Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-04-11
To the Editors Of The Enquirer:
a CHAPTER IN THE POLITICAL LIFE
OE nj RO TITS

A CHAPTER IN THE POLITICAL LIFE
OF J. M. BOfTS.
In our country, no doctrine seems to be more
clearly established, than that Of the right OF the
people 10 enquire into the past history and polIli
cal life OF those persons who aspire to be theli
representatives. Nor should right-minded aspl.
rant for The public service object TO such enquiry
propose, therefore, 10 investigate few incidents
and passages in the life Of one who, though drl
ven from The councils of the nation by The voice
of the people, again presents himself as caDdl-
date to represent them in the Congress OF the U
States. ] allude 10 the case of John M. Bots
who is now canvassing this district
The political career of this gentleman is noa
Bile enough, and il would require more OF your
space than you can afford 10 devote 10 HIM, TO no
lice it in ertenSo. SHALL therefore, pass over hl:
early legislative life IN Virginia, when he was the
knight OF contested elections and experienced Sc
many ups and downs before his final success
His vote, however, against Bank Of the United
States, and his stand among The thirteen "perpen
dicular impracticable" Wings, against the cleo
ton of Mr.. Rives to the Senate, (for which, i
must be recollecied, he encountered The wrath Q
the Richmong Wing, might we'll claim passing
notice. But cannot dwell upon them now, no.
upon his bold speeches in the canvass with The
hiohminded Seden-nor upon his multiariou:
exploits during the hard cider campaign of 1910
his invention OF the Hooe case humbug-givins
The lie TO Mr. Van Buren,, &c, &c. II will be SUI
6cient TO apply the statute Of limitations TO hi.
former courses, and Judge him only by hat which
he pursued in the last Congress Of which he wa.
member. If he bade farewell to the admins
,ration of Mr. Van Buren, with biting words upor
his ips, his commencement with that which sue
ceeded was upon The other extreme. AT It's very
threshold, we find him sleeping with the Prcsi
dent OF the United States. A calm seemed
10 have come over the mpeluous feelings o
the man; but alas! it was like the calm which
precedes storm. Only few short months
had elapsed ere he conceived the design o.
"headng" the President, whom prosperity, and
moi adversely, had made his bed-iellow. He be-
gan The battle in good earnest, and mantully did
he bear himself up throughout the contest. What
did he reck OF confusing, shaming-nay, i'm
peaching and superseding President What
were the prudent counsels of older Wings 10 him
He had undertaken 10 "head" the President, and
therefore, he must be The head of the Wing Party
The Coffee House Letter was written, and saw
the light; but that was nothing compared with
what followed Philppics in Congress- and
speeches all over the country, came of in quick
succession. Resolutions of inquiry into abuses
and appointments BY MIR. Tyler, were frequent
Articles of impeachment were drawn up and
submitted but, lamenabe 10 tell, rejected by 4
Wing House The Presidents protest against the
action Of the House on the veto OF the Tariff
Distribution Bill, was refused TO be entered upon
the journal upon his motion, and he offered re-
solution which contemplated the gross ndsnity 10
the President OF returning The message. Even
Mr.. Adams could not vote for this latter propo-
sition, and it was rejected; Mr.. Wise good
humoredy remarking, thai he was fearful that in
case it passed, the messenger OF the House would
fall into the hands of The Presidents butler, Jim
Wilkins.
