Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-04-11
For Tie ENQUIRER.
KING William. March Is, 1915.
TO "RAPpAHANNOCK."


TO "RAPPAHANNOCK."
have just read your piece addressed 10 MAN
Ct. m" In the Enquirer OF the 18th inst. MY
name is Mancuen, yet, having, by iypograPhl--
cal error, been melamorphosed into Maucuen,
will retain the latter as my nom dc gnerre. You
do me but justice, my dear "Rappahannock," in
thinking that am no, "a Wing who had once
been Democrat, or Democrat who had once
been Whis;" for, though cannot say with the
lamented Grundy, that | was born Democrat,
vet came of Democratic parentase, was reared
in that faith, and since have arrived at the years
OF manhood, and maturely studied the fundamen-
tai principles OF that party, unhestatngly be-
lieve, that they are the only correct principles on
which our Federal Government can be admins
tered. That am "kind -hearted, easy, good-na-
tured and torgiring Democrat" is not SO clear
yet it pains me TO say, that, from your remarks
il is evident, that you are not OF that class
but one Of the fierce Democratic" who
often forgetting the cardinal maxim OF our
party--"Principts, mol ncn"-prefer 10 see their
principles tramplcd under foot, rather than
carried out BY those they dislike. From The
gall and venom that flows from your pen against
Mr. Newton, you lay yourself liable 10 the i'm.
pulation OF writing from personal luminosity, and
not solely for the good Of our common cause
NAY, some ill-nalured fellow might think, that
whilst you were Serving rs an humble soldier
under" Mr.. Newton, you took umbragc, in con-
sequence of his not paving you that consideration
and difference, 10 which you were "soft enough
TO think your services entitled As the Bard Of
Twckenham, ! believe, expresses it
earth has no rage like love TO hatred turned"
l. my dear Rappahannock, am 100 "gOodna-
turcd 10 attribute any such motives 10 you
Yet that there is some personal feeling at the
bottom, is but too evident when such mild,
mik-and-water etiusion as mine in behalf OF Mr..
Newton, should have been so ''grating" 10 you,
as 10 act like fire. in driving forth lerrapin polii-
clan whom the stirring times OF the last three years
could not force inio ''0ctiuiy.' Could So small
and quiet piece draw out 81 long and fierce
review from person retired from active warfare
in party politics? Crcdai JudGuS Apcha! Nay,
"gOOd" MIR. Rappahannock, your communication
bears on its face, that your pen'-uP waters were
seeking vent, and my liule paragraph has been
seized upon as 4 prelcxt TO hoist The ilood-gates.
Let US, for 4 moment, turn our eyes back 10
the circumstances under which that piece was
written. The great question OF our age was then
pending before the Senate, and, if passed al all,
must be passed BY Wing votes. Every other
question, no matter how important, hung lis di-
mnshed head beneath its orershadowing intiu-
ence. In all time 10 come, we could fight the
battles of the Bank and the Tarif-but, with Tex
as the golden moment was al hand, and if lost
then, il was lost forever Was this time Tor
Southern Democrats 10 mnce matters! Like the
unfortunate Jews, must faction fight factonl
Mus, Simon fight John, whilst the ballering rams
OF Titus were breaking down their walls2 No
rather il was the part of wisdom, 10 make COM
mon cause with every patriot, wing or Democrat,
who would unite against the insidlons efforts OF
England, 10 defeat annexation, and gain loot
hold on which TO place her batering-rams, be-
fore whose strokes, our Union would ultimately
have fallen. In all Virginia. We had had but
one Wing Representative who co-operaled with
us His whole party were hurting menaces and
defiance at his head. Did il become the Demo-
cracy whose plaudits were making the welkin
ring, and b. whose side lie was maniully battling,
10 cut him down in his weakness? Where is
the Joab in our ranks, SO hungry for promotion,
who would, with the deceilful saluta,ion on his
lip, OF cart thou in health, my brother" have
sneakingly stabbed him under the fifth rib ,
Not R. NJ. T. Hunter-not Rappahannock! Mr.
