Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-01-24

siderable portion oil tneir IelloW country men
had any knowledge OF, or participation in John
Browns loray into Virginia. Gentlemen who
have not realized any cause for excitement i'll
| the public mind of Virginia. from the occur
rcnccs of the last ninety days, are not very apt
to believe there can possibly be any causes for
such excitement We wonder if our worthy
twenty-scvcn members Of the Legislature be-
| iere that John Brown and his followers ever
were at IIarper's Ferry. Our twenty.sevcn
Legislators tell us, if they believed any great
party in the country sympathizcd with the con-
victed feluns, they would no sooner consent to
! live in connection with, and as part Of the
same political community with them, if they
could find the means Of avoiding it, than they
would continue TO inhabit n house that was in
flames from the basement 10 the top. Our
twenty seven Legislators tell Us, that il they
believed any great party sympathized with
John Brown and his followers, they would not
; live in the same political community with it.
What evidence do the Legislators require to
satisfy them that John Brown, not only whilst
alive but since his death, lad not only the
sympathy Of a large party, but received
material aid? There is not a particle Of evil
dence 10 show that John Brown or any Of his
followers ever had any property, yet he was
! able to procure and transport a large amount
! Of the muniments Of war to Ilarpcr's Ferry.
| These arms and munitions Of war were furnish
cd by somebody; who, We do not know certainly.
. Do not our twenty.scrcn legislators believe
that those who furnished John Brown with
these arms or the money TO buy and transport,
sympa,hized with him, and aided and assisted
him? We suppose not, as they would not If
they believed So, live in the same political
community with these aiders and abettors Of
felony. What will satisfy our twenty
| legislators. that a large party sympathizel
with John Brown and his followers who
were arrested at Harpcr's Ferry? Will
large public meetings and resolutions Of
sympathy for John Brown and his followers
satisfy our twenty-seven law makers? Clearly
not win the sending of able counsel from the
free States to defend the criminals be satisfactory?
No! Will the urgent and persistent effort 10 get
the criminals pardoned after they were tried
and condemned, satisfy our twenty.scven? No:
Will the tolling Of the bells, the firing Of cal-
non, or the assembling of large meetings avow-
edly Of sympathizers and nournerS in conf
nlemoration of the hanging of John Brown
satisfy them? Certainly not. Our twenty-seven
legislators are all honorable men, they knew
full well all these things had taken place
and been done before they adopted and
had printed Mr.. Bolts letter, and they
did not consider any of these things,
or all Of them together, as evidence Of
sympathy by any large part of our country
men; if our ,wcnty.seven hnd believed these
things were evidence of sympathy, Of course
they would not live in the same political commu-
| nifty with such sympathisers with them, if they
could find the means Of avoiding it What,
do our twentyseven wise legislators intend us
to understand them rs intilnating doubt Of
| their being able to find the means Of avoiding
the destruction OF on lives, property and no.
moi? 1t is true they do not say so, in so many
words, but they do say, They would no sooner
consent to live in connection with, and as a
! part Of the same political community with
them Qhat is any large and powerful po-
litica party) if they could find the means Of
avoiding il" Can it be possible that our twcn.
ty-seven legislators entertain doubt Of the
right of the people Of Virginia to protect them
selves from oppression, and their property
from plunderS We have good reason to be-
eve that such is their opinion, and this letter Of
| Mr.. Bolts, which they called forth and pub.
lshed, will show beyond doubt that such is
their belcfan opinion
Col. McCue Repudiates Botts' fIe1perism.
Who Endorses 1T
| The following manly and straightforward
letter, taken from the Wing Of Saturday last,
| speaks for itself l, bears on its face the i'm,
press of honesty and far-dealing.
| 70 tile Eiiitor IF Tie Wig:
Nv name is signed to the letter requesting
Mr.. Bot,s to publish his views on the 'ques-
tons that now agitate the public mind" JUS
ticc to myself and my representative position,
requires that should state, that subscribed
to that letter without having read it, and with
out any communication with him as to his
opinions. Without designing to enter into any
| controversy with him, or any one else. desire
! 10 state, that had read the letter. my name
would have been withheld. j. NJ. McCGE.
Thus Col. McCue distinctly repudates the
SANDERS, the abotionism, the falSehood and
treason of John NJ. Bolts letter. We sincere
! j. offer him nil alonement possible, for the in
Justice towards him, which We have committed,
! in supposing for moment that his request Tor
! the publication of such document could bc
the result Of anything else than entire misap
i prehension.
We are now induced To believe that uloSt,
probably all the twenty.seven gentlemen wilr
requested the publication Of the extraordinary
documcn, which appeared in the "Whis OF
Thursday last, made the request while labor
ing under mistake as to the character and in
tent of the letter At all events, each OF them
owes it to himself and to his constituents, te
initiate the example set by Col. McCuc, OF frank
and public avowal.
We have neither time nor space to enter al
present upon a consideration of the outrageou:
insults which Mr. Bolts has hcapcd upon tht
people Of Virginia, in his late letter. It would
under any circumstances, we believe, conStl
tute gross libel on the Opposition party lr
Virginia TO pretend to the belief that any
spectacle quota of their number fail to par
cipate in the general disgust which Mr.. Bolts
has excited. Nor are we left to conjecture OF
this point. The very acts which Mr. Bott
vilihcs,. misrepresents and denounces, have
been already applauded and endorsed, unan'
mously, in more than one hundred public meet
-. III .L.n,.ko,t TIN Ctafp and in whtcl