Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-08-03

ments, Notwithstanding the disclaimer called
from me as above stated. l followed them in
remarks, lasting ten or fifteen minutes, express
" repudiating any such construction. With
these things ringing in his ear, as must have
been the case, unless lie was still lolling and
loungiug and dreaming while was speaking
and others were speaking, ne pcnned his com
munication to the "Whig.'
Nor is this all. Ny attention having been call
cd to his communication in the 'Whlg," I'm.
mcdiately afterwards, through the columns OF
the "Richmond Enquirer, Of June 18th, denied
again the imputation, trusting to his sense OF
honesty, truth and fair dealing, if ne should
make answer, TO relieve me from the atti-
tudc in which, under these circumstances,
he had placed me. At length, some
time after it had appeared, his answer
was placed in my hands, as contained in
the "lyhig' Of the 23d June. Inthis paper he
STYLES his communication Of the Goth of May,
an "innocent communication" yet, without re-
tracing the grave charge that communication
embraced, leaving that charge still to work its
own mischief, to myself and 10 others, as set
forth above in the beginning. No doubt, in the
light Of his philosophy it was innocent" but
my philosophy teaches me to know 1t by the
wicked and mischicyous characteristics it now
wears. Those characteristics stamp 1t rs n cal
umny, if not originally designed, at least, abso-
lutte in its effects. If he innocently misrepre-
scented INC, why could he not have said so, cou-
rageously, as 4 man.? He preferred resorting
TO the cunning dextcrity Of 4 County Court
lawyer; TO hypcrcriticism upon words to dit
f~crenccS "'twixt twcedledum and tweedlcdee y
and, in the midst OF 4 tluy of meaningless sem
fences, Latin quotations, and paraphrased poe
try, perpetratcs these pellucid and cuphonious
paragraphs, that no gramInarian can pasS upon,
and no rhctorician may define, to wit:
''What! if in the investigations, | lind SOME
honored sire of my p"atcrnal or maternal "6tood
relations" who has dispensed, with true par
Elementary tact, the rules as umpire at a cock
fight or gander.pulling? What! if find that
some one Of the same 'blood relations has
filed with honor to himself the responsible
and highly essential office of 0rerseer Of the
road. Wouldn't it raise Inc clean out of my
boots? such yr0und-rOrk OH which to base the
fabric Of my future greatness: For the pe0-
pie will not forget to bear in grateful recollcc-
ton their past faithful public servants" Oh!
then if the ARABIC kelf"--likc an incubus
could so ~Taralyzc my joyous scnsibillties Us to
reduce Inc to Il state of drowSincSs, and should
indulge the propensity in Il short sicsta, me-
thinks the CLEAN of sunshine which has just
begun to reveal itself through the heretofore
inpenclrablc clouds Of current old (ogyisin-to
wit, that the deeds Of a boosted line Of ancestry
could make me every thing that is great, noble
and commanding; | might, | say, while enjoy
ing the a,naranthinc powers Of that happy
drcam-land, picture to myself the time when,
for the grateful recollection" Of ''bio"d rehr-
tiers" Il ~cirtu0uS and intelligent people would
not forget the degenerate son Of nobirr sirr&."
In all this he either means wlat he don't say,
or don't say what he meant To- say, notwlth-
standing his study of Blair, and his intense
grammatical accuracy. Taking the language rs
it is, it is surely Il matter Of Indifference to the
public, rs nc SAYS, whether the ''gr0"ml ~VrI'
of his '.pediyrer' is Of the Earth, earthly, Or
otherwise; and no sane man would rob linn Of
the pleasure Of contemplating the characters he
indicates among his ancestors and relatives.
If, AS L p~art;zan politician, he is ambitiously
seeking popularity in the ''r0mdMtic' vicinity
where he seems TO love 10 t0U behenM tie
pleasant SHADE, and with that intent, had "a
Their make it appear he is Of low descent
than of high degree" it is purely Z matter of
taste for him alone, and not TO he questioned
bv the. Without such Il motive, ~ Ali not a
citizen here, for one, | sincerely rejoice in the
kindred Of many who always scorned 'llng.hlll
fowls. | also rejoice in the ''bIom r~elttiOM-
Mip" Of one from whose stern presence rs
''orerseer Of the yDnF' the iOuhge,w round
about him fell back abasncd, while the worlds
indignant laugh covered them with shame.
Without that motive, | glory in the fact of my
extraction from the Bkdc&smM Revolutionlst
Of England, who, after dashing ont the brains
of the Kings tax-gatherer for L wanton insult,
raised the Commons against the Crown, and
struck with his sword Ill carly and pow
crful blow in the line of Magma Charta
for human rights. will not believe that
a Virginian meant, in the discussion Of
pubiic men, in their pvJlic charactcrers, tand
| made no other m~ention) to depart from
the pqJtic record for the purpose Of descending
10 PIRATE defamation. | will not believe that
Il Iirginian would bascly and covcrtly convey
IN insult, where it became his courage to assert
it openly, if ut all. AS 10 whatever "Loanger"
says, or don't say, or meant to say, in this bus
incsS, let this be my uncquiyocal answer
mean 1t RolnaG tnr an Olirer.' If he meant
offence, | mean this as the end Of the chapter
of offence. Ii he is innocent Of offence, and
committed error in regard to Inc, through mis-
take, misconception, or playlulneSs, then this
reply is equally innocent and void Of offence rs
to him, and is merely intended innocently to
correct IN innocent error. Let the seed ort9t-
nnliy sown in the Wig" bring forth its legit.
innate fruit.
In conclusion, grant me Il word TO the GIN
cinnati Enquirer" that advocates, il seems, the
Of Mr.. Douglas TO the Presidency. In
the speech [ made in New Kent, as well as in
the letter I afterwards published in the "En-
%ullircr," prior to the nominations at Baltimore,
| cndcavored TO occupy ground in respect TO
the great public issues affecting the Republic,
| trust, high above the head of the mere par
tisan | illuminated by a purer light than that
vouchsafcd to him. ! spoke and wrote from
similar views to those presented by me in No
venbcr, 1856, son the political status Of the
country, while yet the Democracy were re
ioicing in the election Of Mr.. Buchanan from
views to those presented by Inc in the
address ! made before the Democratic State
Association of Texas, AT Austin, in 1857, when
| depicted tho inevitable disinlcgration OF tho
Democratic party" as Governor Peace, Sena-
tor Hc,nphill and General lIalHiito:. who were
urcscnt. will doubtless remember: from similar
views to those presented by me in the Fall "i
1857, ut Mobile, when, after declining first All
invitation from the American party. and next
from the Democratic party, and throwing
to the wind every consideration Of per-
sonal advantage or advancement under an
administration had contributed some
what to bring into power, addressed the
''sla vcloldcrs Of Alabama, without distinction
of party, On the condition Of public affairs at
feeling their joint and inseparablc interests.
None knew and know better than the Douglas
men about Washington, during the last two
what those views were and are; and
would dare he sworn that no men IN the land
now regrets more sincerely than they TO, not
having turned Il more sagaclouS car to my
warnings Ny hopes, my Tears, my anS'ctles'
and my SUGGESTIONS is to the salvation Of the
Unior, were 10 them fully disclosed. But
they were blind to destruction. and his vault
ing a,nbitio: uvcrlcapci itself" will say
to the Cincinnati '';n1nirrr, that, IS mat