Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-02-28
FoR THE ENQUIRER.

lIlINfS.i VII ~ NOH'S sN5.'J
FoR THE ENQUIRER.
To the Voters IN he C0nercsSi0nal District com
posed of he Counties al York, Acc0n,ac, North
ampton. Elizabeth Gu, Warriek, James Guy,
.Neic Kent, Charles CaH Maihcrs, Gloucester,
Lancaster, Northumberland, and The City Of
williamsburg.
FELLow-CiTIZENs:
When the highest servants Of the Common
wealth abuse your confidence, beiray your rights
and despise your will; when even Senators are
STOPPING in ahjecl submission to the remorseless
ambition OF your enemies, you must be sensible
that the times demand your wisest exerllons Tor
the public veal. In a crisis like this-so fuli OF
apprehension and alarm-let me conJuTe you 10
mark your deserters, 10 honor your friends, and
10 do Justice 10 the country and yourselves, by
supporting a statesman whom no power can buy,
no iiattery seduce, nor menace intimidate; and
who is happily fertile in every 'great and good
qualification"
Cen. Thomas Ii. Bayly, your present Repre-
sentative, is no common man; he has seen pub
lie life in various forms, and has graced the ser
vice in every way. In the Spring of 1886, The
people Of Accomac elected him 10 represent them
in the II. OF Delegates, where the fire and visor OF
his genius showed what his strength wonld become
in the golden prime of maturcr years. In thai
! lGlllbdS iul vi ~ hhoh 5000
in which statesmen and heroes have been often
nursed, many great questions ofprivate right and
public policy have come before him, which tested
his versatile powers, and confirmed their WORTH
Among those | name the doctrine of instructions,
then strongly applied To MIR. Leigh, your Sena-
Tor in the Congress OF the U. States. In the warm
and able debate upon that disputed doctrine, Gen.
Bayly maintained the right and the duty OF the
Legislature 10 instruct, and gained very general
applause hy the soundness OF his principles. the
fervor Of his eloquence, and the absolute supre-
macy OF his reasoning powers. IL was then ne
drew his maiden sword, and neshed it 10 the hill.
All young and inexperienced as he really was in
public affairs, he became 50 quickly old in fame,
that the General Assembly placed a handsome, pre-
%cocious, and Unprecedented conplimentupon him.
II is worthy OF note, and ought to be remembered as
n leading incentive 10 other men. Early in 1887,
when the Legislature were in the actual execu-
ticn OF 4 Joint order for the election ola Brigadicr
General for Eastern Virginia, Mr.. (now Gene
ral) Bayly rose and nominated for that office his
neighbor, Colonel John G Joynes, the worthy Sc
major from the Accomack District. Mr.. Poulson
followed, and nominated Colonel Edward Sneed,
The officer Oldest in ommand next TO Col. Joynes.
Then Mr.. Segar, 4 talented member OF the
House, rose and asked MI. Bayly, as a personal
favor, TO retire from the Hall for a short time
Thinking il possible that Mr.. Segar might en-
deavor TO defeat the election Of Colonel Joynes,
| Mr.. Bayly refused 10 retire. Mr.. Segar then
boldly nominated Mr.. Bayly, who promptly pro.
tested against that freedom with his name, and
urged the members 10 vote for Col. Joynes. Yet,
against his honest inclinations and public remon-
STRANGE, Mr.. Bayly was hurried over the interme-
diale grades of military service, and raised, by
the spontaneous acclamations OF the General As.
sembly, to the head of a Brigade. The soundness
& tt ,l---lL.- - la,. h ,ctnt
esied manliness ofhis conducr-aided BY the mar
tial appearance Of the whole man-evidenlly
prompted this cordial tribute OF admiration and
respect. He may see no battles, and Gull no lau-
Iels in the fields Of blood; but, should hostile
troubles shake the land, and summon you 10
arms, no soldier of Virginia would BE- promp!er
than The General 10 tempt the award OF war, and
10 do battle for the rights and honor OF his coun-
try.
