Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-02-15
CAUCUS AT COLUMBUS.
CINCINNATI, JAN Id.


We publish this day the edings
OF the meeting, he'd by the members Of
the Ohio Legislature, al Columbus, on
the evening oi the Sd inst. by which II
vii. be seen that ffg, Of the one hun
dred and two members who compose
,h5 General Assembly, have been in
duccd to recon ncni ne H3n HENRY
CLAY "as suitable person for the r. :
SdsaCY, at the next constitutional lerm. !"
When we consider the great cxer-
liens which have been made, "a vafio 5
parts Of the state, to influence tae ,5uO-
lie mlnd in favor OF Mr.. Civ, ana Tie
u1wcaried and namerl,td etiatis 10 IN
dace the men bers oil he General As
sembly to make a noMihatl58, dy a e.
gislaIQe caucus, together with thczai gh
reputation OF Mr. Clay, a resuh - M
expected and eqavocal must PROSTATE
the hopes OF that genlemsn 10 obtain
the support of he people Of Oblo. ri
Ter he failure o. the first attempt, aad
the members Of the legislature bad re-
solved that ii was iuexpedieni 70 ca ato
a nomination this winter, the friends OF
Mr.. Clay would have consulted ms ia-
ieres, and popularity in this state, BY alb
staining from any other or further effort
during the present season. They ought
70 nave known that they were advancing
oil dangerous and forbidden ground, ana
that with an express disinc Ina ion in The
mc.u Sers at thai body to mold meeting
i5r the nomination OF any candidate, il
would be utterly impossible to prodace
that nnan.mlly on which the volt OF OHIO
could be calculated.
The uischlevous consequences whic b
have followed legislative caucusing, N
producing an undue and improper in.
lluence on the public mind, has render
ed that mode ol selecting candidates for
elective Offices, universally odious and
oh"oxioHs 10 the people, and no. uaire-
qQenfIy creates doubts and suspicious
antasorabie 10 the patriot. views, honest
mlendons, and merltorlous qualifications
OF the candidate proposed. In faul il is
not improbable, that the course which
has been adopted to bring Mr. Clay for
ward, for the Executive cna.r af the ma.
ton, viii Gf he should think proper to
continue canCtida,e) have such power.
tai effect upon the public prejudice as
to contribute essentially 20 prevent his
election. The citizens of Ohlo are noe
sunk into that degraded state of igna-
rance and stupidity, which would rem
der them incapable of Judging Tor
themselves; nor have they ye, surren-
dered 10 the members Of their lcgisa-
ture. or to minority Of that body, heir
own opinion of public men, or their own
estimate OF the qualifications OF cand-
dates for popular favor. In under,ak-
ing, therefore, to exercise this Inherent
and consiKutiobal right of freemen,
they will consider legislative caucusing,
under any circumstances, as directly re.
pugnant to the principles of their elective
prerogalives, as the of1icious and imper-
tinent interference 10 that which be-
longs exclusively to themselves, and as
Irreconoiabie with the genius and spirit
OF orr government.
We are happy to state, that Messrs.
Piat,, Brown, and Williams, exerted all
their influence to proven, a measure so
anti-repuhlIcan and, il we are correctly
mtormed, the whole delegation from
Hamilton county, opposed going into
nomnsiion, as hoiiticaly imhroher, add
as contrary to the wishes and mconsi,-
tent with the intelligence of the people.
Nat Rehu6.