeded III the disastrous struggle OF $50, 10
dcleat the Republican party in that memorable
campaign, an! then reciled their acts of lcgisla-
ton al the Extra Session Of II, hurried through
! Congress with indecent haslc and exposed and
I demonstrated from these aud other facts the diff
ference between Wing promises and Wing per.
iormanccS. After bringing 10 the recollection OF
the Wings many "reminiscences ofthiS character,
which seemed 10 be not very pleasing 10 them, he
entered into a full and comprehensive examina-
lion OF the whole restrictive policy-faced is his
, tory, and declared that the act o! ISL was The
first which recognised the principle OF protection
d. p.T llatiuIal Ic1lS-
la,ion. Re giiiic;!:cG the Republican party, and
repcllc: the charge that ihey recognised and sup
porte! the protective system III passing the Tariff
act of 1915; and showed from the provisions Of
that BILL that reduction of duties 10 The revenue
point, OF certain ;ii,cleS was secured tv lis own
Limitations. lie then referred Ia The action olihc
Virginia Delegation, ard of thu representatives
from the South generally, when TIC bill OF 1921
was on is final pas>agc-that bin which laid tie
corner stone OF the Stupcndous system Of public
robbery, which hes since grown up Under the Co
vernmeni, until i, has well nigh cvcr>hadowcd
that Government itSal!-ani produced proofs
from the record, which utterly rciulcd the idle as
sertion, that tic Republican party is responsible
for this odous scheme OF taxation a scheme re-
sisted b. that party from lis first adoption I'LL the
present time, AID ever regarded b. IL as destruc
tive o!il.c best interests the country He then
Wen; into critical examination OF the Tariff of
lSi2-tore o!ithe veil o.. deception which covers
is face, and exposed lis naked deiormitics-
Mr.. ;. commented on the impocy Of the law
and explained the manner in which ii alicnared
one potion oithc people from the o;her-how it
tween neulners OF the same great family. and
how il tented 10 weaken instead Of strengthen
ins the bonds Of this Union. He said that when
the people complained uf their wrongs on this
| suhlect, they were charged with being untricndy
~ NV I liIbt! III tti' IN.'t tiis.t ti4C
publican part: were in favor OF D;snnion, and
said that il ny Tar;v was obnoxious toiha,chaIgc
j, was that patty which Fitted up the hands Of
john Quincy Adams, and numbered among lis
most trusted COINS iOrs the S-aclS Of the ccie-
braled anii-Teyas manifesto. which looked 10 a
dissolution OF the Union in the event Of the an
nexation of Texas - the United States. The
members Of the Republican party did mol cy-
paci 20 wear long ka"es in their bells or 10 carry
muSlicts on their shoulders. This is not war
of hayonets and bullets, but Il contest o. opinion
70 bc decided at the halloi-boX.
Mr.. :. then explained the unequal operation Of
Ike Bill OF 1912 On the various industrial pur-
suits oi the nation shaved how il plIndered the
MANY for the lenc.i, o. the r!undcrng ew-how
it changed tie Southern States from proud and
independent sovcreisntics into vassal colonies,
whose chief privilege hereafter will he 10 pay
tribute 10 Northern monoTolists. Tie answered
! in the clcarcst and most convincing manner the
arguments Of the procctionisIs in favor OF their
| cherished acknowledgment into thin air the
| humbng doctrine that high dulles make low prices.
and fortified and defended in 4 spiri, Of proud
and Lofty vnication, the doctrine cf free trade
rs advocated in the United States Mr.. ). dis
PLAYED great familiarity with this vcxcd question
OF protection, and it was evident that powerful
iniccc. was IL Work upon il. Ills whole arau-
ment Was polished chain OF reasoning, l1rcibly
reminding me oi the linked augmentation OF
Sir William Grant. To break il MoUli require
more Than the strength OF the whole Wing Ilec-
toral Ticket in Virginia. To rciu,2 IT, founded
as it is on the immutablc principles Of justice, is
10 ovcriun virtue and 10 build up vice, ard it
NAV therefore, be thrown in bold defiance before
the whole Wing party, and - unframed from
It's great embodiment down TO its mcrcst camp
followers.
Having disposed Of the Tariff, Mr. S. next took
up the question Of the annexation Of Texas, ana
went into an elaborate defence ofthc whole mea-
sure He examined it in a military point of
view. and declared il 10 he necessary for the pro-
lection of our Southwestern frontier and enforced
this view with great power. He next considered
ii in lis cac:s on the commerce and ran,in. in
tcresls nj tire country, and depicted, in glowing
colors the disasters which would lciail tnoSe in
teress, Is well rs others Of a national character
, should Texas be lost 10 the Union. He repelied
the charge that he annexation would he in viola
ton of uur neutrality-suspicious. with Mexico; and
proved beyond the shadow OF Il doubt, thar Texas
is illlv competent 10 treat With any oii!cr Govern
mrnt for the cession ot is whole territory 10 that
other Government, and that Mexico could have
no lust cause of complaint. lie reTlied, in the
most triumphant manner, 10 the statement, that
the ratification ot,hc late treaty would have been
an act Of national dishonor, and showed how the
great head OF the Wig party attempted, in 1925,
10 recover Texas by purchase from Mexico; and
tint too when 1000 troops Of the naughty Don
were in actual possession Of 'famrico and fleets
were being fitte GU: lin Cuba 10 suhjugate the H.
surscnt NIexcans Under sach circumstances,
il was no violation OF our neutrality-suspicious. with
Spain 10 buy Texas from Mexico! Nor was our
national cscutcheon furnished by that act of d.
pomacy Blu, when Texas revoed and estab-
iishcd her independence, and when, for seven
wears. the foot OF Mexican soldier had not rest
cd on her soil-when her independence had been
acknowledged BY The L. States Great Britain,
France and Belgium, and she voluntarily makes
the proposition TO be incorporated into tie Union
of these states, and We accept ii, why, then, it is
an act OF spoation unparalleled in the history OF
nations, save in Inc partition Of Poland Mr.
S. thoroughly >iled the whole subject, and pre-
scented il 10 The people in such 4 clear light, that
| he must have beer blinded BY partizan prejudiceS
who could nc; see the great benefits and blessings
10 rsSul, from The unon of The Two countries