Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-08-07

the answer which WAS given, and thGt he otherwi
violated the rights of the prisoners; it is certainly II
in my power Ia reverse his decision.
Ii a writ of habcds corpus had issued from n Stu
Court To the United States Marshal. and that Cnu
had adjudlcat.d that the Marshal was guilty Of
contempt in refusing to answer it, aud had comm
ted him ~ prison, the District Court of the Unit
States would have no power 10 reverse that dccisin
ar TO release the Marshal from Imprisonment. J
Court would tolerate such an interference with
judgments. The respect which we claim for our ov
Authorizations, we c~hecriully extend to those OF 9th
Court, within their respective Jurisdictions.
For these reasons tie writ Of hab'ns corpy< is r
fused. ELLIS LEWIS.
AuGu,r LIT, 1855.
- -
From the Fredericksburg Recorder
PRESCRIPTION IN NlRGINIA-REMONAL
FK0M TIE BAsENENr-rilE SATloNA
I'm anonymous ~scribIlcr, supposed to be a d:
appointed applicant for the office Of Secretary ,
the Commonwealth has published in the NOrfol
Beacon, two articles OIL prescription in Virgins
| The object Of the writer IL, 10 defend the NoriUl
Know. Notlings from the charge of prescribing me
for opinions sake. The line of defruce is peculiar
The cturye is not denied, but I'm attempt Is made 4
Justify the action OF the councils, by citing s:,nIla
proceedings had by the Democrats Of the State
- Madison might have continued to lnisrepresel
facts to the end Of time, and We should have said no
| thing, had not the editor of the National American
copied the articles, aud given them IN emphatic ell
dorscmcmt. This puts 4 new face upon the affair
The editor Of the last-named paper WAS formerly il
the employment OF The State Tor twenty-five year
the Democrats led him upon Treasury pap-hr a!
that time using his influence against the party tina
kent him in office, and because they removed hiL
aud gave the place 20 nuo:icr, be heaps abuae up
on their head. without stint or measure.
Aside from the indri!cacy OF this proceeding. we re-.
ioire that the opportunity ii thus afforded us vt viuti.
eating the truth of history, and putting the Democrat
ic party right upon the record.
The allegation renewed by Madison and en-
dorscd by The American. that prescription wa intro.
duced into this State by the Democrats, mas been
Imaie a thousand timer; and many persons have come
to believe il, simply because no Democratic press has
seen liz 10 dispruvc il. Yet nothing could be further
from the truth. Offices III Virginia were bestowed
upon meritnrious mri, without regard la their po;l;i.
cal productions. down 10 the Year lSi0. AZ thu,
time, a Wing administration n-suIncd the control ot
federal affairs, and then, for the first time IL III" iilsto-
rs Of .i. State, capable ana faithful men were re-
Inovc! in Virginia, 10 make way Tor political parti-
s,ns. We we'll rcmcinhcr the ludi .nH,lon excited by
TIE action Of the President.
AZ thu, period, the basement Office in our STINT"
Capitol wcr. filled with Wings, anon. whom was the
editor of the .Aurriclu, nnd iii" rcm"va; of each and
all WIS generally urged, in retaliation for the r,nlora!
Of sundry Democrats by the federal executive. But
the Democrats of tho Legislature t"rborc 10 strike,
Notwithstanding the prOv0catiOn would have excused
prompt uni immediate action.
In 1913, General Taylor entered upon the duties vi
the Presidential office, declaring ''tlint US lie had no
friends 10 reward and no enemies 10 punish. merit
would be the only test applied 10 applicants for Of
tce." Yet scarcely war he settled in his sent, when
through the instigation OF the Wing party Of the
State, he commenced the work OF prescription III IT.
uinia. Among the first removals WIS the Post Mas
ter Mt Wheeling. He had been appointed by Mr..
Polk, To ill Il vacancy occision,d by the resignation
Of the previous incumbent, and the nomination was
confirmed after the accession OF General Taylor
When appointed, he was still clothed III The UNIFORM
had been honorably worn in the service OF his
country, upon the battle fields of Mexico. That con.
one would think, might have commended
him to the clemency Of the Executive; but not Sd,
Wing who subsequently proved to be anything eirc
than honest, wanted the place, and the Democrat
was unccrcmouiUusly elected. Tbs wns but Inc De-
ginning. Democrat after Democrat was removed,
WhiQs appointed in their stead, even down 10
the incumbents in petty post offices. paying NIFTY or
hundred dollars n year. So thoroughly did The gull
lotine do its work, that with The exception OF inc f"st
of Richmond and this city, we know ol no
in the State that was spared. Thus was
prescription introduced into Virginia by the WhiS
party. The action Of the Taylor Cabinet reused the
Democrats, and IN tones that could not BE- mistaken,
press and people demanded the removal OF the Wings
in the basement Of the Safe Cnpitoi. lmiri this
pressure from without, the legislature OF 1850 con
vrn"d, and contaminated the removal ot the base
mcnt oficers-G proceeding which might have taken
place ten years earlier, with the utmost justice and
p~ropriety. ,,.
