Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-10-13
To the Editors Of the Enquirer:

STANTON, Oct 8.
Messrs. Editors-Ne lake this occasion u
give you short history OF discussion which
, took place in Staunon on NJ onday night, the %
ins'., between K. q. Scott, Esq, oil your City
aud Thos. J. Niche, Esq. Of our Town. Mr.
Scott opened The discussion with very argu-
men!atlve and most impressive speech OF more
than TWO hours, which was listened 10 with
bre2thess silence by large aud respectable au-
ditory, composed oil gentlemen from all paris OF
Western and portion OF Eastern Virginia.
MIR. Scott is undoubtedly one oil The ablesl deba-
tiers in Virginia We will not pretend TO give
you a complete sketch Of his address, for, il We
did We would do j, great injustice, bur simply 10
convey some idea OF The tenor Of his remarks
he began BY reminding the people that they will
have an important duty 10 perform at lhe APP
preaching Presidential election, that II behooVes
them 10 say now they will have their government
administered during the next tour years, ana not
the candidates Tor The Presidential Office DE
briefly reviewed The history OF the Two political
parties showing that The same bitter complaints
AMI erroneous charges which are now preferred
against the Republican party were arrayed
| asains Mr. Jefferson and his cOad uiors when
they acquired Louisiana; The same which were
npposeI 10 the acquisition o. Florida, Texas, and
in lact nearly all The leading measures Of The
Democratic party. de reminded the people,
that their government has been administered by
The Republican party since lis organization u
| The present dap, save eight years and one month,
Wnen The Wing party were in power. In that
short Time that party made a trial OF their lavor
lie and long cherished measures, 10 vii: the Alien
and Setition Laws, The Bankrup Lpws, Nation.
Al Bank, Tariff lur protection, &c the influence
Of which measures The people have long since
let he showed, that Notwithstanding ali The
vitureralIons and cries Of ,un! ruin! by The
Wing parry, the Republic has grown up with
unparalleled rapiiilY under The fostering care OF
The Republican party. Mr. 5. coDtrasled The
principles and "eTeal embodiment" o, this same
complaining and iaulfndng Wing parry in IA
with ! ne same party now, without any avnwed
principles; with Candidate, who, only Two years
since, began to emerge from uhSculily, AMI who
was spurned and denounced by great portion
| ot that parry who have since hcen compelled 10
support him. He reminded the people OF the
promises which were solemuly made By the
Wing party in 40; that The Bank would mol be
revived; that The compromise Tariff would be
adhered 10, aEa thousand and one other pre-
mises; but as soon as they got into power, they
made haste u violate every pledge which they
had made Ia the people, and upon the faith OF
which they were elected Mr.. ). paid happy
tribute 10 the military deserts OF Gen. Taylor, but
ne said, Gen Taylor, with ali his military glory,
IS no! qualified for Inc ardu0us and responsible
station OF President OF the Republic. MIR. S.
dwell with great force upon The refusal Of Gen.
Taylor u tell the people what his opinions are
upon he great questions which must BE- acted
upon by every administration a nd especially upon
The WIlmo Provlso. He showed Mr.. FILLMORE 10
be most nncompromisinsly hostile 10 the peculiar
institutions OF the Sou'b, and man last of all u
be ra>ed with such impouan, interests. Mr.. S
discussed The veto power, alter which one would
that IN "A sUp0nha M 40 ma
would care again assa The most sacred provi-
sions OF tn Constitution and lis iuslrou; al
hOrs, in orteT 10 daer and insult intelligent pao
Pile. He showed that Washington, who had but
recently presided over The convention which
framed the Constitution vetoed bill passed by
the peoples representatives not on The grounds
OF uncons;iluiionaliy but Of inerped,ency. lie also
referred 10 the frequent exercise OF the veto BY
Mr.. Madison, (who, Tor The most part, is I lher |
OF Ihr CunsliInlion) in conifavenlIon oil the votes
OF the peoples representatives" but never in |
terosa,ion Unpopular rights and always approved |
by the people, whose great representative he was |
Nr. ). showed, upon the authority OF Webster, |
Curwin, Smith and others, that Gen. Taylor II |
elected, IS pLedse1 not 70 oppose The Wilmot Pro |
viso II passed by Congress and thai il Fillmore's
doctrine prevail, Of blocking up the slaves in The
STATES ny prohibiting The trade between the States
and the territories, the master, not having EN-
pioymeni for them in agricultural pursuits, will
be compelled 10 put some Of them TO trade. .,a
hg the cheapness Of their labor wiz ~,se uu. ".
valuable and ndu ;rous m-~"aH'eS, ah' 'n"' ~
dpprees convert the sla-- states INTO merge COLI
MICS MIR : shou.,,. mat The Simple fact mat zen.
