Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-06-04
THE Latte GEN. pROMGoOLE.

view an interesting sketch OF Gen. Dromgoole.
Il is a portion OF an article headed "Glances al
Congress" by Reporter. II is just tribute 10
one oflhe mos, distinguished Republicans Of the
Union, and one of The ablest statesmen of Virgil
mia, who did so much 10 place his native Stale on
The Republican basis, which she has firmly MAN.
tanned, through good and through evil report"
The author refers TO the election Of Hugh A.
Garland, Esq, as Clerk, as principally owing 10
the successful introduction Of The riuG voee sys-
TEN OF voting, by one Of those consummae APP
pications OF parliamentary tactics, SO rarely pos
sble, when brought 10 bear on system SO ntli-
cately complex as The standing rules and orders
of The House of Representatives He then goes
on:
A little to the lefto the Speaker, at one OF the
central desks, we may see General Dromgoole
OF Virginia, who effected this important result
One would scarcely believe him, from his APP
pearance, to be thus versed-in skill only deemed
acquirable by long and minute acquaintance with
die aged man, though on The young side Of The
prime oil life Being Of ford complexion,
and being exceedingly near-sighled, from which
has proceeded habit OF Peering, as it were,
through his spectacles, his general appearance
would not, perhaps, give casual observer an
impression OF the powerful intellect and exlen-
sive information he possesses
General Dromgoole has effected great polil-
cal good, by introducing and carrying through, in
The highest representative body in the Union,
This important precedent Of the ulva-roce system
Of voting in elections OF officers oil The House.
He brought forward the measure under discour-
aging circumstances, but his tact and address
supplied the lack Of other advantages, and his
eloquent vindicalion of that mode Of voting Sc
cured success 10 his motion. have heard il said
by experienced members, that no one member
could have carried through that important and
Interesting innovation, except General Drom-
goole. Upon this measure alone, which may be
said TO 7epublicaai=e The elections OF the House.
any member might be content 10 rest The fame OF
his Congressional career. But General d. has,
en- other occasions, evinced a, remarkable degree
Of parliamentary address, and has always exert
ed 1t for the protection and advantage OF the
House, and not for mere osIenaion Once OF
twice he has, by prompt movement brought the
House out OF great difficulty, as have heard
prominent opposition member declare.
General Dromgoole speaks but seldom-andI
am sorry for it-for no man is more capable Of
enlighlening and gratifying his hearers and the
Independent Treasury Bill Ii took many by
surprise, who dreamt not OF The power that
slumbered in This modest and retiring mem.
Der. The speech was model Of parliamentary
eloquence; fluent and harmonious in diction,
lucid IN arrangement, and so powerful in ar
gument, that il would answer as well now, as
when il was spoken 10 produce conviction. The
effort brought upon lis author as much censure as
praise, from his political friends-lor they blamed
him for not coming out before.
General Dromgoole came into Congress with
high reputation. He was elected 10 The Gene
raj Assembly Of Virginia in April, 1923, and
has remained i'll public life ever since. He
served three years only in the House OF Dele
gates, when he was elected 10 The Senate, in
which body he served nine years. with such dis
linction that during the three last he was Speaker
OF the body.
No member OF Congress has been more
thoroughly consistent in his principles Than Ge-
neral Dromgoolr In the first session Of hi, scr
vice in The Legislature II Virginia, he opposed
the rc-cllarIer OF The Farmers Bank Of Viz
ginia; and them with other young friends, Of
whom J. \. Mason-who in the recent interest
ing contest for United States Senator received the
honorable tribute OF The unanimous support al
the Democratic party for The otfice-w was one, de-
nounced The general tendency Of The banking sys-
tenn as il then existed, andsn series of able ar
gumenis demonstrated the inconsistency Of the
privileges and monopoles secu ed by their char
tiers, with Democratic principles, and free and
equal rights. Before he lett The House OF Dele
gates, Congress had passed the law for appro-
prialions for making surveys preparatory 10 a
general system OF Internal Improvement, and
had also increased the Tariff, for the avowed pur-
pose of fostering and encouraging domestic ma
nufactures; against which measures he took de-
cided stand, maintaining then, as he ever has
done since, that they were both violations of The
Constitution, and he anxiously desired lha, the
General Assembly should al once take ground
against the dangerous heresies OF the miscalled
American System, and re-asserl the ancient doc.
irines Of Virginia Repubicansm. So conspicu-
Gus were The talents that Mr.. Dromgooe ex-
hbed in discussing these high constitutional
questions, that some of the Oldest members in the
House, especially John Roane and Randolph
Harrison, urged the gifted young member 10 lake
The lead in bringing back Virginia TO The princi-
Piles Of Taylor's Resolutions and Madison's Re-
port, and willingly, with their whole party, en-
listed themselves under his able guidance Tor the
purpose. The result is OF record, brilliant lri-
umph OF Republican principles and full COM
initial OF Virginia against The American Sys-
tenn.
During his service in The Senate, he served on
and al the head Of several OF the most important
committees, and frequently distinguished himself
as debaier OF signal power-in particular, in
opposing the bill 10 take the sense Of the people on
The subject of calling Convention, which be
denounced as virtually denying the suffcency Of
the Representative system 10 embody The public
will. His speech on this occasion was called
masterpiece OF constitutional and popular arsu
ment and, in particular, was so much admired
by John Randolph, whose faslidionsness as
critic is we'll known, that he pronounced it The
abest speech tina, had been delivered during the
Winter, either al Richmond or Washington. The
bill, however, passed; and Notwithstanding his
opposition 10 it, Mr.. ID. was elected one Of The
members OF The Convention from his Senatorial
District and again, after the new Constitution had
gone into operation, which General Dromgoole
had materially assisted by his speeches and exer
lions, he was elected Senator under II without
opposition, and in a diferen. arrangement Of the
districts. In the new Senate his course was
highly distinguished. When The notification Of
dent Jackson, brought before the General Assem-
bly, the question of Federal Relations, MIR.
Dromgoole dissented from both; and on The remo-
val OF the deposites, he took conspicuous part in
the animated debate which that measure pro-
duced II was on This occasion that The instruc-
lions were passed, which caused Mr.. Rives 10 re-
tire from The Senate. MIR. Dromgoole defended
the removal OF the deposites, and opposed The in
struclions in an elaborate speech, which was
much admired.
In 1885 he was elected TO Congress, succeeding
by handsome majority over his successful
competitor at the previous election In 1887 ne
was reelected without opposition vi the posi-
ton he has attained in the House, have already
mentioned sufficient instances. Ii is, indeed, ee-
neray believed that il General Dromgoole does
not achieve the foremost place OF The body-anda
position OF high political usefulness, win be
the fault only of himself.
WING CONSISTENCY.
The Wings aver that the War is the Presi-
dents war-bu, their representatives solemnly
voted that il was drought on by The act OF Me1i-
co." They aver, tina, il is an aggressive war