Richmond Enquirer

To the Committees of Conference, appointed by the Clay Clubs and Democratic Association in this City—Gentlemen—Permit a humble individual, who feels much interest in the promotion of the joint meetings of both parties to discuss the political questions of the day, for which you are to arrange the preliminaries, to make to you respectfully a few suggestions, for your consideration.

As to the time of those meetings, I would propose, that they be held in the afternoon, commencing at 5 o'clock, P. M., and continuing until 10 with an intermission of one hour from 7 to 8 o'clock: unless any considerable number of citizens would be unable to attend before night. In that event, I propose, that the discussion should commence at 7 P. M. The impossibility of attending a political meeting in the forenoon, on the part of many persons, and the unwillingness and impropriety of many others doing so, to the neglect of their business, renders that time in every respect unsuitable. These meetings, I would propose should be continued from day to day, or for the convenience of the speakers or other sufficient reasons adjourned over to any other day, until the people should consider, that the subjects treated of had been sufficiently discussed.

2d. As to the place of meeting, I should much prefer the Capitol Square; making either the Eastern steps of the Capitol, or the steps leading from the Governor's House to the Eastern fountain the rostrum, with the audience assembled in the cool shade, or by the light of the full summer moon, which we will continue to have for some two weeks. I know of no building in which it could be held, but the Club House; and in this many of the Democrats would be unwilling to assemble: not only because there are banners, and other devices displayed there, which they deem insulting to their party, and to their feelings as members of it; but also, and chiefly, because this building has been erected and furnished at the expense of the Clay party alone; and they would be unwilling to do any thing, which might be construed into either a challenge from them to the Clay men, or into a provocation to the Clay men to challenge us, to make use of the Club House for the accommodation of those, who have contributed nothing to its erection or furniture. Should it, therefore, be determined on, to hold the proposed meetings there, I do not think, that the Democrats of the city would assemble there, except upon the condition, that those objectionable banners, &c., (not including any portraits of Mr. Clay or others) should be for the time removed: and that the Democratic Associations, should contribute their fair proportion of the rent, and expense of lights, &c., during the time they shall continue to meet there.

3d. As to the order and plan on which the discussion, shall be conducted: I would propose that each question shall be discussed separately, through a part or the whole of one or more meetings by speakers, chosen by their respective parties, to whom shall be allotted an equal portion of each evening, either in alternate periods of time, or otherwise, as they may prefer: and that the subject to be discussed on each evening, and the speakers be announced in the newspapers of the same day.

For the preservation of order and decorum, I would suggest the propriety of appointing a joint committee of both parties, of whom, (should we meet in the Club House) two thirds should be taken from the Clay Clubs, with authority to remove any persons, who may be guilty of any breach of good order or decorum—that the police officers be requested to attend the meetings—and that all boys be excluded therefrom. This last precaution, I consider to be absolutely necessary to the prevention of disorder and confusion. Any candid man, upon reflection, will be convinced by his own experience, that this is a class of the community, whom it is next to impossible to restrain. Ever foremost in every scene of popular commotion and confusion, feeling none of the responsibilities and interest, in the peace and good order of society of the citizen of established character they take a mischievous delight in creating as much confusion as possible, thinking thereby, to establish their manhood. This propensity will certainly not be less indulged, when there is superadded the blind excitement of ignorant and impotent party feeling. Besides, this discussion is intended not for them, but for the voters of the City or those at least who have arrived at years of discretion, and we should avail ourselves of this the only practical mode of collecting such an audience.

Lastly, I would respectfully recommend to the Committees or to the speakers, that they should request the audience to abstain from all applauding or at least from all stamping, shaking the floor with sticks and from all loud laughter. Fair speakers neither require nor desire this, and it creates or leads to great disorder. Of course no one will be permitted to hiss or deride any speaker or his speech.—Let us, then, show to the world, that we can assemble together, to discuss these most interesting subjects, and yet conduct ourselves with the decorum and courtesy to one another, which becomes us as gentlemen and citizens of the same town, and which we should be ashamed to violate in our mutual intercourse elsewhere. Let our speakers abstain, as far as possible, from all personal allusions, panegyric or abuse, both towards each other and towards prominent public men: but confine themselves to the merits of public measures, the principles of their parties and the pretensions of their candidates to the Presidency. Thus conducted, such meetings will be productive of more good both present and future than we can now estimate: not only by enlightening the public mind on subjects of vital importance, without that angry tone of declamation, which is indulged in, and that exasperated state of feeling which is generated in mere party clubs and meetings, will be restrained and avoided: but, by establishing a custom, which, with the improvements which experience shall dictate, will tend more than almost any other cause to establish our free institutions upon their only secure foundation, popular knowledge and virtue. Not only are the people thus enabled, by hearing both sides of every question of policy and government discussed, to form a more correct judgment upon their merits, but nothing is more promotive, (as the experience of this canvass, contrasted with that of 1840, proves,) of that social and charitable feeling, of which the citizens of a republic, especially, should never divest themselves than their commingling, as they do in their social intercourse, at all such public meetings. Let us then, who entertain such opinions of this plan, do all in our power to ensure its success; and let all those, who are less confident or sanguine, at least give it a fair trial.

PACIFICUS.