Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-01-16
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The Young Mems Christian Association have done
themselves great credit in procuring a copy of Mr.
Rvcs admirable address for publication. Though
not exactly in our line gladly seize the oppor-
tunity laying it before readers No man can
be the by the perusal of it; should one be
made the better, we shall have the satisfaction OF
knowing, that issue of this paper at least, will
not have been made in vain.
We have further purpose in the publication
The author of this Address is of the most diStn
guished Statesmen of our country If all the ele
ments are duly considered which enter into the
composition of n great statesman: universal and
curate knowledge of all questions of public concern
"a fine taste and extensive acquaintance with ele
giant literature rare powers as writer As well as
a debat-r fixed habits Of industry and an inexhaus
tbc capacity for labor, without which all genius is
worthless; private lite as pure As his public is
splendid we know not where to look, not merely
in Virginia the Union, but in any quarter OF thc
world, for his superior or even his equal. OF hon
orable and Revolutionary descent, he has adde a
cubic To the stature OF his ancestors-and can safely
endure the searching ordeal, to which Marius
in that grand philippe against the Patricians OF
Rome, recorded by Sallust subjected all of gentle
birth the glory OF ancestors is like light ditused
over all the actions OF their posterity which prevents
any of their good bad qualities from being conceal
ed Mr.. Rives stand this scrutiny, and point;
ing to his vast stores Of knowledge his varied &C.
compliShments his capacity for work and for useful
ness with higher and juster pride than the rug
ged old Arpinian exposing his SCARED body assert
"These are my statues. These the proofs of my
nobility
We do not write in spirit Of party, but from
sense Of justice, aud what we believe a true appre-
citation Of eminent merit. We utter truths which
even his adveisaries gainsay, and which i'm
partial history will sbundanty confirm
This wise statesman, without a blemish on his
public or private fame in the full yigor of life, emf
nenty endowed with every capacity for public
vice and public usefulness unsurpassed, it equalIed
by any of his otemporaries-American or European
is in retirement leading the quiet life of coun.
try gentleman, his great powers for usefulness mi-
ted to a ncghborhood and lost TO his country Aud
il is not uncommon to hear the triumphant chuck,
OF the ignorant Derragogue that his public career
ended-he can't Ice elected to any post Of honor any
more
Does not the Punishment Of such men a, Mr. Riy,>
and his ease is not isolated the country is dotted
over with the abes and best men in rctirelnent-ar
que that something is wrong in the political morals
OF our age aud country: What think the conseryn-
tive the moral the patriotic the rejecting people of
this Republic on this subject? Some have hoped
that the people would soon weary Of the experiment
OF euuusine their affairs to the management OF ie
norant, Incompetent and unprincipled men; and
some, sanguine than the rest, have been heard
TO express the belief that they could already de>cry
symptoms Of hesithiul reaction in the popu.
lar mind We fear the wish is father to the thought
For who are they who nre now most common in the
mouths Of men, for the highest stations OF the r.
public: Who they who are now with an impu-
dence only exceeded by their ignorance and worth
lesSne>S and total untiueSs for all public business
thrusting themselves forward aud demanding III,
seat OF Washington as theirs by right? Take any one
Of them for an example and each is a fair sam
pie Of the whole brood OF loaiing ignorant idle,
greedy aud presumptuous sspirauts, aud villa,
awful aud Notifying contrast is presented
in every particular 10 the moral aud intellectual qua
lte- Of WIN. c. Riyes We have no intention o
running through the details Of the contrast-eyer,
do it for himself and the consciousness thai
1t is being done should cause these fSeeker, &,
sink into the earthand it would do it, if thsir ina
prudence not truly and literally composed o
bronze.
We have no purpose by these remarks. Of sing
ling Mr.. Riyes out for the Presidency The tim
ny not have arrived for a consummation so beneG
cial and 50 honorable to the Republic But our oL
ject was to induce the better portion Of our people
think ponder a system, which excludes Oh
best the abest and the purest men from public sta
lions aud converts those stations into prizes for !.
norant loaler- end political iobbcrs