Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-02-20

Hous. then adjourned, and The bill VIII again
come up to-day. The above vote indicates Id
vorable result ior The bill. We earnestly tfcst
maj il may pass the House Of Delegates and then
the Scnae.
On motion OF Mr. Massey, the House agreed
hereafter 10 meet a, 10 o'clock. This looks like
earnest work, ami we rejoice 10 see il.
Mr. HiHcr made an unsuccessful molten Tor
recess hereafter a, . P. NJ, and an evening
session at half pas 3 P. NJ.
For the Enquirer.
TO THE DEMOCRATS OF THE COUN-
TY OF BRUNSWICK.
Our present representatives having announced
their determination 10 retire, (and they have
our thanks and good wishes for their faithful
services; may they enjoy much pleasure and
happiness around their fre.sdes,) 1t becomes
our duty TO elect Others to serve US in the next
House of Delegates. Feeling deep interest in
The success of the good cause aud the triumph
of Democratic principles, it has often occurred
TO us that for the most part we act too preci-
pitately, by thoughtlessIy deierring the whole
matter until few days or weeks previous 10 the
time of holding our election; and then Tom,
Dick and Harry, and host Of others, are all
seyerally named (and if they are not named,
they think they are) as suitable individuals (to
represent us) in The thousand and one different
precincts or neighborhoods 10 single county
and in This way, felow-citizens, you make
wrong impressions-you feed and blow up into
flame the political aspirations of some indlpt-
du0is, in whose bosoms there should not, and
perhaps would never have been one vital spark
of any thing akin 10 thirst for political office
for political distinction and glory. A sure way
this, fellowcitizens, to bring out little minds
with large pretensions; and fruitful means this
10 effect another evil, much 10 he deprecated d
we mean 10 induce men TO declare themselves
the dear peoples candidates, in opposition
often times TO the will Of the majority, and op.
posed TO aay candidate whom the people Tin
| convention, or caucus assembled, may place in
nomination; thereby breeding discord and FAC
ton and bre aking up the union and harmony OF
the whole party. Then II follows that the peo-
pies nominee is sauted with the "by-,oord, y
"the cant expression, '"tIe is the caucus man, '
the caucus candidate" We often hear these,
and similar very ,csighty expressions, falling
from the lips Of some who would know about
as much OF the import OF the word caucus and
| its operations, as horse does Of metaphysics.
Nevertheless, they have their influence, and il
they cannot do any more, they can say "cau-
cus"-"he is the caucus candidatc'-and thus
they place the regular nominee (who is always
the choice oil the people) in the nice predca-
| ment Of the mouse in the uarrcl of Pitch.
Since with men Of this calibre you cannot re-
| son the matter at all, for they have no argu-
mens to offer, and consequently none to answer,
except that che is n caucus man, which every
| BODY knew before, we would like to know
what sort of wtchery these wiseacres attach TO
the word caucus, since at its very mention
sthey 20 into fts:n We have never ben able 10
discover any reason for their protested onposi
| ton 10 a "caucus''-we mean such an one as we
| usually convene or our court days, on which
the full attendance Of all, friendly 10 the party
is requested; and if some persons do not meet
with their fellow citizens, and consult and ad-
wise with them Tor their own interest, II is their
own fault; it certainly is their privilege, and
should be their duty, instead OF going into fills
whilst il is the farthest step from their duty &c
their party and country, to their principles and
faith, (f they have any, TO refuse to meet with
their political brethren in convention, (Which
is always public, no secret concave aliair) anC
instead of lending their influence and aid in or
ganizing and selecting the most suitable per
sons TO represent u.s. to stand alooi from their
political body, and decry and discrcdit the no
minees Of their convention or caucus, as yol
may please TO have il. Now siIce we have hao
occasion to use the words, caucus or convention
so often in this hasty sketch, (Which we did no
intend, when we first took up our pen, Should cx
coed the length Of our little finger, such being
the propensity for scribbliDg,) We vii take the
liberty 10 assert that there is no difference be
tween them, except that The word "caucus'
(purey of an American coinage, and we like il
the better on that very account,) is used solely
PURPOSES; whist convention IS used 10 denote
identically the same thing, as well as addition
ally) meeting together for ecclesiastical pur
poses. Therefore it follows that We would as
soon be called ''caucus man" as 'conyen.
ton man." and, vice versa; 10 use tie language
OF shakespeare" "what is there in namer
"A rose by any other name would smell "a
sweet To those who entertain such deadly
hostility to conventions, We would most respect
fully submit the following query: How are we
TO discover the sentiments and will Of the pep.
pie, and how can any body polite regulate its
movements, concoct measures to sustain its
principles, and properly and unanimously, in
concert and harmony, select such individuals as
would most nearly represent their principles
unless they should meet together in "conven-
ton or caucus and by such means discover the
sentiments OF the people, the yox populi, and
unite upon such men as would carry out in dc.
TAIL and ably sustain tho principles Of the
parly2 But we heard il said on our last court
day, when it was announced that the Democra-
tic party would meet on February Court TO no.
inmate candidates, that this was not the proper
way o do lhngs-"hasc no meeting, no con-
sultation, and consequently no understanding
and no union, but let every man declare
i ha bn
wish 10 represent them' Yes and BY So doing
tc'ow-cazens, you will invariably secure rh,>
end; You will have more candidates ia the field
| than on have efiices 10 beslow upon them
whilst, a. the same lime, such course will d.
| Ter every modts unassumlGg. meri,0Tious man
| IRON your service whom you might, by proper
| Steps, have taken by The hand, and secured his
talents ana influence 10 his pauy and TO lis com
| Try. Pursuing such advice and counsel fellow
citizens, you forge: that yoa strongly invite or
| POSITION al the very moment when, divided, you
| are the least prepared 70 battle with your dc
| signicg and willy Ice Pursuing such a course,
telow-cilizens, you forget lha, "union, conccs-
sion and harmony" "pfiDciples, not men, must
DC your motto, your watch-wold, il ven would
promptly sustain yourself against vigorous or
position, whom latc victory has rendered more
daring ami insoienl. The question is not who
will serve us, bu, who is able aud competent 10
legisae FIR US, and best sustain the principles OF
our pary2 These are questions which il is thu
province OF The people 10 decide; and, if mistake
not, they mean 10 do it. And, The proper way
10 carry out their object is, 10 do exactly what
| they eow propose doing: Ia meet together, and
unite upon such men as will faithfully ami ably
represent them To this there can b. no objsc-
lion from any quarter, unless il be from des.sa.
ing nien, since il is scarcely to he supposed that,
IN A Convention composed ol Democrats from
different parts OF the county, The name and pre-
tensions OF any Individual, whose qualifications
and claims upon the people were such as 10 JUS
lily declaration OF his name FOR Office, would he
entirely overlooked
But, Mc>sfs. Eli,1is we have wandered from
the osicc; Of this hurried communication, which
was (~i'FI view 10 promote The harmony Of the
whole pai,y) nicely 10 bring before The people
The names OF Two ntviiuas who have been very
highly spoken thy many Democrats as suitable
persons 10 represent MS in The next House OF De-