All this was bad enough-but one more pa
roxysm of rage must be mentioned-l refer 10 The
bayonet scene in the mock heroic drama perform
ed by our Representative. He would not be sa-
listed with civil strife with the President-he
invoked The aid and the glitter OF arms. Ayc!-
ten l0gsaHd bGuOnets were TO brisie in Pennsylva-
mia Avenue, il Captain Tyler was not impeached
in six months And what do the peace-loving
citizens of this District say 10 This appeal 10 arms
and civil war Tins boldly ADVOCATED in the Halls
OF Congress by man who aspires again 10 re-
present them? What do The lac ami order men
of The Wing party that have ever claimed 10 be
The advocates Of law and order under all circum-
stances say 10 fralernizing with this man, who
10 break the peace OF the citizens, and
invaded the Capital of the nation in order 10 graz
lily his phenzied feelings against the President Of
the u. State>l
On the nth of JULY 1912, when the Tariff bill
was under consideration, Mr.. Bots made q
speech in its favor The Compromise Act had
come into full force on the Both of June with
Uniform rate Of 20 per cent. duties. The Presi-
dent ordered 20 per cent. TO be collected in the
absence OF further legislation by Congress
but Mr. Bolts and some other Wings objected 10
this and commended that the collection OF any
duties whatever was illegal Mr. &. and his
associates sought 10 deprive The Federal Govern
ment Of the power Of collecting any revenue
unless The President would conform 10 their
views, and sanction Tarifbilla malgamated with
4 Distribution measure. The Yffmness OF the
President prevented such an amagamalion from
akin. place, and for this Mr. Bolts sought 10
mpeach him. The following notice OF his re-
marks appeared in the papers of the day:
"Mr. Bolts obtained the floor, and addressed
he committee at length, chiefly in opposition 10
he legality OF the course pursued by The Exc
,utive in issuing circulars 10 the collectors OF
he customs, and in favor OF an Impeachment,
1t the President He contended that the Eyecn-
i've had no right 10 prescribe the mode in which
iutes should be collected II was illegal: and,
if acQuiesced in, the President might order d
iuty OF 30 per cent. to-day, and 5 per cent. TO-
morrow. This he regarded as grievous stale
i things, for which there was no remedy bnl
or revolution. He solemnly be
eved, that if the power OF the House 10 i'm
peach was not resoHed To- in less than six
months Pennsylvania avenue would CLEAN with
10, coo bayoue;s Al the proper time he should
make a movement on The subject Of impeach-
meni; and in so doing he disclaimed acting by
he counsel Of The Wing party. He stood on his
own responsibility, and claimed the merit Of hav-
ing been first 10 raise the flag OF impeachment in
his country"
About the same time, Mr. Bolts, in lurlherance
Of his scheme OF heading" the President, wrote
a letter, in which the following sentence oc-
CURED:
"Let the public mind become famiarized 10
he term Impeachment, and let all vain, weak and
vicious men in high public trusts, lremble at the
sound" But The public mind would not become
nor would the Wings in Congress,
with MIR. Bolts movement He did mol himself
enjoy congressional life sufficiently long 10 wit
ness the only occasion when Capt Tylers veto
was ever overTued BY Congress.
A lew OF the miscellaneous sayings and doings
IF the cx-Congressman are worthy of mention.-
Having taken such an active part in promugat-
ing the Hooc case humbug in 1910, it was sup
posed that he would endeavor 10 get the law
repealed upon which The "ngger testimony"
against It. Hooe was taken. But not so Nota
word against receiving the evidence Of free ne
sroes in our Navy ever came from Mr.. Bolts al
Ter the election OF 1910 was carried. Gov. Rey-
nods OF Illinois wished 10 know, in Congress,
why The Representative from Richmond had not
moved in the matter. Mr.. Bots said, he never
expected to have a repetition Of the case in our
Navy. Gov. r. said: No. reckon you never
expect TO have another hard cider and coon skin
Perhaps however, The alteration Of such law
was too small a matter 10 employ the talents OF
so distinguished parsonage as our now ex-Con
gresham had then become for, he had been
feed with public dinners, proposed for The
Speakership, talked OF for The Vice President,
&C., &C. He probably felt that he could ac-
qnire more glory in opposing The doing of jus
toe 10 the Hero OF New Orleans, by restoring 10
him the fine so unrgheously levied upon him.
Accordingly, Mr.. Bolts placed himself among
the Wing champions in opposition 10 that mea-
sure OF Justice TO patriot, whom the whole coun-
,rv had honorpd ever since his brilliant viciorv