Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-04-04
UOIlN !.
His Excellency Jos. JOHNSON, Governor Of Virg'h''
JAMES G, BRUCE, OF HALIFAX.

OAInL ~
1.-THE appearance of this gentleman upon the hus'
tings in support of the nomination of Mr.. Fillmore
il one of the most gratifying signs of the times.
In lhis solemn style the llhig proclaims the lnslghih'
cant fact, that Mr.. James G.. Bruce, Of Halifax has
publicly avowed his connection with the know'No-
thing party. What must be the depth OF our nelgh-
boris despair. when 80 trifing an incident transports
him with a delight which he can express only III inc
language of byperbole : Mr.. James &. Bruce Is d
gentleman Of irreproachable character, but Is us
tiuguished rather for excessive wealth than Tor
any urodigal endowment of intellect. We have
an iudistinct recollection that he once venturtd
into the province of literature with a Lyceu'h
lecture; but the production was remarkable only Tor
certain unfortunate concessions against ING interests
of slavery. As the Wig now sets mn up asa pal
tern patriot for the South, we VIII ehdea'or 10 re-
fresh our recollection of his opinions on slavery. lhe
;muressiou of his address was slight and ephemeral,
and it is barely possible that we do not state liz scope
with psrfec, accuracy. II so, we promise to repair
the injury.
The Wig represents Mr.. Bruce rs a statesman
whom the uscenduuoy of small men and the corrup-
,ious OF the time have driven into a sort Of sullen
, rile from political affairs. The gentleman has play
I'd no prominent part on the political stage, and
therefore we arc not very familiar with his history
But somehow we got, and still retain, the impression
that his retirement into the seclusion of private life,
was altogether compulsory, he having been signally
defeated in a contest for the Legislature. Perhaps
we misrepresent this passage of his career; if so we
will cheerfully correct the error. In any event, we
cannot agree that the appearance OF MIR. james Z.
Bruce on the hastings, in Halifax, will exert any very
percep,ible influence on the des,inies ofthe nation.
The Wing notes and pauses on a "curious coiuci-
dence. Here it is:
"Our informant remarks that it was q curious CO.
that at the very time when James {.
who happens 10 own some te~ negroes, was
declaring his confidence in, and his admiration for,
Fillmore, in the court room below, some little
nan was holding forth up stairs 10 n democratic meet
NJ, aud although he was innocent of owning a mig
ger = toe-nail, he was in the greatest possible alarm
est Fillmore should storm universal negrodom"
What a lapse III our neighbor to use such
language in connection with so exalted Il per.
,onage as Mr.. James G.. Bruce ~ Ngger's
os mar is scarcely SO elegant a phrase as ebo.
him or g;--ard toot. Is it possible the Wig
employs the vocabulary of the "Mulatto" epistle'-
Every writer should conform 10 his own canops Of
OF else should not denounce other people for
he blemishes of bic own style. But it is not to the
aste so much as to the logic Of this paragraph that
We object. We protest against the implication that
mans devotion TO country is measured by the
amount of his worldly possessions; or, to state
he proposition with more precision, that one
,annot be a friend to African slavery unless
lie owns "a nigger's ~toe.nail." Many a man has
mancipated his negroes from conscientious scruples
the justice of slavery. On the other hand,
here arc hundreds and thousands Of gentlemen in
q Virginia, who own not Il negro, who would yet
existence in support Of slavery. Thisis disin-
crested patriotism. 1t is rather selfish in a man TO
eel concern for an interest only in proportion as it is
with his personal fortunes. 1t is too late in
he day for the Wing to revive the Tory and Federal
;ry about a stake in the community.