Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-11-21
From the Petersburg South Side Democrat
THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN SUMMERS AND


On Friday evening last the Wing cai:l;e for Governor
fulfilled The promise made his unknown correspondents
early in the canvass by addressing the citizens OF Peters
burg In anticipation of the event. the Democratic party
had sgned wish through this paper, that their elecoI
Timothy RIvEs Esq, should be permitted 10 reply to Slr
sryNrRs AZ first il rIm0red Tint this challenge
v,ua not he accepted and that the people oil PETERSBURG
would be forced content themselves with an CT are mar
anguc from the facetiTusly-:'yed sIant q" me
mi TO the wiser heads of the Wing party. Accordingly
hey determined accept the invitation OF the Democracy
and for the conduct OF the discussion were
a"r,rd upor The genius and ecqnencc OF GEORGE W
Srmngas had been cxlravagantly and t"osy cSoiea
Nv the chief priests OF the Wing party that the people OK
r,cI Fl him the logic ol Webster and the splendid dec!4
;i,n d HEyRY Accordingly, The audience III atten''ai
was jnn.nse To advert fact unprecedented, We be-
tGr in 5li, The factories were closed Ut sun 4ps
,,af yniy m-h, be afforded The operatives OF having ic
u;o!- enshIen. upon politics by The Ni4 Candidate ioi
(isyerrOr Il is not cur purpose TO attempt more ah an
r,g! sketch o. the dc1ais; cannot gEccye an out
ins Of The argument NJ tic lwo speakers MI SriMERs
tnunenccd ;ne discussion The person OF ts Gentleman
short f and Dntchy rGt witel respectable ana
" Ills style Of o.ory is very p!sng eei"a
a. arcr cas'e, ad rpassioned 1t possesses now
y,- no single clement CT power. III" nearer IS Ge2nteu
I =, times charmed by passages OF elegant ami ar"sy
nr,a.rd docl1rio; but h. is hurried away BY any
,is,l:as of clrqnncc or aSt,:cd by me cnuci-
ion Of original, brilliant ana o"crpow'ns thought
\, run sul" conclusive ARGUMENT ever forces c9HTic-
i'm upon his mint lie feels If tic were witnessing inc
Finished performance o! some ha.if'ca iisni"e Wi" oni
,.,l .tc!oGs character ana uttered arliri sfhilGHtS
Er .I,. all SuaMHns ALLEGATION .. casn s!nc:s the aie!
n ,hc ap oI he c!usa II the scissors, nos>niy sn@sesi
~ mind nh the c.!.Al preparation, iii" aiin2, the ..nr
me-! the ar,iue o tie closet II lis Petersburg speech
SruMETs uttered mGnln. above the 'd:c'l t'risjcy,
,, y.Hs no; nl.eH" Title tIu frequent repetition. He
,l inevitably incur the >Oi5Ii.ri al 'S!r@ie-Sp.ech
.runer. W. had read the pGncpI portion o. the speech
-. ,r4G least iG dozrn times All it beauties, S
a capap as carefully prepared and as nicely ~
ran..l ~ wardrobe 81 newly married woman in "Apec
ia1n the first Of tie flock Inc Sudden 3n=:s u d@cil
nation and the appac Gy unPreI!!a led f.shcS o WILL had
Iorr since been ready for tile occasion, and but t
HE change Of audience wou!d have been Hat and
i,lI rom constant repetition. SUMMERS "iIl Ou h's
eiua,ion before end Of the unless he takes
ine t, fix up another speech. We Suggest suspension OF
hos..ics between tie con,anding parties, until the why
candidate mends hs WORKOUT oTatoncyiVes It's udei beau
: ties and rcnforces s exhausted strength.
But wander from The theme in hand: the cxordium VI
SUMMERS Petersburg speech, consisted OF lie solemn de-
CHARLTON that tie people Of this particular town.
no ngI The citizens Of ancient Athens. Our hospitality
especial he declared possessed Continental reputation
The Hhir norton vi the audience apprccia
= ton o very delicate compliment, in very delicate
manner by the stamping Of feet, the rafting OF sticks and
shouts har-ra The speaker having exhausted his sup
&c ply soft swdcr passed 10 craTer themes And first the
story his abolition struggles in 32 claimed his notice
d His vn!ication OF himself in this particular arfu
and elaborate than satisfactory In one breath he srove TO
Justify hs conduct in 49, b. citing the authority and
Pile eminent who had acted likewise and had uttered
he sentiments Atcrwad he put in the plea OF lapse
time but last he forced make the general decla
c ration that his opinions of slavery wha. they
e 1882 For this conversion take great credit to oursc
D for had exhibited symptom whatever of chIngc
array his sctous declarations Of 81. The Wings of Viz
gnia under obligations for humble instrument
would persisted in The of his way had
> no published our timely admoElun! SUMMERS defence
agns, the charge of abolition consumed nearly the whole
e Of he time allotted TO each opening speech He
bct to slip in but little of his hrcadbae defamation
II rcgeneraing the State, describing distractions &c.
