The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1824-03-02

mendsd 20 their members In express terms 10
attend this meetixg, only thirty four persons
have represented the sriy HiHs votes 10 which
\ they wilt be entitled IL the election" A murh
more striking fact j., that these thirty four per-
sons constituted more than hall the caucus, ex-
elusive OF the two proxies that were not reoeiv-
ed Il 8 hardly less remarkable perhaps that
from MAIZE, which IL mentioned az having
been - herce Tor the caucus, a met tiOR intend
ed undoubtedly for is honour, there were pres
ent no more than fleo-leaving thirty two for
The two other states hich called no louder than
THIS But the most conspicuous circumstance,
though less ambitiously Paradcd among the fea-
lures 81 the Transaction, ~ that there were onlF
three states that can be said "a have been prop
eriy represented Al the caucus, viz Virginia,
North Carolina, and Georgia. And for these,
without delaying TO define the cause, OF inquire
what The key stone Of the combination il, shall
slAINE torsake the society and sympathy oi al
the other states in the UNION By The rIrers OIL
Babylon zee sat d0CR 0Hd teept, uhen zee remem-
bered thee, o Zion.
/ II this nomination then is not the voice Of any
respectable number OF states, is IL the voice Of
the plurality Of members OF Congress This ~
answered and sscertHined by the number Of alb
sentees, and explained by the cause publickly
assigned by them through Col. Johnson and his
associates, that they objected TO it. Indeed the
"a
studied and elaborate apology for this fact !.
even as il regards that portion Of them which
bears the exclusive denomination of republican
\ 3" That this course has not been sanctioned by
all our republican colleagues, is a subject Of
regret OheTs, with whom We wished 10 asso-
cute, anu Unite ia measures OF Cancellation and
concord, nave, though respectfully invited, de-
eifnsd 70 ce-gPrrafs Wfh US. - frtgyS lU10 infer
from as a. 0piHtoH haze refused their concur
L.
dace the number OF those who have attended
Several, who we're friendly to tAe candidate
dominated, mad objections which they o0aceiUed
70 De founded IN principle other circumstances
nave coOperated.' And they allude TO 4" the adj
mission unreservedly made, that on the question
% the eApedency vi convention, the entire
d'Aatg 7aGtlCH OF parties has been assumed"
Among the friends Ut the candidate nominated
i~ho were deferred from attending the conven-
uOn, may be reckoned the representation from
/ Delaware, which was not precisely included i'm
Inc terms of invitation. Inc idea of the impor-
lance OF numbers to the constitution of the eau
Gus, was openly abandoned BY Dir. VAN buren,
observing that Il would only amount 10 a bare
suggestion to the people.
! There is doubt it was sincerely i'm
pressed upon TIE minds OF majority of the
members Ot our legislature, that a convention
Of this character, aud for this purpose, would be
holden at Washington during the session OF Con-
gress, and attended by the principal portion OF
the republican party, with view to compro-
mise # possible, the existing difference OF OpIn-
ION respecting republican candidate, ana TO
unite I'D harmonious measures for maintaining
the necessary securities ofthe republican 81 stem
A very respectable number Of them accordingly
adopted toe following resolution.
i a. Inat while the neinOers OF TINS convention en-
terrain the highest opinion OF the talents, ntegri-
I " and experience OF John Quincy adams and re-
\ specially recommend him 70 the people Of the U.
States as man emIuenty qualified Tor the presi-
dency, they i0iag to tite gith the republicans
Of the OHtoH IN tie support Of such candidate as on
full and impartial consideration Of all the qtatf
toms " all the candidates. gtA most fully the
preference 81 the TepUttlc0n party, and best sub
SerUs ne interest Of The country
To give genuine pledge OF this species was
tOierably severe cross 10 the feelings of the
honest and uDsophsticated republicans of Maine;
and Il operated at the same instant as a test of
their fidelity 10 the discipline OF party, and al
\ fiery trial 81 their integrity towards their coun-
Try, we'll as THEN atta5Em0st 10 the CanGita;e
which they recommended, provided their voice
was 10 be regarded, or their wishes were emit
\ tied to the weight of feather. some sustained
1t, and survived ii. All expected, with an anx-
ETY. equal to that which the members OF the con
ventiOn express at the present conjuncture, and
with an impatience for the result, to Which
/ theirs was no parallel, the issue Of the confer
ence amongther political coufessors, aud the ef-
feet OF an interchange OF sentiment on this most
important concern That the expectation was
not answered would he an exceedingly feeble
delineaton Of the fact. Blank and total disap-
pOintment at such an absolute abortion was the
predominant sensation.-N ithOut even asking
the question whether the candidate selected
answers the description advertised for by the
convention, il is only to be inquired whether this
was the caucus itself lghich contemplated No
person has yet been bold enough to assert the
fact; as it might involve some suspicion either of
the sanity Of his intellect, or the sternness ofhs
moral sense. Indeed the tact is otherwise, and
the inference is against the cause Of those who
contend the contrary.
] The question then comes to this-is the voice
Of the republican party, assuming the principle
/ of the prOpriety OF a caucus, pronounced
against JoHK QUINCY ADAMS Has it been as
certained by the result Of this caucus that the
majority OF the republican party prefers any
other? And is such preference proved and es-
tablished by the sixty two votes cast and two
proxies counted for MIR. CRAWFORD out OF sixty
eight Did this caucus, il may be asked, in
any degree express the sentiment Of the re-
publican party in relation to all the candidates
Henry Clay, no U0te John c. Calhoun, none Il
Andrew Jackson, one pOte 4; John Quincy
Adams, tlCO Nathaniel Macon of North Car
DINA, venerable name, received just as strong
a support as Gen jackson, and halt much as
Mr.. Adams. Was this 9 the fair and full cOnsid-
Grafton Of the qualifications Of all the caHdi-
dGiss,' which the language OF the republican
resolution implied?
! The subject then seems TO rest here-If the
republican voice of the nation has not been dis
tinctly proclaimed against the favorite candi-
date Of Mane, Is this State relieved from its Oft
en- and repeated pledge to support him for the
Presidency Are they released from their pledge
TO the people OF the United States Or ii net
released BY the result of tn caucus, is there any
papal or dispersatory power in existence in this
country to grant absoutiOn Without pro-