Gen. Bayly remained in the Virginia Assem-
bly, aboulsi years; and during that whole period OF
time no statesman did more than he TO promote
the general prosperity Of The Commonwealth, and
to give the proper direction TO her honor and fame.
The bill which he framed and carried through
the Legislature, TO protect your rights from Inc tol-
~ and injustice OF a %ianatical spirit IN The North,
deserves your waTmest gratitude. nine constant
spread OF wholesome political opinions, General
bdNIs Id DctI iUucldll-uUiC anu -
You'd comparison in Eastern Virginia. In his
political career, he has been constantly and
strongly opposed on party grounds, and has al
ways triunphcd in the hardest strife. Scnptr
aEimosHS Ct rietuS nunYu0m NUMEROUS AIT arms.
To The kindness of his dispositions, the excel
lcnce of his talents, and his indomilablc perseve-
rance in the cause Of the people, we may ascribe
the fortunate revolution he has effected m Your
Congressional District. In the fall OF 1886, Mr..
Van Bnren-the regular Democratic Candidate
for the Presidency received in Accomac but 50
votes! Last fall, the timely and effective servi-
ccs OF Gen. Bayly swelled the vote OF Col: PolkI IN
the county OF Accomac, 10 four hundred and
eighty odd.
In 1912. Gen. Bayly was urged BY his friends
to accept a judgeship in the General Court
There his duties became both arduous and novel.
But consult the numerous lawyers who attended
his courts, and Won will be freely told, that his
qualifications for the administration OF justice lar
oulgrew his years, and presaged glory and UTILITY,
in that arduous walk OF human life, which caused
Justice to shed her truest tears Tor the loss OF a
friend, who held her precious scales with a nand
so steady and true. JusiissimMs unus, 81 scrrenhs-
SINUS eqni, is the goodly sentiment which clients
and advocates bestowed upon him. II is surely
a national misfortune, that succeeding years will
be deprived of the opportunity to mellow and
perpetuate his early fame as a Judge. But 1t is
no fault OF his. You cannot but remember the
natural regret felt and expressed by that able ex-
FOUNDER Of the public laws, when, in 1913, your
imperative voice called him down from the
judgment seat 10 engage in a difficult and
unpromisins contest for the seat in Congress,
Just then vacant By the appointment OF Mr..
Wise as Minister to Brazil. But the ties
OF gratitude upon an upright heart, like his,
are never severed by Sinister considerations
q mi in hie carara orJ J.eonrrantnu nnpfoef
with Mr.. Carter, he never faltered, under the
confident assertions and general belief of the
Wings, that they would defeat him with the Ut
most ease. The muse Of History will award to
him The NEED Of lofty and devoted patriotism,
in this lagsard age, when she records The sacri-
fees he has nobly made TO serve You. That he
came into the House OF Representatives to honor
and serve you, is fully admitted by yourselves.
That he has honored and served you well, is fair
ly established by the collective testimony of the
whole nation. Cool and guarded, attentive and
persevering, he has Justly won the respect and
admiration of Congress by atfability without
coarseness, by dignity without pride, by wis
dom in council, and abilities in debate
He keeps aloof from The dull and daily dissonance
OF Improbable debates, and never speaks unless
The posture and importance Of the question re-
quire light. But when the public good and the
welfare of his constituents seem concerned, the
certainty Of his aims, and the yigor Of his blows,
denote a champion who, in The cause oftrulh and
justice, fears no collision with the sioutest foe
His recent speech on The Annexation of Texas TO
our Republic, has been often pronounced by
competent judges 10 be comparable 10 the finest
effort which has been made upon the subject in
either House.
Had This gifted debaler shaped his course by
the sordid calculations of profit and loss, he would
have toiled at the bar where riches and distinc-
lion would combine TO reward him. But he has
wholly devoted his abilities and influence 10 his
country and friends, not doubling that justice and
gratitude are conspicuous and reliable virtues in
his native State. To desert him now, after all
that he has done, and deprive the nation of his
commanding powers, would prove that the scales
OF humanity are not always just, and that public