Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-03-21
MrssRs. BoTTs M sEDDoN IN %CooCHLAND.
To he Editors RI nc Enquirer:

VI - lie Dp - ~ oEbDb. ~ opc' ~
To he Editors RI nc Enquirer:
GoocrLANp. Monday Night, March II.
The first encounter in Ibis Congressional cam
paien. was here to-day. The Judgment, as 10
which champion had the better, will depend en-
tiIely upon what rule Of Judging a person adopts.
Those with whom loudH SIS OF voice, confident
and unconsidered assertion, and more than kInely
l~oitincss (nul 10 say arlosance) OF LOOK and man
ner, pass for strength of mind and correctness OF
thought, must give the Palm 10 Mr.. Bolts. Such
AS like sound, clear reasoning, carefully ascer-
tanned facts, all clothed in chas;e and iorcible
words, uttered with becoming inodcsty,-will
award The victory, beyond measure, TO Mr.. Scd-
don.
Never did | see a face, which assumes so much
Inc appearance OF absolute in'alIibili,y, as the
face OF Mr.. Bots does in speaking. 1t swclls and
sii>lens with Indignation, aithe bare idea that any
one should be audaciouS enough 10 differ with
him. Every feature, and every tone says, with
all The eluquencc Of a Salt-river Toarer, that he
would char up, if he could, the man who dares 10
think differently from MIR. Bolts. Pity but you
could have heard his ~arcnmtMi (as he would call
it, Ia prove that The annexation Of Texas in the
way that Congress has taken, is against the con-
~slilulion! II consisted, almost entirely, Of whole
thunder storm OF abusive epithets asainstthc inca.
sure. You may have a pretty good notion OF il,
by turning to SwiG's TALBOT a Tub, and reading
the argument" by which Lord Peter proves a
piece of dry bread 10 be good, fat mutton: Il say,
this is MUTTON and il you were not 4 parcel OF
id fools. YOU would see that it is. And if you
don't lake it and eat it as mutton, may Cd ever
l~as,inrly d-n and coniound YOU ALL" quote
only from memory.
10 mention but one Of MIR. BIS reckless as
s~eriions: He said, that The repeal of the 2lst
rule had produced no harm, nay. rather good 10
The South; for, thai, since The repeal, he believed,
mt a single Abolition petition had been presented.
Now. if you will look into last Saturdays Ma
tional Inlelliecncer, (tor the counlry,j you will
find a list of the petitions presented by Mr.. BIS
particular friend, ]. @. Adams, during the ses-
sion, regularly numbered, amounting TO largely
over 200; and OF the four or FIVE that | cxa-
mined in The list, nearly all were Abolition reti-
tons.
wonld gladly sketch you The debate; so sound
ing. and empty, and violent, on the one side-so
mastery and convincing on the other. But time
and space are wanting. You must know, how
ever, The decisive turn which the Texas part OF
The discussion has taken.
THE Texas QUESTION Is YET opES Is NOT
YET SETTLED!
This was affirmed, and proved, by Mr.. Seldom;
and admitted, or | should rather say most posi-
lively asserted, by Mr.. Bolts.
Mr.. S. said, that il was importantto have in The
next Congress, men favorable TO annexation, De-
causc in various ways The question might again
cnme nm there, for The action OF that body. Texas
might accept our offer Of union, but with some
qualification. which would OF course have 10 be
decided upon by our Congress. Or, a motion
mi-h, be made there next winter, 10 reptal the
Joint resolutions, by which she IS proposed TO be
annexed. In either of lhpse cases, a member who
believed lhe annexation unconstitutional would
h. ohictd 10 vote against il. Or, Mr.. 5. said,
thai when Texas, in pursuance of The joint reso-
lulions. should frame her constitution as a Slate,
and offer il for The approval OF Congress, some
such embarrassing and exciting question might
he raised about il, as was raised about The consll-
tuition Of Missouri in 1919: when the Union trem-
blcd on The verge Of dissolution. IN such juno
ure. all those who thought annexation itsell un-
constitutional would. of cour>e, vote Tor anything
that wpuld Illustrate annexation. And in any of
those cases. where would Mr.. Bots be fonndl He
who is opposed Ia our annexins Texas in any
manner. but especially bv legislative action, as
being against both cSpedicncy and the constiil-
lion1 The Texas question, therefore, IS deeply
involved in this contest.
Mr.. Bots, in his reply, bnrs; into that tenpes;
Of hard words. which | before attempted family
10 give you some idea of; denouncIng annexation
as every way monslrous-as unconstitutional,
unwise, and un-cvcrything. In short, | wonder
he did no, say with DR.. Svntay, that it upset the
ca!esories. and overturned The predicamenis." He
| concluded lbalMe Itras question ras by no means
gAled: that if it should come before Congress in
any form, Gas come it must,) ne, if a member,
would oppose annexation.
My language is very tame, compared with MT.
B.'s. | should vainly attempt a rivalry Of his
lhunder-and-lighlning STYLE. For most Of nj;
epi,hels, however, see the r. Wing, pa@im; and
especially The letters Of II !Sseyetaro-who, as
beard a Wing Of high standing say the other
day, is a very clever fellow; "bul," added he, 10
talk Of making him a Professor in The Universe
", is The best joke that ever happened, except that
Of mans bee ucaihins FIVE pounds 10 pay off The
national debt of England" The fnency with
which Mr.. Bolts pours out his plentiful streams
Of i~nveclive, reminds me Of that noisy and pas
sionalc blade in the Odyssey, who is sarcasticaiiy
asked,
"What God 10 thy untniored youth affords
Such headlong torrent cf amazing wards!
May Heaven delay thy reign, and eumber late
So bright a genius with the cares OF state