Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-11-14

I If eaip. defeated in your hopes of having Leg
i.lstur. subs.rsient 10 ynnr views. and the sword
| of Justice long suspended over you, haslng OF
length fallen, you lnoodiy retired for the eoncoc-
| ton of new rehief. You first seen in CON
claye with the most rnbid abolitioniss of the ter
| ritory, putting forth doctrines subversive of all
| law and good government, deBouncing the acts
of the Legislative Assembly, though that body
was elected in pursuance of your own proclama-
| ton and the members bore your certificate OF
| election, rs void and of no binding force aud
| pledping Yourselves to a united resistance.
, As part of the dsorganizng schemes adopt
Ell, aud, doubtless, suggested by you, a mock
| election was determined to be held on the yin
| inst for a delegate tu congress, Notwithstanding
| that the first of the month was the day legally
| prescribed for that purpose. AT such n preien-
ded election, held not only without color Of law,
but in open violation Of law, you came forward as
a candidate, and suppose some weak-mindcd
evil-disposed persons may have voted for you.-
How many. am not concrred Ia know, for no
numbers could impart validity to a proceeding
so awless and disorganizing.
And il is with list of votes thus obtained ia
ken and certified to by judges boand by no oaths,
and recognising no law for their government,
votes given by persons of no defined qualiGca-
tons. and restrained by none of the penalties
which attach to illegal or fraudulent voting, that
You will apply to the lIoase of Representatives to
vaeate my sent in order to make room for you.
For carrying out so monstous purpose, you
calculate largely upon the political complexion of
that body, IA portion Of which is known to be in
fected with the most loathsome heresies OF the
tiines)
| confidently predict that you are again reck
onng without your host, and believe that the
House of Representatives will regard the mere
suppoSion that it could lend itselfto revolu-
tlonary and high handed II proceeding, as libel
upon It's character, promptly to be resented
Nnu runv cd in an fpplI
balls of Congress, and in gaining yourself sort
OF notorety which, however nnenviable, you
seem TO prefer to the obscurty which BELTS yoa
but other advantages you will not obtain
In the meantime. you may enjoy the ignoble
satisfaction of having introduced and fomented
an amount of discprdant feeling and insubordina-
ton to law in this territory. which it will re-
quire the labors of many better men to repress
and from which your mi guided dupes and follow
ers have every thing to fear. For speak not the
language of threut and bravado, but sober rea-
-m.when say to you that the people of this ter
ritory are determined TO have laws and t, en-
force them, whatever my be the hazards or the
sacrifices. 9.
| submitted my name as a candidate, and re-
ceivcd the votes of the law abiding portion of The
people in conformity to an enactment OF the leg
isati,e assembly of the territory. If there was
anything in the constitution conduct Of that
body calculated to invalidate its acts. it will be
time enough tor me to refuse Obedience when
court of competent jurisdiction shall have so de-
olurcd.
abjurc, rs revolutionary, and destructive of
all social order, the doctrine held by you and
your associates, of right in the individual to set
up his private judgment in opposition to oonst
tuted authority.
As an American citizen, hold it to be my du
~ to Yield obedience to the laws under which |
live, AID to contribute my aid towards enforcing
the obedience of others; and this without refer
cnce to my individual opinion respecting their
moral force political expedicncy. 1t is pre-
ciscly because you swayed by opposite senl-
men,s, that YOU n,w seek to embroiI me in
harassing controversy.
In conclusion, | will only further say, tint this
brief exposition is not & ven a9 due to you but to
the end that the attention OF the American peo-
pie, and of that House of Representatives to
which you intend to appeal, may be directed to
the nature aud grounds of the strife you seek to
provoke. And though shall pay no regard to
your preliminary movements, you will yet find
that | shrink from investigation, however
searching. If the House of Representatives
nhaIl far forget its sclf-respect and its regard
for patriotic duty, rs to order a scrutiny upon
such showing as you will be able to make, you
will find me prompt in the defence of my own
rights and those of my constituents.
October II, 1880. j. W. WHITFIELD.