Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-01-10
MIR. BOWDEN's POSITION.

1Hc 1ouIHitI ana w MY, WHO ndNc Iuf long
time moved in totally different orbits, have al
length formed Conjunction" in their attacks
upon The course of this gentleman, who has had
the independence 10 avow his sentiments, and 10
call publicly upon his Constituents 10 instruct
him, should they disapprove Of his avowed deter
mnation 10 vote for Republican Senator. Both
Of these Wing journals sneeringly express a
hope that Mr. B.'s constituents will not Instruct
him. In this they move Together but here the
Wing stops, and the Compiler, with a lierceness
which we had not looked ,ur, proceeds at length
10 attack Mr. BIS Representative honor and
"brcachof faith" and charges him with 'subter
.Igc, The weakest and most arrogant"
IL is needless for us 10 enter into an elaborate
defence Of Mr.. BIS conduct, and Of the motives
which regulated him. lie stands forth as the
representative Of an intelligent and honored con-
>tituency, 10 whom alone he is responsible for the
discharge OF his high trusts. and from whom he
conceals moi an iola of his opinions and future
plans. He frankly and h. eslly calls upon those
constituents TO canvass h political life, 10 scan
all his motives, and finally, 10 instruct him in his
duties should he be found violating their wishes.
Could 4 representative 90 lullherl Could any
man place himself on more impresnable ground!
Where is the "sublertuge" with which he is
charged The whole attack Of The Compiler is
being shown 10 be ninisy and unreal, the clumsy
slipersirlic,,ire will at once "loppie down" We
shall strike a, he very foundation Of the Comp-
ler> statement, and clearly demonstrate, that he
has grossly misreprcscnled Mr. Bowdcn. We
have carefully investigated the facts, and subjGin
the following defence 81 Nj. Bowden:
The Compiler asserts positively that "Mr
Bowncn was a Wing decided and unlloubted last
winter" We are satisfied that this is a gross
mistake--so far from being decided Wing, he
was opposcI hy tho Wings in 1913, and in the
spring OF thai year, the party brought out Col. lay
or to oppose him, on he express grounds that
he INTENDED 10 vote Tor Mr.. Wise, and positively
refused to pledge hinse(i 10 Clay's supper! ~ Tic
crcnt cfhiS attaining lie nDmtaaiioa 81 The Wing
National Coarcnti0a. In that canvass The K.
why snok- {; CT. Taylor as the Wing and o.
Mr. Bowten as 'iishy and an!cvcry thing. =
Thcnceforward he was resardei Caihouil man,
and his opinions were so we'll known and his po-
stion so we'll understood al home, that he was
MOI amounted a delegate TO the Wing Conveil-
lion. which assembled here in February last
When that Convention mel, MIR. Calhoun had
Withdrawn tom the Presidential canvass
and, il appearing that Mr.. Van Buren, would, in
all human probability, be the candidate in oppo-
slion 10 Mr.. Clay, il was understood that Mr..
Bowdcn would in conformity 10 his declarations
previously made in his district support Clay in
preference 10 Van Buren, or Johnson, whom
lie considered the prominent candidates Of the
Democratic party. Owing TO This well known
position of his, some oil the Wing delegation
from his district pressed him. on The morning the
Convention assembled, 10 take part with them
and act as delegate. This he refused TO do, and
left The Club House 10 attend TO his duties in the
Capitol Whilst there, special messenger was
L,,, frop lie isIr
ing him to join them in their private meetings
and on their committees. Yielding 10 their soi-
citations. he acted in these capacities, and con-
scnted that his name might be inserted in the list
of delegates though ne never took any part in the
nahlc proceedings Of the Convention, alter he
consented that his name nigh, be used as a
member.
In the last Spring canvass, Mr.. Stanam adj
dressed the voters OF James City and Williams
burg at their House. Mr.. Bowden followed him,
and s,ated'eSpressly, and emphatically, that Mr..
Clay was FIR from beng has choice-that he de-
cidedly preferred Mr.. Calhoun. Here Mr. B.
was asked by voter in the crowd, whether he
would vote for Mr.. Calhoun in preference 10 Mr..
pecialion, to get the nomination. His reply was,
ayes, in preference To any man il the world
Was his the reply of decided Wing ;" DE
was then asked il he would vote for John Tyler,
should he be the candidate. Mr. 2. replied, in
substance. that on that subject he should leave
himself free TO act as he thought proper, when
such stale of things occurred.
We learn that, in the last Spring canvass, Mr.
Bowden avowed himselfin opposition 10 Bank,
high Tari1'and Distribution, and has always been
the avowed friend of the Annexation of Texas.
II any blame attach TO any body on this question,
it is to Mr.. Clay, for not publishing his anti
Texas letter betre the Virginia Elections, so that
his followers might have been warned moi TO vote
for Texas man. But many OF the Wings, in
the vicinity Of Williamsburg, &C., were strongly