Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-11-17
For THE ENQUIRER.

For THE ENQUIRER.
To the Vote,s If III Senatorial District composed
IF the counties u amelia, Chedrfetd, FoDha
tqn and The iolon ~ Petersburg.
Having determined 10 resign my seat in the
Senate cannot permit The Interesting conncc-
tioa which has 50 long existed between Us, as re
preventative and constituent, 10 be severed with
cut assigning 10 you very briefly The reasons
which induce that determination.
| have been for Twelve consecutive years a
member Of the General Assemblysix years a
delegate from The county Of Chesterfield, and six
yearS Senator from this district. During that
lime, have twice siguifet desire 10 retire from
public life, b. declining 10 be candidate Ter re-
election, and as often have my wishes been made
10 yield 10 your partially. II in This any sac
rhce 81 personal or private Interests has been
made, il has been made cheeriny and sw1jet669pHs
who had honoTed me, and whom j! was my de-
light TO serve al any sacrifice. Often and again
nave received from You the highest reward
which public servant can expect, or ought 10
desire TO wit: The appreciation OF generous and
enlightened constituency. Nine times has my
name been before you Tor office, and that, too in
times 81 highest parry excitement, and without
opposition, except on two occasions and then t.
be successful much beyond The strength Of my
parry.
Under these circumstances, should be worse
than ungra,eiul, should ! permit my personal
feelings or private predictions 10 come IN con-
fict with your interests. But This cannot be
You have men much ADLER and better qualified 10
serve you than | am-none can bring to your
service more zeal or fidelity.
Circumstances have placed me under obliga-
tons 10 others, which cannot well disregard and
which render il inconvenienl, il moi impossible, for
me 10 spend the ensuing Winter in Richmond.
These Obligations have been incurred by cir
cumsiances beyond my control and cannot be ne
elected without disregard OF Inc rights of Others.
! regret that they had not lranSpircd al an earlier
day, so that more timely notice might have been
given you for The choice OF my successor, with
less trouble and Inconvenience 10 you than yen
may a, present be subjected 10.
return 10 you, then, The Office which your
partially has 50 long and So oien conferred upon
me, humby trusting that il has moi suffered
abuse in my hands. either by acts Of omission Of
commission. Doubtless, in so long public IL
have done many things which riper judo
ment and a more malurcd experience might c.T
rec; bui you will believe me when say that |
never gave A vote that was not conscientou.ly
given, to The best Of my skill and judgment, WITH
proper regard 10 your views, interests and pr7-
ciples.
entered public life believer in The lrulh /
certain great fundamental principles Of govern
menl, which necessarily attached me 10 The De-
mocralc parry of the country. Experience has
but tended 10 confirm and strengthen my convic-
tons in the truth, beauty and eternity OF those
PRINCIPLES, slorion.Iy illustrated as they have
been by The pure, wise and patriotic adminisra
| ton of The present chief magistrate OF he Union
| | am al loss 10 conceive how any Republican
| can bring his mind to doubt or cav al their poll
! cv. have ever believed that the otiect and pn
pose Of all good government is 10 protect The lives
property and rights Of The governed, by just, equal
and impartial laws and that that government s
| best which most certainly guarantees such
protection with least interference with The do.
nestle concerns or private avocalions ot ind.
| viduSls. In other woI1s, that government is
best which grams the largest latitude o! liberty 10
4 The individual citizens, compatible with The inie-
| rest OF the whole. look upon the constitution
| OF the United States as a written agreement he.
| tween free, sovereign and independent States,
| made in the spirit OF concession and compromise,
1 for the b'nth Of all, and | believe il should be
strictly, rsdIy and literally construed, and that
no department OF the Federal Government >hould
exercise any powers not clearly, plainly and ex
prpssly granted in that instrument L is the
| great charter Of our liberties, malured by he wis
/ dem and conceded by the patriotism OF those who
purchased our ireelom al the p:ice OF their blood;
and is Test proriaon should be protected against
the attack OF the invader, whether il i. attempted
I 10 be abrcgaed by false or enlarged BY lahtudi
/ nous construction The invader should be me,
and repealed, whether he comes in the suise Of one
who claims Tor Congress The power 10 regulate
The currency, labor and population OF the country,
/ or the still more ques ionable shape OF The adyo-
\ cate Of The abrogaon or emascuann OF the yrea,
/ conservative power, The veto power OF the Presi.
dent Of the United Sia'e..
The great questions Of currency labor and
| popua ion, onghl 10 be left 10 The regulation OF
those natural laws which govern them; and if
Congress possessed The power 10 control those
laws, il could not be exercised without injury and
injustice 10 particular classes, Interests and Sec
tons OF the coun ry and without peril TO the har-
mony and integrity OF the Union itself.
Entertaining these views, canno, be otherwise
than Democratin principle. 1t seems TO me that
an examination into the history of our govern
ment and the progress OF our institutions, should
| make every man Democrat in practice. With
the exception OF eight years and one month, our
government has been in the possession OF the De-
mocra'ic party, and Under their rule, the country
has Increased in wealth and territory, physical
strength and moral grandeur, not only beyond any
parallel in The annals OF the world, but even be-
yond the conception of the most arden, pario,
The genius OF our institutions and the feelings al.
our people attend 10 democracy, and doubt not
in future as in past times with occasional rsver-
SEES, It's course will be forward and onward. | hum.