Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-05-07
THE ENQUIRER
wednesday Morning, May 5, ls47.
TuE DINNER TO MR.. WEBSTER.
RICHMON Va

THE DINNER TO MR.. WEBSTER.
The Times and Compiler OF Yesterday seems
10 regard the considerations We adduceo Inc uaS
before excusng the members OF The Democ'a.''
party for moi taking part in The late dinner 10 WI
Webster, as insufficient or unfounaeo. we
should not have taken the time and trouble 10 pen
,ba, excuse. but for remarks which made II ne
cessary 10 do 50, in order to prevent me oe''e'
abroad that the Spartan Band were dencieh' ~
tina, liberal hospitality which forms one oil Inc
mobiles, traits of Virginia character In stating
the reasons which we know caused their ABSENCE
from The Exchange we must say that we cons''
der them as wholly sufficient. II was known
,b., The committee which had taken The matter OF
MIR. Websler's reception in its hands was COM
posed entirely Of Wings. This ofiseli was SUI
fcient 10 give The whole affair party aspec''
and OF consequence 10 ensure The absence oil 'ne
Democratic parry, unless explained before The
dinner Ii is too late 10 accuse mai pa ~ OF a
want OF hospitality in failing 10 welcome ois'
tinaushed stranger among Us, when The whole
aspect III affairs at The time indicated Pay pro-
ceedine. A subsequent explanation, u sphcien''
may excuse Inc Wigs for giving their hospllaoe
manifestations such character, bul il can do no
more. In lie present instance, however, theY CAN
not be excused. Had they desired The 'cilizens oil
Richmond" 10 greet Mr.. Webster, some public ac-
lion should have been taken, which would have
left each citizen free 10 rs his feelings prompted
without being in effect prevented from attending
public dinner, because some one or two indlvi-
duals who vote The Democratic ticket did not wish
to lake par, in The tribute 10 Mr.. Webster We
know that some members OF the Democratic par.
iy were DESTROYS OF showing ITO all whom II
might concern" that they could meet at The soci-
al board, and pay due respect 10 genius even In
The person OF her bilterest political Toe. And
we know further, that they were prevented from
gratifying that desire by the manner in which the
dinner 10 Mr.. Webster appeared 10 have been got
Ten up. II appearances were deceptive, surely IL
was not their fault.
As one of the indicia OF the spirit in which The
inhabitants vi the Gibraltar OF Whiggery inlen-
ded 10 compliment Mr.. Webster, we mentioned
the fact that citizen OF Virginia, who had filled
and did not receive The compliment even of an
invitation to The dinner given al the Exchange.
This we repeat, il we know any thing OF The
motives which govern human conduct, gave \
party character 10 the proceedings Of those who
regulated that dinner. Common courtesy has,
from time immemoria required tina, men who
have filled high and important Offices should be
invited 10 lake part in all The public proceedings
oil the community in which they happen to
be- This they have right 10 expect from
The invariatle usages OF The country; and, when
this courtesy is withheld, they and their friends
have right 10 regard il as an afront On The
occasion alluded 10, citizen OF the Stale, who
had filled The chair Of the Chief Magistrate OF
the United States, was denied common courle-
sy BY The managers Of The Webster dinner. And
for whal2 For any intvrioriy in social position
10 The members oil that Committee? For any OF
his actions as private cilizen2 Assuredly not.
Then The only reasons which induced the course
pursued was, that those who rendered The hospl-
lalily OF the "clizens of Richmond" 10 Mr.. Web
ser saw fit to deny common compliment To MIR.
Tyler lot some pulilical reason. II lndt uiu ho'
give "polrtieai tearing" 10 The Webster dinner,
we cannot imagine what would have that effect.
Without thinking il necessary 10 notice the
Compilers ideas ii good TASTE, W. here lei The
mater rest Indeed we have said this much
more in sorrow than in anger. In sorrow, he
cause at The Metropolis Of Virginia-the first
Stage in Mr.. Websler's Southern journey--here
were those who deprived their Democratic fel-
ow-cilzeEs Of the pleasure OF extending their
| Inequalities 10 a distinguished visier and who
took occasion, when aching in behalf OF the cili'
zens OF Richmond, 10 withhold an ordinary cour-
,esy from distinguished member of the Repub-
llcan party for no better reason Than for his pub
lie acts. We hope that matters will be conduct
ed on different plan, as Mr.. Webster journeys
turtle. South, that the members oil The Democrat
| ic party may be enabled TO show iha, they are
capable of welcoming, with all suitable hospi
tally, political adversary, and that they viii
never allow parry feelings 10 interfere with ne
amenities of social lite This they have showr
a willingness 10 do; and we hope they may no
be denied the pleasure Of doing so BY any imprc
per action OF their political adyersaries.