Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-06-06
INTRIGUE FOR AN EXTRA SESSION.

The disclosure of the fact, that n secret %conspirac,
for IN extra session Of the Legislature is on the eve %
successful contamination, has provoked from the press
OF the State an emphatic and unanimous expression OF
indignant surprise. Under no circumstances would
the people approve the measure; but the stcalthy and
treaclierous manner in which it has been pushed for
ward, is 40 abhorrent to all their notions of honor and
manly dealing, that they regard the instruments in
the movement with the disgust and indignation with
which a gentleman ~contemplates the abiect humility
OF a thief taken with the goods upon him. a man
may bear himself with dignity and colnposure in the
presence OF a great calamity, but there are some an.
noyances and miradventures against which the utmost
resources of his philosophy are of no avail. He may
submit TO the stroke Of adversely with heroic resigna-
tion. but to be circumventcd, TO be outwittcd, to be
sold, in the significant slang of the day, is an outrage
which in,ullibly upsets his dignity and prorokes his
f~erccst anger. a sense of personal degradation as-
cravatcs his resentment, and he writhes under the dOu-
BILE lash OF wrong and ~indignity. Now, the people of
this State are the victims of Il iuggle their confidence
has been betrayed; their good sense has been insult
ed their simplicity has been imposed upon:
and they are burning with the shame of in
suit as well as with a sense OF injury. The wrong
doer is caught, .f0gramte dchcto, with his hand
in the pocket and the money in his grasp, and the
wrath of the victim bursts through all the restraints
of dcccncy and dignity.-This is tho philosophy OF
that feeling of indignation and resentment which Las
been excited throughout the State by the discovery of
the secrc, Vaccinations of the gentlemen who are in
the act of infictinS an extra session upon the people.
Anxious both TO acquit such gentlemen as are not
implicated in the plot for an extra session of the Lee
g%islature, and to expose the guilty parties to the
c~xccration of the people, we have made dill
gent inquiry into the origin Of the movement. In
consequence OF the secrecy with which the eonspira-
tors have contrived to push forward their enterprise,
our investigation has been but moderately successful.
The arcnna Of the "Know-Nothings' are not more
impenetrable than the mystery of this movement
Notonly have members contrived to equalsc their COM
plicity by the nautical c~xpcdient Of u round-rohin, but
they have sasaciously intrr,sted the fatal evidence OF
their guilt to the custody Of the man most interested in
concealing it from the public eye. That important per-
Fonase is Il delegate from the city Of Richmond. We
have abundant reason TO believe that Mr.. III. h. Ely
son, il not the true author, ID ut least the most active
instrument in the conspiracy fora extra session OF the
Legislature. Struck with the absurdity OF entrtstinS
any important movement to SO obscure md lncomPe-
tent an individual, we were doubtful ut first OF the
reality of our discovery, but a little reflection satisfies
us that Ellyson il the man. He is a supple instru-
ment he has the advantage of location at the seat OF
Government; and tho exact accord hetweenhisp private
interests and his professions, puts the sincerity
of his zeal beyond u question. An extra session
would subject him TO none of the Inconvenience OF
absence from home and distraction from his regular
business, and thus the four dollars n day would be 30
much clear gain-ani important consideration with FL
Tyson. He il fussy and oficious, has the greatest com
ceit Of himself, and would spurn no position which
promises consequence and II per diem. 1t was the
policy of the real authors of the movement to keep in
The back ground, and to put forward nm instrument
who would be embarrassed by no scruples ofdelicacy
or dignity in doing the secret work Of The conspira-
tors. Mr.. Ellyson was taken into their employ, and
is industriously promoting their interests at the ex-
pense Of the people.
It is 10, our purpose to concentrate public indigna-
tion upon Mr.. Ellyson. lie is not worthy of this dis
function. The part he plays il altogether subordinate
and insignificant. He is but the ca,spaw OF ADLER
men. lie has tho disposition but not the capacity to
work much mischief. He is intent only upon some
little personal advantage, and will be sufficiently pun
isled by the loss of the per diem he 10 eagerly covcis.
But the men whose instrument he is-tle men who
projected this scheme al an extra session, and who
contemplate someoljcct inconsistent with the interests
Of the State--tiley should be detected aud exposed i'll
their dSrcputuble Intrigue. And we mean to do it.
il amy gentleman lius thoughtlessly put his hume to
acall for IN extra session let him instruct Ellyson to
erase il 4 forthwith. We intend to publish the names
Of such members M refuse TO invite the Cover
nor TO convene the Legislature, and then the people
may readily ascertain who ae implicated i'll the con-
spiracy Tor an extra session.