TavIor wn.1iaveS is not sufficient guarantee
,ha, hs would oppose The interference al Con-
les with mat question in the territories, Tor
Southern members in Congress Badger OF North
Carolina ami Adams OF Kentucky) have advo
caied the doctrine that Congress has The power 10
prohibit slavery in The territories. Mr.. S. then
spoke OF the valuable services rendered by Gen.
Cas-, his purity Of character, ability Of states
maGship and long experience in The mul,iiarious
relations OF The government lie adduced lie
authority OF Nr. Webster and other Northern
Wings ~ D owe lha, Cas- is in favor OF the Mis-
souri, Compromise and Southern interests. He
showed the ncalculable services rendered by CasS
in defeating the Quintuple treaty. thereby avert.
ing collision with The most powerful nations
OF Europe, in vndicaiing our national rights and
dag upon The high seas As for Gen. Butler he
SAID il was unnecessary 10 say any thing with
regard 10 hissbigh character, for all men and all
parties are bound 10 admit The force OF his claims
10 the confidence Of the American people.
After MIR. Scot concluded, Mr.. Niche a.
tempted 10 reply; but, notwithstanding his tact
and ability as speaker, he id not reply 10 me
arguments OF MIR. Scotland never will. Mr..
VI. complained very much that they were called
FederaliSts, now that they are opposed TO The We
TO, and, therefore, friends OF the people. he coz
tended that General Taylor was marvellousiy
proper man Tor the Presidency, because he is
inouesl and fsithful" We wonder whether Mr..
NJ. wishes il 10 be understood thaiihe Wing par
" were compelled 10 leave their long list OF Wing
politicians and go 10 The army as The last resor
flor every one knows how they have abused mi
liiary men, to find faithful and honest" man,
who is Wing, il he be not an ULTRA Wing" il
he does moi wish 10 be thus understood, bn, that |
eahiuness and honesty" are the only requisites
then we rus, there are thousands OF our fellow
cizens who are qualified for that high slaIion;-
yes "iahulnes> and honesty" may be ionni
among some o! our coored population. Mr. Nj |
said Cass has voted for every improvement Bit |
II il be true then Mr. M. should be the last man
Ia complain, since he is an advocate oil The same
measures. Mr. M assaicd that part OF The Con-
.iturion which makes it the duty OF the Pest
cent 10 veto bills which he cannon approve; bn'
all the missiles OF the Federal orator lcll hal nj
less a! The base of the mighty lower erected by
tie hands OF Washington, Franklin, Madison
and others. There is no power ton great, NO
right loo indispu;able, no institution too sacred,
no CHARACTER too spolless, 10 be free from the Al
lacks oil some OF these Federal Wings. MOI
content with all his yiruIsnce, he compared The
officers ot the government 10 "sharp-nosed
wolves" and called the great Republican party
seattle" not fiji 10 exercise the rights guaranteed
BY The Constitution. MIR. Nj. also took MIR.
Bo,rs by The ears, and placed him in very un-
enviatie position before the people. Mr.. M. jus
life every vote given BY Fillmore on the slave
~ question, conending that Congress has right
10 discuss The snbJecr, and esislae upon il in The
territories; and, moreover, that The question
should moi be left 10 the "ffee negroes and mot
| lev rasca,s" OF the territories Even the adyen-
rurous pioneer, buried in the deep forests OF the
frontier, did mol escape his Indignation.
Mr.. SCOTS reply Of few minutes, like
mighty torrent, swept away The hay, straw and
s!nbble which Mr.. Niche had collected, on
which 10 stand.
| Mr.. Niche said few words in re7lr. The
meeting adjourned about o'clock, A. M.
Yours, &c. AUGUSTA.