Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-09-19
THE MEETING AT THE CITY HALL.


sialwau arm had so often been heard and tell ID
position, with much hoarseness, prevented his
being able % speak then. He would be heard,
however, in the council OF our friends in Lynch
burg.
Presiden! p. called the attention OF the Asso-
cialion TO the fact that this was the last meeting
oLh& Association before the assembling of the
Lynchburg Democratic Republican Stale Con-
vention That il was we'll for brethren 10 meet
together in The spirit OF unity, commune on
the important political topics of The lines, and
send mp their las, instructions by The delegates 10
The Convention. How marked and distinctive
were The positions OF the Democratic and Wing
parties and their nominees for The Presidency
and Vice Presidency, in relation 10 the greatest
and most absorbing question OF this canvass-thc
rights OF the South 10 their slave property, under
The Constulion-lhe uses, privileges and qua
ranees OF the Sal me, by fair construction of that
instrument, in The District of Columbia, in The
territories, and among The States! He referred
10 Inc poor, and ridiculous, and shallow attempt
Of the Rough and Ready Wings OF Richmond 10
cover over Mr.. Fillmore's Abolitionism, by en-
| do!sins the sentiments Of his letter 10 Governor
Gayle. The resolution was OF the shallowesI
character, simply endorsing "his sentiments as
expressed in his leler to Governor Gayle" but
| carefully leaving untouched his aboi,ionism as
proven from the record by his letters speeches
| and voles. He asked il the Wings expected the
people OF the South 10 be grown up children, 10 be
| thus duped and deceived by such flimsy resolu-
| lions. He said il reminded him of an amusing
anecdoe he had beard when boy, from an old
| gentleman OF his acquaintance. He had sour
| w overseer, Awbnn,- he had directed 10 have a
keen eye 10 keeping his heishbors' hogs oul OF
his com field. Ga following, one morning, alter
his overseer, whose name was Tom Dowdie, ne
found him employed putting chunks OF rotten
wood aud sticks in he hog holes. "Hallo, Tom"
said h, "what are you aiter2" I'm stopping
the hog holes" said Tom. why that will do
no good" said The old gentleman. "Never mind"
said Tom, Eyes ii will it " make them blisre 81"
Now, just 50 with the Wings. They stop no
hole except with rotten resolutions, but that will
do IL make b llepe
The Democrats had nothing 10 DO but 10 watch
well the urnings and twstings OF the Wings,
stand shoulder 10 shoulder, and the victory would
enure 10 The good cause.-The cause OF principle
and the Constitution.
! Jno. M. Patton, ESQ.,, said that he had tell sur
pTised al the passage OF The Fillmore resolutions
i " liz ik.d'iy IiNb ca uAiHSN
them carefully 10 see il ii were possible thai the
Rough and Ready Club, had endorsed with their
unqualified appreciation The sentiments OF Nil
lard Fillmore as "sound and patriotic" had de.
clared that the sentiments OF the Gayle letter
we're perfectly satisfactory 10 The South, and all
that The South could desire, as emitting Fillmore
10 The vote OF The South. He (Mr. P was just
as ready as the Wing Club OF Richmond, TO de-
clare that The sentiments Of The Gayle letter were
sound and patriotic, as lar as they so-bul they
leave Fillmore with all his odious sentiments as
expressed in his letters and voes in full force
The Gayle letter relates, so tar as practical
movements are contemplated, 10 liz denial o
the right OF Congress 10 interfere viii The insti
tuition OF slavery IN The Slat,s-a and therein Fill
more does nothing more than echo the senli-
mens OF The great body Of abolionists al the
North. To bring This matter 10 lest, he had
drawn up series Of resolutions, 10 shew that
while The sentiments OF The Gayle leuer were
sound, as lar as they 60, they are consistent with
F'illmores previous letters and votes, and place
him in position so odiuus and offensive, that
The South cannot support him.
Mr.. Patton continued as follows
Before sill Gown, ALLOW me 10 say word
about matter personal 10 myself. There is an
editorial article IN The Times, commenting on a
speech | made here some days ago As 10 the
argumen, in answer &c mine have nothing 10
say. Whether my views are sound and conslitu-
lional, and whether they have been fairly mel
and answered are matters o. opinion and lesill-
male subjects OF discussion. But this paper in
dulees in an insinualiOn as 10 my motives as 10
which have only 10 say the insinualon is utter
ly false.
VIVA! right have these editors TO usurp The
preroealiye oil the Searcher oil heats and impef,
nenily mpu;e 10 me insincerity or selfish motivesl
Do ihey not see that 1t would be just easy fol
me- and with Just as much ground for doing So
10 charge them with pros ituns their talents,
and eroyelling in the slough OF scurriliy and
lasenood in defence OF opinions they knew 10 be
unsound and in the support OF men they know 10
be unlrastuorlhy, in order 10 earn The bread they
could not earn by course OF honest integrity
and independence
shall not say SO. shall not be provoked,
even By their wanton injustice, TO forget my own
sefrespect or what is due 10 the decencics Of
life And even If these editors had forfeited
all claim to my forbearancc, and believed them
liable TO such an mputalion, should have loo
much consideration Tor the ancestry and other
connections Of one OF them (who the others are
do not know with whose father / was school.
III,
lations which are we'll known. Moreover, /
have no right to suppose they are not conscien-
tious and honest in their opinions, however erro.
neous may suppose them TO be.
hope these Editors will live long enough 10
learn, if they have not yet learnt it, that the
liberty of the press implies no exemption Of it
| from the authority Of truth and decency, and
| that il requires some other qualifications for an
Editor of respectable and useful newspaper,
| than to he able to supply the place OF argument
with personal defamation. There is another
statement which ! feel il TO be proper to cor
rect, and, indeed if il had not been for it, should
not have alluded to this subject at all. II is,
that had compared The Wing party to q wea
Their cock II certainly would have been very
unbecomng in me to have made any such CON-
parison, or any such reflection on large ord re
spec able body Of my fellow citizens, among
| whom | have the pleasure Of numbering many Of
nv most respected friends and constant asso
ciates. II is no my habit TO make injurious re
Elections on large bodies of nen.
The remark | made was general one,
pointed at no party, at no particular individual,
| and at no particular newspaper. No one had
any right 10 take il TO himself, unless he was
| conscious of its application, and felt It's sting
And still less, to endeavor to excite the odium of
others against me, by giving II direction TO
others, which did not make and which theS
could not have supposed was intended for them.
| There is another small inaccuracy 10 snppoS
ing hat compared myself 10 steeple. pro-
test against lis being supposed that have any
such lofty aspirations But as The editors OF the
Compiler think have moi a right Tin which
concur) 10 this distinction. am willing 10 trans.
Ter all claim 10 The steepe part OF the comparison
10 .hem-and indeed il may be thought, when
we compare The towering height OF their self
comp!acency, with The slenderness OF their Just
preleusions, perhaps they have strong claim 10
be compared TO steeple-aud the highest sort
Of steeple too
Permit me now 10 say word in respect to the
other Wing newspapers Of this city. | never
see Them. | have been told, from time 10 time,
that they sometimes honor me with specia notice.
whether for the purpose Of fair and legitimate
discussion of my opinions or for the purpose Of
| n,re,,,I ;,,npI, ion ar rehsrtiOn | do MOI knov