Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-07-04
A LEAF FROM THE PAST.

We have been called upon by SO many of GU
friends for copies OF MIR. Newtons famous let
ter, that we have resolved TO publish it in full
this morning. II IS document which eAuctl,
suits the times. The Wings have avowed ne
principles, ana are playing the same game
as in 1910, "to catch birds of every father
Why, then, should not the same warning
voice 4 Mr.. Newton once more be rung il
their ears, 10 remind them that .'honesty i:
the best policy" and that thoy ought 10
come out and boldly avow their principles il
they have any. This "Whig document va.
handled with great power by w. w. Crump,
ESQ.,, at the Association last week, and it will be
an important uade mecum with all our speakers,
to hold up to the Wings he mirror of truth and
experience. In note published in the Enqu.
rer in 1874, air. ". said that fairness was a
typographical error for .frmHeSs-but it does
not essentially change the sense. Tho letter
| published DeiJw ,cut sptuA ~, ssseJ.
From. The Richmond Wtig oft4e ED february, 1914.
Gentlemen: have received your kind and po-
lie letter OF invitation 10 attend The Wing Con-
whose most important duties you inform me, will
be ITO embody and rromulgale in The form II an
Address 10 The People OF Virginia, The political
principles and measures Of governmental policy,
| upon their approval Of which, The Wing parry
in end 10 place their hope oil success al the next
Spring and Fall elections"
/ II is 10 me, gentlemen source 9! sincere re-
grei, that cannot be with you on this interesting
occasion Nothing could afford me more plea
sure Than 10 meet with our Wing friends from
different quarters Of the State 10 their patriotic
| deliberations.
Bul canno al this lime leave the city, either
with convenience or propriety. lshail, however,
be with you in spirit; and Inc Convention will
nave my most earnest wishes Tor he suspicious
result OF lheir labors. Sincerely believing, as
do, that The success Of our party and its leading
measures, is indispensable TO the preservation Of
the purity OF our institutions and the permanent
cy CT national prosperity, Icannot but feel the
most lively interest in the result Of The great is.
sue that IS 10 be tried b. The American people in
The Fall OF 1914.
Thus feeling, hope 10 be excused for The liber-
~ take in making the following Suggestions:
On reviewing The events o! the last tour years,
DO impartial observer can fail 10 perceive that the
disasters which have beiailen he Wing parry
and cast blight over the prosperity OF The coun.
4,
want ofcandof and fairness in avowing and main
tanning our principles especially in Virginia.
We commenced The canvass OF 1910 under mos
discourasing circumstances. The Wings pro
per were in small minority throughout The
Union-a party had been formed out OF the dis
cordan. elements then in opposition 10 The adm
nistralion of Mr.. Van Buren, Our eagerness tol
success induced as 10 ertcnd our ,.ets so as TO en-
brace birds Of crcyy fentier. We no! only asked
no questions Of those who offered themselves a:
allies Tor the war, but our own Convention a
Richmond aetpaiiy reprdintcd the leading prinei
pies and measures Of tie Mig party We thus
entered the campaign discor,anl mass, some
fighting for principle, and others Tor freedom ant
animated bv bpt INC common princirle that n op
position 10 The administration OF Mr. Van BuFeC
We mad long and ariuous contest, and achey
Ell whar we Supposed 10 be glorious triumph
But what advantages have we reaped from GU
labofs7 The fruits OF all our tolls have tur7lc
10 a,icJ0n mr. LrS, and We may iruv exclaim VII
Pyrrhus, zone more such vic.orY aud we are uu
done" The trcachc:y Of the present Executive
and of some OF his promifen allies "erirei coun
tenanoe AMI support from The Wing Address .
1910; and impartial history may find !. Difficult
tc dc.erminc whether Inc Convention is most L
be censurcd for lis indiscretion in putting tort
such an Address, or those vefy sclupulous poll
| | "
for aban3oninc their parry.
We enter the canvass of 1874 under far dill
erent and higher auspices. In 1910 we wer
weak and discordant We are now strong; an
! not only united in purpose, but in principle
We have been purscd by the fire of persccutlo
Of The dross that dimmed our brightness; and III
WhiS party is now pure metal, seven times re
fined in The furnace.
Let me adIure the Convention not to repea
the errors OF 1870, which have been the fruitl.
source nf n GU woes Let them remembsl
hat "honesiy is the best policy" both in publ
and private life think know something
tic Virginia character. Our people are llber;
: a d Ingenious; they will tolerate an honest di
ference Of opini n sin erly e tcrtaacd an
candidly expressed; but they abhor even the al
i pc rance Of discrimination. Lei the Convention
Il there ore boldly avow the principles of III
d pafty-advocatc a National Bank eo nomin
, and without circum'ucuton 7 riff with pr
per scrimin,tion for the reasonable prptectio
{ Of our great domestic interests, and such otht
IS measures as they may deem essential 10 the p'
. rily Of thr Government and the prosperity
the unlry.
particuarize National Bank and 4 dscr
4 mnalng Tariff because deem them the gre
measures TO be carried Ut by the Wig admi
. is,ration, destined, trust, soon 10 come in
), power. Measures which, in my de iberia
Judgment, are inse:a aby connected with Il
. osperlty of the whole country, and especial
n Of the Southern States.
a. have not time or space to present even
brief outline cf M views on these lmrorta
subjects. should suit bic opportunity occ
y djrng The present sessi Of Congress, ] mi
= avail myself of it, TO present them fully al
d fairly to the country. In lh' meantime, | Ia
% the occasion 10 present few imperfect hint
= The humJug OF Had Money Currency is,
: think, pretty effec,ualy exploded. II is conc
;. ded on all hands that we NUT have Banks
/, issue, such as a c nov in common use lhroug
. out the United States. It is perfectly obvior
that such mere State institutions cannot furDi
&c currency of uniform value, for country
- such vast extent, and various pursuits and int
- ess as ours. And the present Executive pra
- ticaly copfesses the inadequacy Of such nsti
!; ,ions for the purposes Of the Government,
- the issue. without authority Of law. and in 6
aion Of The Constitution, of a Goycrnme
= Currency in the shape Of :" Treasury Not
y = bearing nominal interest, and payable in &C
- on demand" 4 practice which, if sanction
= By the people, and persisted in by future ADM
islrations, will convert the Government il
y banter genera LOT the union, ana SUBSTITUTE
- sound convertible paper currency mere 6
=, rernment paper, resting alone on the faith of
!. i. Cove nment without means specially set ap
~ for its redemption, and having no hrmer ba
y than the French assigngts, or the old continen
80 money Of revolutionary times
'. The Northern ana Eastern States have no n:
nv Of National Bank 10 furnish currency.
% ing largely engaged in commerce and manni
lures, and having no rich lands constantly in
ting The investment OF their surpu, gains, ii
:, have large accumulated circulating capita
- considerable portion Of which will ALWAYS be
ne currency; their cities, moreover, being The gr
he marts of commerce, and supplying other porto
ne OF The Union with large portion OF their dom
!, tic and nearly all their foreign merchandize,
~ creditors OF the South aud West, and eIchar
ne is a!ncsi invariably in their favor; 50 that III
i'd merchants il mol actually gamers are not los
ad by slight arrangement of The currency. /