Washington sentinel., 1856-07-19
WILLIAM G. RIvEs AND Has LATE
ALBEMARLE SPEECH!

/ WILLIAM @. RIVEs AND HIs LATE
ALBEMARLE SPEECH!
This honorable gentleman, like the seven
year locust has burst his shell once more and
comes forth in midsummer, when that insect
Is heard in our woods, and he is singing as
was his wont, jubilante TO the old Wing cause.
He has come, he says, "as one of the people,
pretending to no lead, intending to make no
speech, for which he was wholly unprepared,
but simply to take counsel with his country
men OF the same general way of thinking as
himself as to the line Of conduct it was their
duty to pursue in the present distracted state
OF public affairs. / am no longer politician
said Mr.. Rives, "if indeed l ever have been
one, but in ceasing to be politician, have
not ceased TO be citizen, alive, as / trust
ever shall be, TO whatever concerns the inte-
rests, the honor, and the happiness of my
countryv
| Mr.. Rives thus modestly emerges in new
character; he comes as one Of the people" +"
mo longer politician" to consult with his
| friends as to the line of conduct it is proper
Tor them 10 pursue; to consult, with prede-
termination as to the course intended to be
pursued, like the modest maiden who advises
with her friends as to the propriety of marry
ing, after selecting her lover and plighting her
faith to be married on particular day. Each
candidate for the Presidency is but one Of the
people; each has ceased to be politician.
Fremont, who distinguished himself SO pre-
eminehoy by planting flag on the Rocky
Mountains, and who did not distinguish him
| self while Senator from California, is no
longer politician, if indeed be ever was
one." Fillmore is only quiet gentleman just
from his traves-only one of the people.
Stockton is just resting on his oars. Buchan-
an has retired TO the shades of Wheatland.
| All, however, are alive to whatever concerns
| the interests the honor, and the happiness Of
their country.
Mr.. Rives having figured largely in the pub
lie eye-having tried most of the parties into
which the country has been divided, and hav
| ing been quietly laid upon the shelf by the
Democratic party, and never having been able
to roll away the stone from the mouth of the
tomb on whose shelf he was decently laid,
either by his own power or the feeble force ex-
erted by the conservative party, and never
having been able to stimulate the great Wing
party to breathe upon his dry bones, by all the
exertions and sacrifices of principle he has
made to gain their favor, now stands as one OF
the people, no longer politician, "alive," he
says, "to whatever concerns the interests, the
honor, and the happiness Of his country
Alas, that he cannot ''eapunge' all the years
of his regeneration from the days of Jackson
down. Once he could stand up not only as
one of the people, but as Senator from q
great State, and proudly battle for the Consti
tuition, and his potent voice was listened to anG
Needed. Now he comes forth in corner ant
repeats stale notes, like the lonely song of
lonesome locust, on decayed old Whig tree
Mr.. Rives referred "to good old custom O
the Romans, which granted to a soldier, who
had faithfully served certain number of cam
paigns, an honorable discharge from further
service. But there was one case in which th.
most war-worn veteran, Notwithstanding hi
discharge, and whatever number of campaign
he may have already served, was required
again to take up his shield and javelin. Tha
cali was an invasion of the country 6y til,
| Gruls.'
But history never pointed to custom where
when the Gauls invaded the country, tru,
genuine Roman aided the Gauls, and if eve
it occurred, history at the same time de
nounced that Roman as traitor. Wher
worse than the Gauls have come upon the
South-when the reckless fanatic with fire
brand in his hand, stands professedly pre-
pared to fire the sacred temple, and destroy
the Union, and Virginia calls upon her sons to
rush to the rescue, every war-worn veteran
who would not expunge his services and hel
fame, whatever number of campaigns be may
have already served, ought, indeed, to take ur
his shield and javein, and, scorning to fgh,
for the Gauls, or to give them aid and comfort
ought to strike home against the common
enemy. That javelin which was once keen
and bright, ought to be polished anew, and a
double set Of javelins should have been pre-
pared out of the Democratic steel, which old
Jefferson wrought, and which his pupil once
knew how to point and that shield which
once defended the right, and was thrown sue.
cessfully over Democratic principles, ought to
have been again thrown around the Old Do.
minion. But no, he comes as one of the peo
pie, to counsel with his friends about serving
| On tho sidp of the enemu
Hear Mr.. Rives again The only remedy
in his judgment, lies in the interposi,ion Of the
body Of The people in the independent e1er.
else Of their rightful sovereignty. There was
no country, said Mr.. Rives, in which the SOW
ereignty Of the people is so fully recognized
IN theory as in this, but was the practice under
the modern system Of party discipline, con.
formable to the tbeory7 We vote, indeed, for
our representatives and public functionaries
but in this vital function Of popular sover.
eighty, are we left free in our choice2 On the