: The Wing press raised Il hidcous howl, and Wing
orators brayed long and loudly about prescription,
grew hairs and poverty, and ruGg the changes upon
the words, "honesiy, capacity nnd idehty.' y tre-
mrnIous effort was put forth to excite public sympa-
thy Tor the political martyrs, nnd column upon CO.
lumn of pathetic appcnl and indignant remuneration
nlirts-ri to the voters Of Virginia. II was ali
in vain. The stupid public, 10 the iDfnite chagrin OF
;In. Wings, would not weep over tho tnllcn fortunes
Of ,ic iilu-;ri"us dccap!tatcd, but by the Reelection
u! every !nan VII" vote! 10 remove them and VINO
desired rr-c.rc;I0l, most unequivDcaNy aliirincd the
Justice OF tLat proceeding.
1t i, amusing n, this lao day, and III view OF all
these incts, tn find one Of these individuals cherIsiiIng
the dc!us;on, that he and his n-socintes were very
badly treated. Ii is rs nothing that Il lucrative office
YVES retained by the su;Tc-ance of the dominant party
,nr n quarter Of a century. 4 giit Of fifty thousand
Lollart. freely bestowed upon one who had no clam
upnl the donors, eAcitcs no grateful emotions, be-
cause the bounty was no, continued through al time.
4 endorses a note for 3, twenty-five times, and when
Ia 90 n like favo- for the iweuty-sixth time, de-
c.;n,s for rrasnns satisfactory to himself. Thcreupon.
~forgetfrl Of former iavors, lavishcs oil MANNER OF
abuse upon his kind patron, and calls upon nj lirn 10
bear witness that \ has treated him very badly. II
nil men do not laugh, il is because they have no ap'
OF the ridiculous.
The editor Of the American not only endorses the
errors of madison" but goes n bow'sh"' beyond
him. There are two points worthy OF espccitl neh'
He says, what during this period OF DARK dc,
lection did our noble aini cliiralrous State do. beyond
'urniny Il lew iai;llllI Oh IHoHC - h"'' 'dI upon
the roinraons, to struggle rs they might with power
Tosay nothing OF the m"drsty evinced III tie
lrcIa ra;jou, We desire ~ know, whether the "puver- !
~ or "fallhfulness" Of "these few old public ser
entitled them as ot right, TO "swiI at Inc
stream" Of State .'patronuge," t" the end OF their
lives! Were the offices OF Auditor. ID Auditor,
Treasurer and Secretary Of the Commonwealth, cred
for the especial maintenance and support "t
Wings without fortune! Ii 80, 1t ID much 10 bn re-
orn,trd that the Act creating these offices, did not
4,n.e HE fact in 81 many words. Then there could
have been no misconcr ption. Bat this Plea "i pow
crty ami old age, Iins ~ often been eutercd, III respect
to :.,lIc few OH faithful public officers" that We must
he hardened for suggesting, that II II strruge they
shnuld have found themselves .ace 10 face with gaunt
noycr:v, after having, through q long term Of vrnrs.
received high salaries for their services. Would
they have bcttcrcd their fortunes by remaining afrw
yrrrs lnugct, or are We 10 understand, TINT however
irtirm they might have become with advancing
years, aud however incapable III dischargin. their
iuties. thew expected to retain their posts until re-
moved by death. This will hardly be nssumod, aud
we submit, that the iucessant talk about old nse aud
pcnury, is slightly disgusting.
The other point to which we shall refer, vii! eXrite
a smi!u. 1t is gravely affirmed, that by Gc.rymRn-
dcrs, 1.-The Wings we're deprived Of Representations III
Congress, of the sacred RICH. of stating their grey.
nnccs in the Capitol, except through prtjudiCcl md
rrmursplcss enemies, aud reduced to the snilo comet
ton OF the II-lnt- Of ancient Sparta, the mo!cin tcTis
of the Imperial Car Of Russia, or The free negroes .!
Virginia" Where is Baron Munchausen! Will some
body send the editor OF the American II copy "i 10"
Code ol Virginia. that he may acquaint himself win
the Statutes of free negroes hnd Nv ligs III ms
Commonwealth With the view Of is"i!itnting MS
researchers, we remind the editor that Geo W. sum
mers was not the candidate OF the free n-sr"'s Tor
the office Of Governor OF Virginia, that there were no
Tree negro member Of the Legislature Ia d. Oh that
John MiIor Bolts, Mr. Raymond ami Others, were
not elected To Congress over the heads OF Democrats,
by the votes Of FREQ negroes, and what perhaps will
a.tonisb many Democrats, that tht rery day there are
no less than Mres copper-hcadcd Ways holatnS Offices
rorth from H. 10 Sl60n per nmnant, IN the STATE Cap
,tai. bu Democratic appointment.
Where is the analogy between the free negroes and
the Wings OF the Commonwealth That assertion
needs to be slightly modified. 1t is true that the
Know othings At the North are anxious 10 confer
upon free negroes. the immunltles secured TO W hic'
and Democrats alike, and there may be some in thr
- G...ra;Ia u:ha incli.Lc 70 thn same Nnlninn