Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-01-26
LETTER FROM MIR. RIEEs.

hiss left most pleasing duty TO Perorm--to express
my heart felt Acknowledgements to the friends who sus-
tanned me with such generous and anshrnking zeal
Among them cannot but feel how much owe to you,
Who on so many occasions through the columns Of the
Wig, prompted only by your own generous sentiments
have so largely overpaid, by your handsome, cordial
and liberal praises the merit OF any services has been
in my power render our country But beyond these
acknowledgements, have farther duty to performto
furnish to those generous friends who have incurred the
responsibility of upholdng one whom the RIGHTEOUSNESS
of personal or party detracton has sought to render
odous to the people, plain and honest statement Of
facts in answer to the charges vndlctvely heaped
OF him in the late election This is what propose to
DO in a very hurried manner, in this letter-reying
your kindness and friendship TO present the facts and
materials it contains to the public notice, through
the columns of your paper, in such form and dress
the mpartiaty of third person, and particularly your
own excellent taste and Judgment will best supply.
The first charge made against is, that Jagged be-
hind the general feeling of the country, and gave
slow and reluctant support to the rights of the South in
the revolution by which we indicating them
This utterly deny. On the contrary affirm aud APP
peal with confidence to everything written spoken by
me 10 support the affirmation, that no one, in every
stage Of the controversy upheld the rights Of the South
in their fullest extent with rmness and determ
nation than did or earnestly intent on their
vndication by the EXTREMIST remedies If that should
become necessary.
Ii is true, was no believer in the doctrine of peace
able secession and sought dsabuse the public mind
of that deluson. II was favorite idea of the early
secessionis that IL the Southern States should with.
draw from the Union in a body, there would be no
hazard Whatever of conflict OF arms, and that a re-
constructions of the Union, principles would and
ought then to take place. This idea, if mistake not
was formally announced By oaa both OF our Sena
in the Congress Of the United States. Convinced
was that the idea was perfectly chimercal thought it
my duty meet it, and in published letter to por
ton OF my countrymen, dated the 23d day Of January
1861, which, think, was not repubshed in any Of the
Richmond ne sspapers used the following language:
not ds;ve oarielve, permit others
with A d-ieoa othe reorganization Of the Unlon when
up the pr1pssl Immediate
sion Of al sllyeh1llns States LIE iTng bshn u.s.
lull d. all the si9e;tI 0: clnroSsFJy with the other
5es uutdj issi-hs very territory Of which
eJla parPItloa the c9tl ths army, the navy, and ali
lelnary OF ril All e1useltrAtei govsrnms
Ia the htn l. Of o7polslEhat could await under
circumstance bl: conflict Of arms at
~ possible daISllas Ga tas sn u, h,ynsa
government to coaItue- IuiIsl necessarily 4 nil
"iry ,,c genai-lrn, raise, bald
their en)rnod5 evp,ni 10 b. bDne BY the arbitrary pro-
OF forced ola' Of grin liug taSiloa, both"
"G far from slynS that ali these consequences, fomd ble
they are, should b. b;Ivey encountered II rights
clnno be otherwse mIntln, called upon
break up Unlou, excitement, by
utAneous witlriwi OF the Remaining saveholng States
uader the vain promise OF uiop4n reconstruction be-
comes US minds Of sosngerOus deluIOn
ali the consequences OF action steadily In hehce
Our rights mast be maintained at all hazards and trust for
QUE shall be PREPARED to met avery sa,rBce they may de-
m md with calm AMI collected irt and unshrnking
spirit as oilesi patriot among Bat II they be as
WE'LL secured by wise deliberate
action npAnei with armnei and avoiding the necessity
suh costly asd bloody sArh;e every cool
minded mu,t say let the experiment he tried When 1t
shah have tried and nelf fail Should've shall then
"stluI l,dsd before III. rrrI an history, well
,,neasei eur ,eIns the sole alternative left for the
A." protection and yialleaion Of our rghts." 4
Hore was the clu5 to my whole policy. As deter
mined A; the most resolute 70 maintain rights ut
every yard never permitted myself to be daped $
50 many Others were by the notion that secession
practically, whatever it might be in theory peaceabe
re nedy In the nature of-thing', convinced it
would lead to war; and to war of most ferocious and
lesolang character, aud that own State would be
the scene of its principal devastaons But for all this
never hcsitatcd moment about encouneriug these
and every other extremity, rather than abandon one
iota OF our rights
only asked that what did should he done DELHI
erately with brave heart and cool mind, prepared for
all the consequences; aud that We should not rush,
bndfod aud headOng uader the idea that it TO be
a mere holiday amusement upoa what (oresaw must
be one of the sternes trials of both individual and ia
toaal fornde that the page of history has Recorded
It all foresight according to the standard how up
it seems is inconsistent with the character of states
man. The policy | advocated was, nevertheless that
adopted by the Legislature Of Virginia in the initiation Of
the Peace Congress" and By the Convention Of the
State in its deliberate but firm advance the ultima
ratio aud from the honorable proof of confidence be-
slowed on me by each Of those bodies authorized
to conclude that neither OF them thought had done
anything to incur the auathchas Illuminated against
me.
The next topic of elimination is that some twenty
FIVE or thirty years ago in the Senate Of the United
States, had expressed hetesoIok sentiments the
subject of slavery. The history of this affair is
that on the occasion referred TO, was imperiously
by Mr.. Calhoun to say that slavery an
unmred good Not choosing to have a creed thus die
tated to me, in opposition TO the opinions which had
been held and avowed by the great men Of our own
Jefferson Mason, Henry and Others
and generally prev lent at that day in Virginia evil
need by recent proceedings of her Legislature, re-
Piled that in aspects, slavery was evil, though
attended and that whether
good oran evil it va cue on with which neither Con-
grea nor TIE free States could be permitted Interfere in
pny IN amer whatever, directly Indirectly. On that
very oeelsioa, ID record Of the debate shows that
met Mr. Webster in argument he asserting t5s right Of
Congress, uadsr the poyer Of regulating be-
tween the States - prohibit the transfer Of slaves from
State 70 State, and msutainng the contrary earnestly
aud to the bot Of M abity-Sh what success other