Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-10-03
KICHNOND- OCTORER 3 1919
TO the Editors Of hc f.nquirer.

.1.-,N-e W.. " OprR >, 1898.
To The Editors Of Tie E.nqu,rer
nave read your remarks upon my letter
with attention aud candor and must say
that they evidence too must of that spirit of
uniairness which censured. You have not
canvassed the claims of Mr.. Calhoun, because
you considered him too feeble as a candidate,
being supported, in your opinion, only by Il
lew Jealous personal friends, and the officers
Ofthe army. | have no doubt hut that you are
~ great mistake on this point, rs time sill
demonstrate. have read to little purpose,
ana have mlsntsrpre,ed, totally, the signs of
the times, il. on this subject your statement
VIII not have turned out to be erroneous Nj.
Caihoun's strength IN this state, / ana willing
To admit is not equal 10 several of Me cand-
dates, but even here his friends are mo,e nu-
merous and powerful then you are willing 10
allow OutofVirginia believe it may, with
truth, be said, that tciereper, with only few
exceptions, he is not Me first he IS second,
which, believe, is one Of the strongest posi-
tons candidate can occupy at this early peri
cd. Directly opposite to this stands Mr.. Craw-
tord-that is, where he is not the first choice,
he rs an no instance, the second. There are
more papers that advocate the claims of Mr..
Calhoun than Mr.. Crawford: aud believe, at
this moment, in the first choice the former is
stronger than the latter. believe him to be
the first choice in the two Carolinas, in NJ
Jersey, and Pennsylvania But as the enquiry
as to his strength goes not to the great ques-
ton, Is he capablc-is he honest"-I do
not think it material, at this time, to array it,
tho believe, even now, he would run ahead
OF any candidate now before the people.
You next object to him that he has more
genius than Judgment. know it is the i'm
preston of some that those two qualities OF
the mindlrarely combine, tho think expert
ence proves that one seldom, or never exists,
IN perfection, without the other. And I be-
lieve they exist in a state of the greatest per-
lection in MIR. Calhoun. His genius is admit
ted by. all. But conceive the evidence that
he possesses powerful Judgment to be no
less evident. Mr.. Calhoun has been AN active
politician, in the congress, and at the head
OF the war department. He has proposed
varIeus measures for the advancement of the
public interest, and tits very remarkable that
he has never proposed measure which he
did not carry nor is there one which he did
carry, that has not been proved 6y experience
to be promotNe of the principle good. II
there be any ofanOther character, will you be
SO good as to specify ? What higher evidence
OF sound Judgment can any public man
furnish And how greatly above any ever Civ
en- by Mr.. Crawford, Who'll believe, has failed
in every measure, orany importance which he
has proposed, and take the liberty to add
thatit is fortunate for the country that il has
been so-for altho' he has proposed but few,
they were all, to say the least oflthem % doubt
full expectancy.
In my letter stated that Mr. Calhoun had
never uttered single sentiment that | could
find in any of his speeches. or reports, in re-
lationto the rights of the states, that was in
the slightest degree offensive TO the most
strenuous advocate ofstate rights. You have
not cited any, and | presume the assertion
may be considered as acceded TO. In this res
pect, then, he has clearly the advantage of Mr..
Crawford who has uttered several that are
exceedingly offensive to those who are in favor
of a rigid construction Ofthe constitution
also asserted that ne must be Judged of by
his acts, and that if Judged of by these, he must
stand IN as far light upon constitutional
question DIS Mr.. Jefferson, Mr.. Madison, and
MIR. Monroe TO this you have objected that
he advocated bill 10 set apart the bonus of
the U. States Bank for the purpose of internal
improvement, which was objected to by Mr.
Madison. have turned to that billiard that
The people OF Virginia may understand the ex-
tent of your objection to Mr.. Calhoun, have
copied the two first sections all that are es-
seDsial TO the point in question, the other two
sections being merely detail.
a" Asf TO set apart and pledge oestai" funds for Internal
Be henaed &C. That The sum 10 be oaid ,o the limited
States by the 10th section 10 sub
crbers TO the Bank ofhe United States tho
winch shaf arise from their shares capital stock
ing the present twenty years for which the propr
tors thereof have been Incorporated be- and the same are
hereby set apart and pledged fund for constructing
roads and Canals and improving the navigation OF water
courses in order 10 facilitates promote give security
internal commerce among the states render
more easy and less expensive the and provisions
eessafy Tor The common defence.
" Sec q And further enacted, That the money con-
sutng me SAID fund SHALL from time to time be applied
in constructing such roads canals in improving the
navigation OF such water courses, both, in
congress Ih the assent Of such state shall by law direct
and IN the manner most conducive general welfare
ana me proportion of the said to he expended
e ooecs aioread IN each state shall be in The ratio
ITS representation the time apportionmen herein
e provided In The most numerous branch OF the national
provided that the portion of said fund be
assigned TO any state any part thereof by the
OF such state be applied tue purposes aforesaid any
Now it appears from those sections that the
sole object of the bill was to set apart the fund
IN question and ii aflirms no poicer in Con-
gress hut that OF appropriating money to the
purpose ofroads and canals, and That mol 10 be
applied but tcih The consent offhe state. Now
ask you, gentlemen, if the power of appro-
prIating money 10 those purposes has not
again and again been practically asserted Ey
Mr.. Jefferson, Mr.. Madison and Mr. Monroe ?
In loUking over the acts of congress, end that
10 many instances they have approved acts
which expressly made appropriations for those
purposes. find that Mr.. Jefferson in the year
1904 approved an act appropriating 8 5000
for IA canal between the Mississippi and lake
Ponchartrain; and find by various acts of
congress approved Of by these three presidents
in question that upwards of one million md a
hdif Of dollars has been appropriated to the
making the Cumberland road. would ask
upon what principle you would condemn Mir.
Calhoun for bis course, seeing he had the ex
ample Of these illusrious citizens, who are
acknowledged by us all tn be al The head Of
the republican party? viii you condemn ia
him lhai W hich You anprnve i'm fllen1