Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-09-17
rtB SENATORIAL Ei.Ecrios IN mr. NohrusRs MN
- DWfalcT>4-aoAts

Gentemca-l would not willingly be thought fond OF
unnecessary labor and consequently should have troubled
you With reply to "Nouhsrn Neeks" r,joinder had
not my attention been directed an aItui attempt ou
his part to change the ground of controversy aud
dnce new maer hitherto contanJed by the
est friends OF Mr. Lewis From this fact soleIy doe. Il
merit nouee but as his s,owsd ~ present TIN.
controversy correctly before the public perhaps NAV aid
in that audabls undertaking by foaw,ny him ser,sfs
and Calculating some few points. his mind rather
| obscure.
| To hear Northern Neck" accuse me o( wan, Of ten,
per- would remind one forcibiv of Sir Anthony Absolute
eaesming against the use Ut passion. can assure him.
Sincerely whsever be his psrsonai interest in the
matter, mne Is not OF nature calculated extra
ordinary feeling certainly sufficient to destroy my ,sn
per-being none other than that which every feels
who would freely snd earesy defend correct
The doctrine coniended by Mr Lewis as
doesa large portion oi the crcns the District csnno,
ontregard as one OF the ssant political hcies-s ri
the day Tor notwithstanding the modest claim set forth
by N. n" noe-to wit that both the gentlemen should
be excluded aud the election icmandcd the people,
t Lewis ms conended, almost IN many words that
with maSify OF the he entitled the teturn and
that nothing but the bOundesncss Of his ssasrssy has
drawn from HIM the proposal both should resign.
am ali lose how to 'rea, thus with respectful no,iee.
Ca1Te-Would he have been willing had le
an undispGied majority of - votes
Northern Neck" having admitted statement OF the
aeS 10 be correct, would be exceedingly i
me l" seek father quarrel with him this point But he
would be thankful tn have pointed to hin, more ,xi,-
city hs Misrepresentation Have patience good friend
and VIII pay thee all. Ii unircqucniy happens that
SINS I" OMISSION involve consequences which reer them
paramount 10 sins oi commission. l'N. ~" undertakes
10 pee me witness IN this case. he only tell the
u"iA' but the rhoie truth Your readers may recOlec
'"a ne merely stated the general fact that OF the
returns were not property authenticated. (aouEh they
were authenticated in the usual manner) Could he not
nave told Us "hyi Was 1t case Of fraud, negligence
IhRN. L.N
."uues at Lancaster, Northumberland aud Stafford Did
'ne commissioners refuse certify the returns, here
so'i reason Tor their au,hencating i-m. rather
not authenticate them as they have been accust
ei 10 10 ifo.n time mmcnoriNl, with all the torn. ally
~h'eh they Geeued the law required and with sui
accuracy, As Eey supposed. To the Distinct tn,
uu questionable return oi Col James VI. Smith, Every
ooIy Ano"s, who with the facts, the latter
nave oeen 'He case and sHppshcnded by your hun
~ correspondent that iAe laving hold Vt this merely icca
S'tfsshi IN tie commissioners. will not rebound To-
.le eedt oi any IN the OF the people OF
virginia This Is the vocation uf law" which calls
from IN N such expressions OF pious horror lie seems
Ho' 10 have reflected whom IL benefits since furush,
M Lewis with the only plea, which he has Obtain ed
even shadow o title to seai in le Senste OF Virginia
4H IS not already rendered clear that IN. n" has
gu O catblng facts. AMI consequently OF misrepresen-
'ail"n let W. proceed farther lie asserted with all,
ell appearance OF cardoT, aud nimabe sang JrOG
hat Tie present case was "dicu one, ''novel
involving questions hitherto unhe1d OF political cono.
'esy IL cr;tlnly novel IN particulars; aud IT
ih' &c three Sheris had f ia their wisdom to have
gwen thelr certificate moon, 1 W
nave been sun more So But"N. M has been forced
admit, that the returns IN the present well
authenticated, as IN election this District since 1893
yes ne replies but wrong however often repeated
no; e-rhy become right" Very BUT candid IN. H. m
view o. The fact. that IN the political Of aIleastweve
years seeing defeated candidate has
ed To lay hold OF this iuibbc will be inclined question
whe he' tEe'e wrong. IheiaCt, thai SeusIs has
nVaii5ly admitted the claims OF the Senators from hs
District during all that ume Congress has those cf
Representatives., TOR the iueguarIy, such be, has been
ILL
that their elections sufficiently Ad-
hitting the position VI Mr.. ewIs and his Uext friend
"N"rhtrn Neck" THIS Dsuct has never been legally re-
presented daring TINS period OF law tramp and,
sequence all laws, statutes and enartmens determined by
Ihe o these acaled Senator'S must now lie
null aud void! Tins submit to IN ~ :" with a request
Tor lts eiueidauun Il pretty evident that Col
isnct the only Interested Tor the decision which
would deprive hn Ui his declares his predecessors H.
