Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-04-15
THE OPPOSITION CANDIDATE.


THE OPPOSITION CANDIDATE.
We have, in previous article, had occasion
TO see what he is opposed to. 1t pertains to
the right understanding Of his anatomy and
physiology to inquire what he * !" i"ror a.
lie sets up for sort of model of perfection,
and invites the pencil Of the painter and the
pen of the historian to do justice to all the be-
witchng features of his Tace-for face nc hath.
and that right abundantly, and features multi
tudinous and of marvellous play and power
Herein consists his glory, that he is not con-
tent with mere negative virtue, such rs ol2'os'-
hon would he, but boasts positive and pcrSlla-
sivc graccS of his own. He Scorrs to be con-
sidcred handsome by contrast with the ngll-
ness Of the Democracy. and boasts the hcauties
ofreal craftsmanship. He deSpises. Of fcourse all
appearance Of demagogueiSm. If he gamhlc>
with the political cards, Inc nevertheless scornS
the character Of Il ''sprtSman.' 1t is mere
slander to call him gambler lie neither de-
scends to the love of i-gottcn gain, nor is tri
fling enough to be amused with the sport -
Like the celebrated Judge Dooly, Of Georgia,
he plays cards just to break the faro banks and
punish the craft for their disregard of morali-
ty!
But what is he in fitror Of:
First of all, he devotes himself to "thc
POOR" With keencr scent and a quicker
foot than the dogs Of Sparta-'hounds OF
scent, sagacious," he pursucs, 40 wrongs of
"thc poor in general and 'the poor of
Gcorgetorn in particular.
This he said, "not M"t he eorcd .tor the
poor" nor yet that he carries 'thc bag but
that these same poor may help him by their
"swcet voices" get hold of it. The poor of
Georgetown" is rather renerajle institution,
having been Oh exhibition now some years in
all the States, from May to August-all for the
want of eood from October to April.
The Opposition candidate always has them
on exhibition; and glowingly depicts their pri-
vatons and suaerings, and zeAlously advocates
n violation of the Constitution for their relief.
Like ".,bsolom Bcss," he jeels for them, "but
nc'cr felt in his pocket" Yet, he is in favor Of
"thc poor" Even the 'post office appropria-
ton" failure is mainly to be lamentcd, because
it "brings to stand-still that branch of the
public service in which tie poor of the country
were particularly interested" Surely, there
can be no better friend Of "thc poor" himself
"so poor!" As Burns says, he ''must be a
poet" His gun never misses 1.-The poor" Shoot
at whatever game, down comes "thc poor!"-
The shivering regiment Of Georgetown duly
executed, and the post Office poor snuSly sack
ed in mail bags, up come the regular army Of
the poor soldiers " These are sort ofstand-
ing army of Opposition" regulator" "a mot
ley crew Of Captains Doolttle and young wi
dows, and fifth cousins. ''all for love. and a
little for" iand. \ very few Of the gallant
soldiers, who have survived the battles Of their
country, minglc de.pondingN in the vast as
semblage of besgarly spectators who elbow
them out Of the way, and clamor, like league
O'Regan, for the man with the 'two barrels Of
whiskey." Never is the Opposition candidate
so much "in his glory" as when he puts him
sclfat the head ofthese "poor' clients, and leads
the charge upon the treasury and the ballot
box!
Herein is a notibi'e that "thc poor" in gene
ral-thc post-oflice poor" the ''poor soldiers
and all poor-are generally rich enough in in
tclligencc and virtue to understand and despise
the appeals of 'thc Opposition candidate to
their assumed ignorance and want Of virtue
They becoml,gly resent sentiment which out
RACES their patriotic devotion to equal laws and
the Constitution of their country. They per-
ccivc that the Opposition candidate, rail he
never so much at the Democracy, has never an
honest and feasible plan for their relief, and Is
the last man in the world to give linn money,
except as the price of his honor and liberty.
His manhood is outraged, and his resentment
flames like that Of violated helpless Innocence
at the thought that his porerty has bccn made
the prctext of dishonoring his name. No, no
It's not the honest poor man who can be bought
by bribc moncy-stolcn from the public Trea-
sury Of the country by official mateasance, or
appropriated from party or private funds. to be-
tray thclibertics Of Amcrica-but the hcnrtless
millionaire, who, fattenins on .j0Js, and con-
irving speculations to be doubly paid for or
sustained by Treasury appropriations, who
schemes and plots and sells himself and buys
whom he may, to undermine the Constitution
of his country, corrupt the ballot-box, and so
promote his sordid interests at whatever cost Of
political rights or public virtue.
We do not intend to fatter the poor, or de-
nounce the rich. Virtue is confined to no class,
while vice burrows as we'll in the novels OF the
poor rs the sumptuous halls Of luxury. 1t IS
however, our duty and our pleasure to express
the contempt which we know the virtuous
Door never fail to feel for that candidate who
fawns upon the vices of their class and fiatter;
the rank breath Of the beggarly lazsarona
who live by the arts of mendacity and hang
about the Governmental Treasury like it was
mere hospital Of St. Lazarus.