Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-06-27
RIvES THE CONSERVATIVE"

tions of the stage the person who just now excites
indignation in the part OF villain, re.appears in ano-
ther play with professions of high principles and pure
benevoence, so do the shifting scenes of the political
arena present the sans individual in variety Of in
consistent characters. Whether be that in the
litude and solenniiy Of the sepulcre The voice OF
conscience asserts its authority, or that the aTecta
ton Of extreme love of country is simply the last re-.
source OF ruined regulations, experience teaches us
that it is in the order OF nature for the poor creature
OF party to emerge from the grave in the character II"
unsetish patrut and dspassinnate counsellor Ii is
in this par, that Mr.. WIN. G. Rives chooses 10 reap
pear before the public, after his sad s"journ among
the spirits Of deiunct politicians.
Mr.. Hives began life with every advantage of for
tuue. Endowed with an intellect which though
of the first order is yet equal to any ordinary e
fort, with an ambition which asprcd 10 the lOitest
pinnacle of power, and an energy of purpose which
has stimulated and sustained him i'll the Severast Ia
bors, he helped onward towards his ohl=ct by ev
cry assistance that ample wealth could command or
powerful CONNEXIONS supply. Independent vi the
dru sery of trade proiesson lie was enabled to con-
ceutrate all his energies upon the attainment political
power and with such that Ee early elected
member Of Congress. Devoted exclusive TO the A..
or indizenent of sell, with habits OF dissipation
with no passion but for personal display, aud with ra
ther uncommon abilities trained by education and
disciplined to ready and constant service, Mr. Rves
very soon achieved an enviahle distinction even
among men Of far greater intellectual power. His
resources were busbanded with miserly care, were
exhibited with all the art Of elaborate effect and were
90 made TO rank far above their intrinsic value New
er ven,urag into the of debate without painful
preparation, nor unt the foremost men had exhausted
their quivers his speeches were nothing more than an
elaborate and ornate repetition OF the thoughts OF
b1!d.r and more original m'uds. In entering upon
his political career, Mr. RIvrs was careful t" Connect
himself with III. dominant party and his Zeal in its
service regulated by he ebb and flow of It's tor
tunes. During the Presidency ut jackson, he was.
Of course, Il flaming Democrat Attaching himself
t Tin. interests nf that Irun-heared man. he by
tho expedcnts of parasite. and for his professions
of personal devotion and political fidelity, was
aopout.d 10 the mission to Paris In this posi-.
ton he did no;hiug either to dscredit or distinguish
himself K ,,uruing to the country, Mr.. Rives con-
tiup.d his association with In. Democratic party; for
the Democratic party sill in the ascendant. In
tn. Senate a. in the House "l Representatives, he was
| among the most active OF its champions, with equal
zeal supporting measures of doubtful propriety and
defending men of eluivoca character. If the Dem
ocratic party was responsible amy ounder IN policy
or abuse of power, such bunder in policy and abuse OF
power found ready apolo=ist in Mr. Rves. In the
meridian glow Of its prosperity, he could detect no
thing relrehensbe i'll it's principles or conduct; out
with III. perverted vision Of prowlng aninnls he dis
covered mistakes and crimes without number rs soon
as the gloom Of defeat began TO gather over its pros
pects.
Perhaps, Mr.. Rives speaks from the assurances of
conscious integrity when he declares that patriotism
alone imp-ed him To desert the Democratic party.
However that may be, people imputed another and
far less honorable motive for fragrant net Of po
ltical ,reachery They said-aud the misfortune is,
that the world believes them they said Mr.. Rves
abandoned his party from the most selfish impulses Of
spleen and disappointment. They said that rating
his Chains at an exravagant figure, he had the
audacity to aspire To higher hon"rs than those
he already enjoyed from The bounty of his party, and
that his treachery WAS the result as well OF pereonal
puue as of selfish calculation. Whatever truth there
be- in these derugatory mputations it is certain that
Mr.. Riyes abandoned the Democratic party un some
Hmsy pretext Of public duty and that after failing in
an attempt to combine his own personal r-tainers nt"G
political organization, he went over to the enemies
calnp aud shared the spos Of their transient success
When the Democratic party recovered ITS ascen-
dancy after the defeat Of 1870 Mr. Rves suffered The
penaty of his desertiun, in banishment from place
to the obscurity of private life. Iaunted by Mr.
i,lay viii. az i.rasoluts hesitation between de-
MIRO to relapse into Democracy and the du-
ty of s,auding by his friends, he yielded TO the
superior will Of his master, aud committed himself lr
rctrievably to the fortunes Of the Wing party. But
Mr. Rves was never trusted by his Wing associates
lie Ind exhibited too much zeal in opposing their
uriuciples He had been too subservient to Jnckson
He Dor. tho sou6rignct of the Little Expunger -
R.sid.s the manner of his conversion rcsiected
upon his sincerity; and there was always apprehch'
sion lest his nordinate ambition should set the better
Ct his principle aud drive him again iilo the Demo
cratic marty. Mr.. Rves was in such poor re-
uute with his Wing confederates that he was hardly
allowed pitirul share in the spos of the Taylor ADJ
n.iuistraton, 1t is understood that The Mission to
France was extorted by his personal importantly, and
that he submitted to the unparalleled indisnity OF
having his application for Secretary Of Legation
peremptorly rejected by Wing Cabinet. The De-
,nocratc triumph of 1852 again consigned him to OBJ
scur,y, from which he be rescued only by mira
culous interpretation of tickle fortune.
Yet it is necessity of nature with aperdon OF Mr.
R;yes' nordiuate ambition, that he should play part
in public affairs. The compulsory and hopeless in-
soui6cance to which lie is reduced, is int0lerably
calling TO his seiG-concet The passion for place sil
possesses him; and he struggles again to rise TO the
surface Having betrayed all parties and exhausted
every expedient Of personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, there
ia 70 resource left him but To affect the character OF
patriot aud practice upon the creduty OF the coun-
try With this motive his late letter was written: for
however abundant in cheap professions Of patriotism
aud pious invocatiuns to aernal concord It still dis
covers spirit of disappointment and eager as
piratiou. 1t is impossible that man who has be-
traye such indelty TO principle GnG such facility oil
transfer frola one party to another, can be
animated by those earnest impulses of unselhsh
love or country, which Mr.. Rives 30 ostenta-
tously avows in his recent episle to the public
1t is last throw of the card. 1t is nnl effort to
restore himself to power. 1t is the desperate
struggle OF nature i'll the egones Ct dissolution. The
achcme is to propate popular favor by protesta,ions
Of patriotic devotion, and to unite "moderate" men
Of all parties i'll organization which NAV he subser-
Went to The interests Of Mr. WIN. e. Rives. 1t is
another conservative movement. The equal denun-
citation which he lavshes upon the aggressive spirit
f aniisayery fanaticism and the noble resolution of
r.ss,oncs TO wrong and outrage which the South at
last begins to display, would provoke Indignation if
it did not propate pity for the man who is reduced