legally elected. But hui myself IN pursuit OF shadow
Nhst" ssk, - the "nOvc!iy the extraordinary "Iicul
y, the snguaiy Of the present. case and not To be
found. docs notN ~" stand clearly convicted Vi all with
winch ne has been chliged Is II not ue singular,
hsi these sne''t-. who refused Col. Smlh certificate
las eltenoR should have selected him the victim and
still more So thsi they should fully compr bend
81 iheir duty al Jistat the time New light
have broke upon their vision, have then 20 their
seu-es Just at this Ju1cure but what will they
NIKE to the plb Tot the past "viOaOns their uEIhs %
Bat h0scn IL nj important point history Of
tts controversy Every the real gu,
u"", the fact OF facts. lhs Wbo has actual ma.
lJriy ct legal votes p IN present case the psJple
have performed the dates Uf electors as heretofore Ibe
polls have been authenticated the usual manner and
dJuti not. wh az much T"RNATS ~ IN three ourths OF
the Districts IN the State. Now Us ii conscious that the
foregoing facts aud nIeeaces have rendered Mr.. Lew,ss
H4ib'r oi no avail ana well knowing these facts be
e'Giabe, ~ ~, win most impeTluT Oa BILE none balance
a5nndJnins ms hcst p,.sIlUn (Which II will be r-coecI
Cd was founded solely "n the NTORNALrY OF the reurs
ASSUMES one wholly unwIHiatabie. as | shall presently
sno", It net by "prra" east By q tfan Of reas ming
which u will trouble him reuie. lie now assert, that
There u great doubt whether the wishes O the d..
net hhNs been cleIry and uncquiyocs cxpressed Each
parry lie save. Claims hIJy ct thu l,ga votes, aud II
l. mere assumption ~ either ir eide Is matter" Ii Mr.
Lewis claims ma 'ry, why has he aimed hi. seat
on tins ground THIS j. the ground on which the
question should rest, aud nOi bubbles and { clinical
catches. WHY, ak, has not been assumed there
dorb rs to who has The m5ariyi An facts sometimes
-reak louder than W. rds. II Mir Lewis could show a mn
"ny by scrutiny nj lie polls. hch unless req ,rt has
done him rJusiee he ly attempted and finally aban-
donrd for good fcason) Will any believe he wou ha
ebosn TO rest his claim on law guibbrs Crsd1f JuJaas
Tel list to rie marine Mr. Le,s is too much OF a law
yer To- present TO tic Senate detective t!o II at tue
SAME Line he held IN h5 possession valid one unqu,s-
uorabe and rcif1saJie Having satisfied himsc doubt
.'s " careful inquiry that scrutiny o the polls would
inafclse rather nan diminish Col SMITHS mi MY with
what grace - 1t now cUEIended that there is any doubt IN
the matter. Had there really been doubt abou, the ma,
pity winch N ~" has once admitted 10 be IN Of
C" smith by 81 yoies-whe scrutiny uf the polls would
show u {" Ice mpre,) shoui have heard the Com
ms-"ncrS mcnuonod-ti- splitting OF HAIRS would lave
renamed w reserve Tor the Undertaking future
from an inlomaiy IN returns, be obvious the
rlos snr' D. ~ Gun osrisare him rom tie dilemma
into "ich, even 10 'c regret Of his puca friends
h- nicc'u has led him, only by this shift of position
and boldly assuming that there "doubt a. TO who ha.
the actual mslIrty. lie must not arnuse the put-
Hc "HH a hcLhJss Prstebce, which Mr.. Lewis
could hive hops before the senate and il il
gratifying Ia the friends Of Col Smith 10 f. assured that
prpninrHt gentlemen II Mr.. Lewis own political p,r,
almost universally with them ~ dislpproyinr Ia.
course on either ground. Had doubt ey sled about tho
nypry. e.eiy iulinicd with Col mi'h will readi
" believe N re would have been ca'pn. at ig)ormah
nef n"r would he tayc awaited tue proposal to resign
since he would cOrn sc .Ltiu his seat a. be
Would disd1ln 10 Occupy thus Obtained
word .bnui the sprndence aud have done with
"NUfbofn Neck, trust forever II borders closely ON
IN" uocfuus ~ see how ho eXlro1es himself fr ~, the
lofty attitude he Of first assumed He wouI have the pub
c believe int the publication uf this -pUbdence won
maze vastly for the csuse Of Mr. Lewis. Being challenged
70 bring torh, be- cody npics III you want u pub
-hed. de- II your elves" would sugge.t he had better
have carc OF tho public 10 suspect he not quite - de-
srpus Of having Il exhibited 10 people 81 the Northern
NJ ck. lth's long been the wish u Col Smlls friends
tiat II highs be iblhcd hithci'O h. hos iuLnfne nj