/ II rising reply 10 the "Giant," Mr.. RyEs was greeted
e ahe always is by his Petersburg friends with enthusiastic
APPLAUSE He charged full tilt against the slender work
of ecnce which SUMMERS had thrown around his abolition
cancr Of 1892. Hc showed the mty Of the offered
byr SUMMERS that he acted then under the influence Of
preang excitement by quoting his solemn declaration
thu he had sought accomplish the long cherished usheS
> Of isheart He descaned upon SUMMERS general and in
dcilc avowa of change Of sentiment" and demanded to
II be aiormed what particular opinion had been rcaced
= Suposing SUMMERS rccanaton be complete still
rathr sudden and late. Nor could he presume TO
demnd political promotion of the people Of Virginia after
D exposing such sentiments as he did in 81 The utmost he
can claim is forgiveness Tor the past with promise Of
goodoehayour for the future. Moreover what though his
professions be sincere who knows that another
&c c him adr! 1t were safer for the people OF
Vga elevate the executive ohcca man who has never
dsprcd the weakness of character implied in sacrificing
guarantees Of the constitution and the rights of proper
~, momcnary panic Mr. RivEs repced the assertion
% that Il, Democratic party had revived The memory of the
II deeds 80 The Wings responsible Tor tie present dis
cusso Of the abolition movement of that day, and if blame
is attaied any, they III" guilty They first rails
ed the nargr against JAMES McDowEL and attempted 10
U defeat selection account {" his participation with Sr
MERs the guilt OF 49, And but thrcc winters they
J. succeed in defeating THomroSs election to the Auditor
snip urging lie accusation that at period anterior Ia
$ 49, I'D uttered sentiments icncaly with those avnweG
} by SuMEgs Bat Mr. RIvEs Oh! not rely solely upon SUN.
l. urrs Connection with the '52 for evidence Of
ns hosuy slvcy. In 1856 ne had glsena vote IN the
81 Lrgislar re Of Virginia which southern would now
dare Jus fy and Hr RI.Es said, lie Lifted Viii present
J. 10 rise this opinion that Congress has power 10
&c abo sh ycrv in Ic District Of Columbia the territories
Yet nisvas precisely what George W. Summers Ia! dJne
Mr. RVS slhstan,iuled his charge by citation from the
Journal the Lcg;sla;c. iic then referred 10 SrMME HS
course 1.-THE CONVENTION aiiyrdns proof Statc"cr u!
J. his sounness upon The slavery question: twas 'r"c he
r had oc,for the Constitutional prohibition OF emancipation
but he ude this concession merely as an equivalent pr ic
&c adoption his DAZZLING SGagc Basis and Gi sustain II
upon It's merits. He voted also TO exempt young ne
II gres f:1I taX,vn but ballnced this by
s.aa gree any Iml! upon the taxann u: slvc prop
cry. So s.rMiEEs cuHrac in the Convention "ns
&c ccnccruedhe hal ev'ence OF "ciangc n senti-
9 na:i'' upG the sualcct OF slavery.
> his f,vil,r NJ candidate undertook 10 explain
II away ,. &! :,nf;ioms {" his famous
Il speech % 2, ,u lii e%Piana1a was cra;i"e a' "'''r's
|: j:..IcieC IL u tbs vote IN 81 his rlcmI!y
y liI2d him Ec ht!ar recollection o! any 2r"si.n o~
70. bv Mr. luLrR H"uiuufi, IN; lie GIi cu":iacr ;
i 3r WuoLFL presented 10 III" Legislature esn"i.'n -.
j. ;n tie u tci:rss l. abolish slavery IN III" IDS
u met ui C.uinoil III territories ana tha' h" r"'ca
: a.,as; Amdtis liHis r,n@dac tor Gos:'Mo~, Hnaer
r. ;oek js yt9is ros by asserting err'cy GE a:mlj
ia bn rt "t the; C5H2res> has III iortr 10 @bis
. sarery int Dg'ri.t q Col'aJr. SSH - his rr-
= n.. 10, JH>.ox Sir s",,ca4 u,sI 1 his conviction
r. ri The -,in ;ur opinions the l'"ct;ic cGnI
/" date nnd his iciy :,oicrn iaicr'>ts. S'! n
thopgHi 90 JonHsi*a vote the O.esin Bill was 'neX
! pc,nnt tic circumstances OF 'm cnsc. SrHMEEs
= was p:r;!cG ry aIclc d !iln! Cot JrHSsHss vote
&c ieu> tue ri-i lille! ll N',a: haa4h c'":Tes Ps-
s..spl ~ IL enact L." 'cTa !lj tiH
r nor lri-i ,pr saT.u- Di! conscience nj c""rf
nnner1uS iuru>c in,3. u Il - :en In Ic cal mites
II vas Tin. Ii" Nh!. canlaa,c agGcd aa! ID" :njl.
= ;Icn lJs nuc,; themselves listening - lie !l-ticc-ii"
l. raptur. at ! Il H. SE%A.n. srH5EGS undertook 10 a?1'
: Tor tie .ilcf.! ln-;nuulas rgt!:St Cot Jr&>"S
e cla4c,cc itch caitilea in lis Petersburg t'T,
81 stating linz he dl .s.n : 10! publication. lie ac
moreover heard from gc.ilbr authority ;: Col Johnson
: did CONF Virginia il ma'ursic AMI ta he nevrr own
ed slaves. Il aiisnn to Col loSsos advanced years,
SrsAERs REP ated tic warning scripture against putting
int Old bottles, inElat!nG that he Younger IN
diydual cuui more perfectly administer the nirS %! te
State under nc lew Constitution. The Nhl- candidate
mounted his aoary hutoUg, declaring that though he
advocate Ul Wig measures, get he did not perceive
any relation bwecn them and the duties OF Inc Cuherha-
oria office lie icn concluded his part oil tie evenings
performance with some imprisoned defamation about reYl-
! wing the waning glory Of f.rsina, &c, Nc
The concluding reply Of Mr.. RIvE was utterly ovcrwtcl.
ming He haduiy collected his forces, he had got the dl-
of his Adversary and had discovered all s weak
points He poured upon the vaunred ''iant Of the Vest
torrent nswcaba argument Of burning sarcasm of ir
resistbie ridcu and !" indignant nvcctivc which crushed
the candidate of Whs2e!y. II is impossible 10 convey any
sor, Of impression OF the effect of Mr. RvE speech upon