Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-10-26

1 IL j. * y y - - l. / II = = > L. i. =
Nrw :;En!Es-Nc.
TIE Distribution Lom-Loc roiiia2 cerri.d It.
llgjo,ities il. boM Hrases epposc3 10 ;t--.S'atcs
rcfeAne he Macy-T!e Virginia Democrceg;
is PATRIOTISM and Li'rcp.&&g-.M9atindc If
liz su,j.ct-Ns rgf ya'e e"4 r"i"c"s tcr"cn-
cic:, g.
TnE FAn SocTil, Oct. Is, 1911.
Henry Clay, Esa-Sir: The American Poo
pie have good cause TO remember, that the Flee
lions Of 1910 brought l!ia Whgparty into power.
II entered upon lis Federal Administration not
only with Wing President, but with overwhelm-
ing Wing maloriics in both Houses OF Con-
@rcss That Congress assembled 10 Extra Session
in the latter part OF May, ISL ii the call Of The
President, and all eyes were directed lhithcrwan,
intensely anxious To see what should he propoS-
ed, or promised, ordone.
The distribution 81 the ''E3 prnccc3S' oi the
public lands, among the several States, had long
been Leading measure OF Wing policy and
you, very especially, had been pressing it upon
Congress for years; and under The auspices of
such commanding majorilies in both Houses YOU
no longer doubted thai you couli carry this great
measure through. Strange to lei, however, as
the bill for that purpose, matureG Tor deiniiye
action. il came 20 pass that il friends could not
muster strength enough 10 pass il through either
House And, marvellous coincidence lit 50
Glanced thai The Bankrupt Bal, another leading
measure Of Your parry, was in similar predi-
carneE, We'll. il being thus a>ccI:aincd. that
neither iii! could pass upon is own substantive
and intrinsic merits, what were the cOnnsclS Of
Patriotism and t!ia obligations of dn;y i'll such
coninnc;arc 10 ahandon them II be sure. IN
iii better proofs shoud be brought Tome TO Con-
src>s, of the popular approval. Not 50, thought
the Whigs Leaning on TIE great Federal EiaSiIn,
tia. they WERE Nor 70 NJ ral.sIrp ~ 1nE WILL
OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS" they resolved TO carry
through these npor.;n, measures in despite Of
these ominoas iadicia Of popular opinion. To
accomplish this Il ''barcaH' was devised, and
.tnck in the face Of day. and upon the floors Of
Congress. between the friends OF TIM Two bills.
and pledges made Of muiual support 10 pass them
into laws and j, was done. Thus were two great
measures, deeply affecting The public interests,
p.s>cJ into laws. while the sentiments OF Il mt
;ofiiu. in each House, were opposed 10 their pas
sage. Thus did each I'LL Obtain The VOTES. while
neither me-. the APPRECIATION OF lac nldio!i'lcs in
Congress.
There were other notable circumstances which
signal;zcd the passage % lhe D;'iFibntioA bin
through Coa.:css Isl The Democrats o! Inc old
and lie new States, without = single exception,
i! /, said, voted in solemn colama and III @Gac
against il: 81. Though this was tavorite Wing
measure and indi>s3luh!y allied tas YOU repeat
ediy assured Congress al the Extra SESSION. with
al the lcadin. lnea>n:es of W liz policy: Wien
debate had once cxpounded lis principles and FROG
noS,ica,ctl is tendencies, = number OF wing
members rcyoliad from party, and either recor'cl
their dissent. or were absent 4. rolcall. 81 The
distinguishes! States Of New Hampshire, New
Tors Virginia. S;ouh Carolina Alabama. and!
Oilers promptly aad decidedly refused to Tcc'ive
their d,tributiyc shares ard tae.e :aoni < WITH
drawn from national uses, and credited 10 these pa
lioi State still! lie in ploiiilca heaps IN The pub
lie Treasury.
Facts. like these, furnish materials for historr.
and must find \ conspicuous place nrou lis pages.
In the midst T.. season If unayamplcd di>iress-
monies scarce, AM commanding cyhoibi,ant in
leresl-lha States deeply in1cbiei-iheir finances
extensively disoriercd-thelr credit "teallv eX-
hau.:ed, without the ready means o! dci:aving he
interest upon their stock dcbls or ii even meeting
their current cxpcnscs-wiih constituencies load
Ell down with individual Indebtedness, taxed al
ready To the point q! rcmonS;Farce, ami almost II
the point of cndurance-Wc find. nevertheless.
one entire party in Congress end decided mao,
rifles il the Legislatures OF several distinguished
States. proudly slurnng all pToi:,:rs OF help from
the Federal Treasury, and hravln2 the peril OF
party revolution, Ly oppressive engagements o!
I Ctcct taxation. II hal momcrijns crisis, "uoG
oil Virginia. God Hess hcr,-.hc and her princi-
pies and her Dcmocracr, were put totial' rato!E
encountered, and sit! more rarely irinnfEcd
over, She was in III. very midst OF critical con.
jnncuies. The Nos: cogcn. dSscnsonS, Soaded
her wit. the pcrilS which surrounded her Tie
elections OF her State and National Representa-
ties drew near Her foreign and domestic liza.
hilii;cs were most pressing. Her Treasury VIZ
drained ID exhaustion. Her Democracy stool
poised upon the very s:hmua OF he Fae. No al
ieraalires remained IL them Int rlIeSc: They
mus, tax her ncol,. amid The hazards Of popular
resistance, and al Wing lriu:nrhs-or accept hcI
Distribuliv2 share al the land fans: or encounter
the shame Ol di>honorin" hcf public Obligations.
The intrepid phalany Of Democrats who then held
| sway and adorned her COUNCILS, mot his ci>.>
| and faced these rcSp0n >i,li,icS, in & manner II
valiing the palm;cst DAYS Of Virginia. rcnown.
With sclEdevo;iAg patriotism meet Tor all
! praise. and Z con!iGins reliance upon the sturdy
| rcctituic nt a generous constituency, the cast
| from them the gli!iering biibe, appropriated her
own means II her own debts preserved her honor
unrainishcd, faced the storm OF Wing clamof al
| the polls, and 10 the lasting honor oil her people
h.. il recorded. they were ;rium1ianlly sustained
Eirsin;a'S annals a;e rich and brilliant in lefty
! deeds OF civic cmprisc; 5n nob!cT example, aud
rroudcr achcvcmcn; than ,his, does rot grace
/ her pages.
! Tie results just recorded, naturally aroused my
curiosity at the timc 10 inquire into III" causes OF
/ such maracd ana revolting rcpnrnanfe 10 Inc
| Distribution Law. That examination has wrought
upnn ms mind The thorough ccn:icion. that The
! hostility cvinc.d has been most Justly cc.er"ed.-
IL has brought me 10 the deliberate op';iion, iua'
no measure ofmagni;ude was ever advocated ny
| party and carried thr0agh Congress, 50 ihiili-
loils and prohSa;e--so unconstitutional and de-
- .',.sg= trgttS ~ A..