Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-03-28

Gll Va kHC
a "SMALL" NATTER.
We Yesterday showed how unJasliy inc WIN
,,oss a .sn.rsed The Democratic Senate oil WI
einia on The subject OF h Adams resolutions
Tho Democratic Gove!ncf Of me o'ale' als'
comes in Tor a lu!! share OF Wig abuse. Las
,rh,,sd.y,s Wing. ia is article on he "Pfoces
SION ant n. Pubic Guard" makes a personal at
,..1.on Governors Smith, The grossness and bitter
moss Of which are rarely equalied IN Inc hs"SPa
"a, nrrss OF Virginia. II charges boldly, 'lha
ITO Puh!ic Guard were absent lttom The process
sionl by express orders, or Though The neglect o
50 Com ma pde,-i Chief" Il proceeds, then, Il
dsnonnce IAN act so low; an act, in point OF Dig
n;,v atou, on a level with that oil The man in nj
| fable, who spai on The carcass o.the ceac hon
and il presents the Governor Of the common
wealth as aaissracing us IN the eyes Of our sisle'
S,a,es and the world'-as utterly regardless 0
decency. entirely devoid Of all The attributes tha
should be found connected with high station"
The Governors caiu, which will be found be
low. yindicales him from Inc sweeping charges o
the Wing. We deem ii unnecessary 10 do any
,hino hul refer 10 The facts therein seiior'h. Int
very statement OF The Wing, lha, lie officers o
the Public Guard were in The procession, IN UNI
form r,tn,.s ihe idea that the Governor had &C.
signed, by any act OF his, 10 exclude the Public
Gua;d from a participation in The ceremonies
/, is true. he did no; order them 10 parade, neither
was such order given al The time when similar
hopors were paid 10 the memory OF Gen. Jack.
son. Had he Governor designed, Through ex.
nress orders, OF through neglect" 10 employ his
official power in excluding The emhielns OF mourn
ing usual on such occasions, why did re inform
the con m.itee That The powcer-hiii should lie paid,
and tae bells Shuui4 be ssiuck2 Tue 90
vernon shaws that ne followed the precedent Il The
ceremonies IN honor Of General Jackson-ahd
who would ask that on the present occasion he
should have gone farther?
Tha. he Public Guard did not appear on pa.
rade. was, NE doubt not, owing 10 some misappre-
pension. .Tha, The Governor is not 10 be blamed
for il, We have direct testimony, and strong ciIcum-
~slantial evidence. There is one tact, which has
an important bearing upon the matter. We un-
derstand that no invitation was extended 10 The
Public Guard to be present in The procession, and
no place assigned 10 il. This omission in itself,
although uninientionai, We ieel assured, should
go lar 10 expIaia the zen appearance ofthe Pub-
lie Guard.
But we shall not dwell On a sutjecr, which, as
far as the Wing press is concerned, is small
indeed. The Wing charges Gov. Smith viii a
desi.e;o make capital. L, s%lgisesu us that the boot
is on lie other l,g. Il. is the Wing press, who,
seeking 10 disgrace US Ia Democratic Siaie) in
the eyes o. our sister S;ates." grossly assaIl the
Democratic Senate ant Governor, upon grounds
caught up, and upon hem are based ,hsdi'idE
charges agains, our Stale authorities, which arc
borne over h. Union on The wings OF The press
10 blacken The escu,chcon o. The Old Dominion
We feel sure mat from such a theme the Wing
nresses can reap no benefit 10 their cause OIL
themselves. Ii is they that have raised the slo'
gan of party on such a quesIion-may they make
The most OF II!
To the Editors Of the Wig:
Gentlemen | regret To perceive IN a portion
Of the public press a misrepresentation, unin'
tc0llOUiii i huSN, VI ~ E''So
conduct. As | have endearored faithfully
zealously and ,rulhfully, to perform my oficia
duties, and Weld to no man in profound anxiety
for the honor and glory of our State, | shall no
tice these assaults, and hereby request you e
insert that notice in your paper, !.
find in your paper Of this morning an attach
of unusual bitterness, chiefly, if not wholly, IL
consequence of the non-appearance oi The State
Guard in the procession Of Yesterday. You
state. that at has been the custom OF Tie Publ,
Guard, sanctioned BY the usage Of fifty years. L
turn out on all public OCCASIONS and that "th'
only evidence offered by ,sa' procession tina
there was such a corps II existence. was afforded
nv The appearance Of lis officers IN uniform
marching in The rear Of the volunteers IL wa.
10 have been supposed that gentlemen Of YOU
intelligence would have known that Tie fact o
these officers being IN the procession, IN uns
finn, was evidence that | had issued no order K
prevent the appearance Of the Public Guard
You are not 10 bc Informed that the same auiho
rity which permitted the officers 10 be present
could not, with any proprIcty whatever, hav,
d%iscriminate d 10 cxrlt.Gc the men The truth IS
| issued no order upon the subject, although
was applied to 10 know If one would be issued
and determined upon lie course indicated III
the letter TO sr. CaDeil, a copy OF which ! en-
close YOU, fouGicd upon the custom and The pre-
ccdenls adyertcd 10 in The letter of the Assl-tan
Secretary Of the Commonwealth of the 23d /,
March, also herewith communicated From thi'
view, | think you viii concedc that yaur at'acl
is wholly groundiess and IN just, inexcusable a
il would be under any circumstances III lis styl'
and temper unless, Indecd, YOU are prepared L
contend that, in a Southern community, Mr.
Adams was entitled from the Executive TO othcI
and more complimentary notices than were
adopted in IT, ease IL General jackson "A pre-
lie &C which ! p:cs,;i"c you Will not desire L
maze.
II is not a little remark able, as learn, TIA
the Public Guard was not expected in The pro
cession, and was not even assigned 4 place in II
and vet il is the ground work vi your fierce ans
bitter assault.
do moi think it becoming in me TO enter int
4 controversy with you as TO the state OF puolIt
sentiment; but | never yet shrank from the Judg
menl OF the people, and most assurodly feel n'
disposition 10 DO so upon the present occasion
! trust, however, ! shall be excused for advert
ing 10 4 few facts which appear TO have escape'
YOUR attention. Mr.. Adams died on the 23d o
February; at which time, and ( + several day
thereafter, the Wing Convention of Firgini;
was in session in this city. That body took NJ
notice whatever of that exciting event-it di'
not even give one hour to "proprie'y,' nor 10 In
Indulgence Of sacred gri5. The papers Q! ihi
CITY, on receipt Of Tue news, with he single ex
ceptlon of your own, as | believe, put on nt
mourning. and you dropped your weeds at tht
earliest practicable moment And this city, will
a population Of upwards Of thirty thousand, II
which the Legislature IS now in session. aide'
by the usual attendance Of strangers at this sea
son, succeeds. after the lapse OF some so days
under circumstances o; excitement, in settIn!
up a funcral procession, numbering, as IS sup
posed, neariy twelve hundred persons. This j
an array of evidence, in reference to the cele
| bra,ed deceased, too significant to be misunder
stood. II assures me, at least, that need no
tear he public Judgment. !,
thrust, gentlemen, | entertain a REASONABLE
sense Of what constitutes personal and otllcia
propriety, the essential elements of which ar
Truth and candor. With the freshness OF deaf
about US, | could not, Though you have sal
.l.... sd ,ronlS NOT ha 40 a1.iu apy ppll