Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-02-11

prnClDie sought to be 6StaDHsneu III uie eleCtiOQ
of Geo. w. Thompson. Democratic speakers
WIN, had preceded him in the debate, had failed to
place this matter on its true ground Neither par
tizan feeling on the part of Mr.. Heath, incompe-
tency in the discharge of the duties apperaining to
his office. actuated the Democratic party in that
House 1t was purely piece of prescription, as
a retaliation upon Gen Taylor and the Wing party
because few Democratic office-holders in the
State of Virginia, had been turned out of Office
by the present federal administration. The De-
mocrauc press In the City of Richmond, had for
months past, teemed with inflammatory articles
urging upon the Democratic party in that House.
the ter tdttontS 1t was nothing more nor less than
THIS spirit, which actuated the dominant party in
the present election. Believing this to be the
principle Of action he would appeal to them
proud Virgnans to say whether or not this
stltuted sufficient ground to warrant them in rails
ing over the capitol the detestabe flag of the Spells
System. He soemnly warned the Democratic
party against the establishment of principle so
detestable. What right, he would enquire, had the
Democratic party in that House, or elsewhere, to
raise their voices against General Taylor or any
else, for practising Prescription Who COM
menced it The odlous sin began with the De-
mocratic party. During the pure but weak adj
mlnstratlon of John Quincy Adams--an admins
tration second only to that of Washington's, for
pnrity-only four removals were made But Gen.
Jackson succeeded Mr.. Adams, and for the first
time in the history of the country was the doctrine
OF Prescription publicly proclaimed. The odious
flag was reared, and on its glittering folds We're
inscribed the execrable motto, " To the Victors
belong the Sp0iiS." No abilities however COM
manding-no virtues however shining no motives
however pure. awaited arrest the ruthless hand of
prescription. Mr.. Van Buren, succeeded, and follow
ed closely IN the footsteps of his illusrous prede-
cessor IN the system OF prescription, if not in all
other things Mr.. Polk came into power, and not
SOLITARY Wing was appointed to office under his
administration Yes, one appointed; a gentle
man named Chldress had the good fortune to get
the blind side of Mr.. Secretary Walker and pro-
cured an office in the Treasury Department. But
he was hurled out of office the moment the secre-
tary ascertained he was Whig-the secretary re-
marking that it utterly ont of the question to think
Of keeping Whig in office, and that he would not
have received the appointment had it been known
that he was Wing
Mr. 5. appealed to the members of the Demo-
cratic party to say whether that party had not prac-
Used prescription in every shape and form. From
the highest to the lowest offices and stations had it
not been practsed2 1t had even been carried into
the Judlclary-a branch of the government which
should have been held sacred. Yes even there
they had introduced the evil practice. The ermne
OF the Judge had been brought down into the mire
of party politics No Wing Judge had been APP.
pointed since the era of Jacksonism. To exclude
one portion of tie people from office, solely be-
cause OF Its politics, was monstrous. But Mr.
Polk had carried the principle of prescription ito
the Army and Navy. He had endeavored to
ssupersede the venerable and gallant ScorT the
w ellington of the age, on whose banner Victory
always perched. Yes, an effort had been made nv
MI Polk to put a man in the place of the hero of
Lundy's Lane, who, whatever his merits as a Free
Solier, did not possess the requisite knowledge to
set squadron in the feld.''
Let the Democrats here, said Mr.. s., carry GU,
thls pfnciple-one so abhorrent and ruthless; and
he sincerely believed the good sense and generous
1eelng OF the country would overwhelm them
Have the Wing party set the exampe2 Have
they commended the poisoned chalice to your
lips ~ No, Sir. Then the right of retaliation did
not belong to the Democratic party Even if Gen
Taylor had prescribed every Democratic office
holder IN the Union, he would have found ample
precedent in the course of his Democratic prede-
cessors for so doing. But he had not practised
prescription. Mr.. S. here cited several Demo-
cratic authorities, favorlng the right of prescription
as practlsed by Gen. Jackson and his successors,
not emitting the celebrated d" Franklin Mils letter
OF Mr.. Amos Kendall
Mr. s. said he was opposed, in principle, to the
doctrine OF prescription; it was both odious and
anti-republican General TAYLOR had not practi
caly carried out that doctrines true, he had re-.
moved a number of office holders; this course had
been forced upon him by the incumbents them.
selves, because they had rendered themselves OBJ
noXlous on the score Of partizan services. Whilst
NE sEGAR was pursuing his argument, Mr.. How
SER moved to postpone the execution of the Joint
order till tomorrow. I
Nh. PENDLEToS offered resolution to postpone
the execution OF the joint order until Tomorrow
Several gentlemen on the Democratic side of
the House said they hoped the resolution would be
adopted, because certain charges had been urged
against Mr.. Thompson, which would, unless
cleared up, compel them to vote against him
Mf' PENDLEToN said he hoped it would be the
pleasure OF the House to adopt the resolution. He
SAID he had no doubt so far he was concerned
OF the utter groundessness of the charges alleged
against Col Thompson but as some gentlemen
seemed anxious to examine into the matter he had
1of me purpose OF enabling them to do So pro-
posed the resolution
Mr.. SYME said he wished to be distinctly under
stood IN relation to this matter. He had made mo
charge against Col. Thompson; he had merely re-
peated rumor which had reached his ears Col.
thompson might be " safe' man now-he did
not pretend to say he was not. He certainly had
no disposition to interpose between any mans con-
science and his God.
Mr.. CONWAY said he was prepared at once to On
INTO the investigation of the charges or rumors al
legged against Col. Thompson. He had not donbt
as regarded their utter groundlessness and for one
was prepared TO sit in that hall till 10 O'Clock at
nght 1ot-the purpose of executing the Joint order
Mr.. LEWIS of Harris0ff1said the breath of calum
ny had tainted the reputation Of Col Thompson,
but the friends of that gentleman were prepared to
defend him against any charge which the malicious
tongue of SANDER mi ght insinuate.
Mr.. SYME asked the gentleman from Harrison if
he meant to charge him with calumnating Colonel
Thompson2
Mr.. LEWIS said he did not charge the gentleman
with any intention. He had no desire to be
personally offensive i'll his remarks but he must be
permitted to say, that the insinuations which had
been made against Col Thompson, were base in
their character, and utterly unfounded. He pro-
ceeded to defend Col Thompson at length.
Mr.. SEGAR said he knew nothing personally re-
ative to the charge alleged against Mr.. Thompson,
but he had been authorized by member of the
Senate to say, that he (the Senator) had read
speech of Mr. Thompson's, in which that gentle
man had said he reoced at the butchery of the wo-
men and children IN the Southampton Instruction
Mr.. CLAIBORNE called for the name of the Sena
tor.
Mr.. SEeAR said he had no objection to giving it;
it was Col. PARROT.
Mr.. FERGUSON said there was not particle of
truth in the charge. He said that the speech al
luded to had been delivered before the occurrence
of the Southampton instruction. That Mr. r.
had, when mere boy, whilst attending college in
Ohio, delivered Fourth of July Grafton, in the
of which, in treating of the subject of sa-
vav,, he had nropounped if moral and ,,ol;t;o.l