Rilchle has not forgotten the momenlous import
ance of every move during that feaful crisis
though The Tariff question has assumed
more imposing front from the last acts Of The
Congress; and though editors above all men,
sooner have the great past Shut out from their
minds BY the little present. In his comments on
ment and only moment, when any Republican
could hesitate about bringing out opposition TO
Mr.. Newton II was when ne voted for Browns
resolutions and came out with his letter in favor
of Texas, and when the Wings began 10 abuse
and denounce him." AT that moment, "Mau-
cnenn whose wont is not 10 mnge in personal
politics, raised his feeble voice against opposition
being brought out anst MIR. Newton. He had
not seen his Texas letter at the time, but had heard
of i, through common rumor When he did see
il, he was somewhat disappointed as 10 the part
about the Tariff, and more reconcilcd TO the expe-
diency OF bringing out an opposing candidate
But were there not strong motives of policy i'll pur-
suing the course which aMaucuen" advisell MIR.
Hunter the only man who stood the least chance
for defeating Mr.. Newton, had peremporily de-
clined being a candidate. And what other Demo-
crat could succeed7 Why, then, should We enter
the field when no other result stared us in the face
than inevitable defeat and the furnishing an argu-
ment 10 the Wing journals, with which they
might lash their refractory members into the
ranks, by showing The Texas Wings that they
would lose the support OF their own party, whilst
they would not gain that OF The Democrats. This
is a knock-down argument with modern pol'ti-
clans. (and ancient ones 100, il history is 10 be
believed who look upon the closing Of their po
lilical career with shuddering horror, scarce in
ierior 10 that with which the soul conempla,es
annihilation. Who knows what force This argu-
ment had with Mr. Newton, when he abandoned
his position on the Texas question, in consequence
OF an imma,erial amendment In politics, as in
every thing else. VIC must view men as they are
moi as we would have them. If MIR. Newton had
been wise, aud manluliy maintained his ground,
lin spite Of an erring world, he would have
made The Tappahannock Convention rue The day
when they proceeded 10 nomination AS il is,
Ia ;ro oth uil OF
The talented Hunter the victory-as hope and
believe.
You, Rappahannock, have overlooked these
circumstances; and, month afterwards, when
every thing wears dfferen, aspect, new face;
when "Maucuen" and his piece had silently Sided
from The memories OF men, with sound OF trumpet
you have rushed forward, snalched il BY The
hairs OF its head from oblivion, and held il up as
"sorgon and chmera dire" of moral treason
in The sons ofthe Banner county" for permitting
it to go forth as cher voice" You have distorted
my posilon-made me TO say what have not
said, that the "TarilT is an obsolete idea" when
especially excepted ii from that class, and ex
pressed The hope, that Mr.. Newton would review
his opinions on that subject and The Bank, "and
return 10 his early love, when side BY side with
the Democrats he so ardenly supported Goodies
anli-Tarih resolutions only said, that The
Bank was "an obsolete idea" You agree with
me in that posilion but direct all the thunder Of
your artillery asains, position have never oc-
cuped, except in your piece. Why, only give me
The liberty of placing my anta2onis, in ans po-
siion please, and | would never WELD grey
goose quill more, if did no, demoish him in
half the time that you attempted 10 kill "Mau'
cucn" in. l hope, Rappahannock, for the honor
of the militia, you are moi in commission
Il would be awful to think of going into action
under such actician. To exercise The privilege
OF placing your opponents in ans position you
please and yet put him on ground where you
have not touched him "The Tariff (you have
made me 10 say) is an obsolete idea too" and
then, forsoolh, you suppose that, because say
that, and old King William Sanction The pre-
sent system OF plumber and robberyw Why
begin to believe, that you have retired so long
into state of ''inaetirity," that you are behind