Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-07-28
TIE REPLY,

~ WIGwAN, jury C, 1926.
10 the hfeotOh1ersof .~t6tfoUqy CouQty. Subscribers or
ar .3dircss Of the GH Of april last.
GENT1EMEN-The delay, in answering YOUR LioLIy
respected address of the 9th Of April last, arose. i'm the
first place, from considerations connected with tie rcla-
tons In which our present Representative I'm Cpnoress
then stood towards this district, and that body. dI,inr
The CONTINUANCE of IFS last session; and iatterlv, il arose
rom The Intirm condition Of my own health. which has
oeen encrcascd by an unexpected attack Of n painful
dlscase' " mist J participate with Won, Gentlemen. i'm
me respectful seninncnE expressed towards our rrcsrnI
Representative, have, at all times, heretofore, acted
unIcra conviction, that the influence Of private feelings.
ought not to interfere with the discharge of public ,iu-
Ties; and that, therefore, l should deem it nv duty TO
serve the district in the House of Representatives IF Tie
United States, ifciectcd to that office, by the free voice
OF the electoral body. / think tic duty, thus imposeL
upon every citizen, paramount 10 all considerations aris-
ing from personal sensibilities, and that lie is bound TO
conform has conduct TO this paramount duty; whist I
also think, a duty, equally sacred, is i,noosed unon eve
~ votar' TO choose for his Representative the citizen he
thIlhs best qualified To serve his country; disrcpafdier.
On lis pa!;, al! persona! considerations whatever of a
private nature.
The rigid observance of those relative rirIts and Din.
tics' OF the voter, and candidate, would tend TO put
Gown tiat PaIn!u! spirit of clectionecriHg. which may
justly be considered as one of the chief causes of ue
present dePiorablc cGeneTacyi in the public morals: and
10 substitute Tor H. the purity Of elections, in which a.
lone can be found the safety of the repubIic. and the
only test of The capacity of man, TO govern himself -
Nnder these Impressions, | cannot avoid rcinindine Won
Gentlemen, that several months must pass away, before
INC election can be made; aud that MANY cha,ires may
take place during That time, i'm H.. politicaI relations
and views OF the district; but if, when the time of max
ing tiic election shall arrive, | shall be chosen Tho Re-
preventative, by the free, unbiased. indcpendeu, voice
OF the district, pledge myself to serve the pcorle 70 the
best of nv abillies.-l deem it my duty. ~ n,c same
u.ine' Gentlemen, to apPrise YOU, that it is in this mode
alone, That have heretofore been elected TO any eHice.
and II 10 upon this principle alone, can ever, hereafter.
consent TO accept IF any.
l perfectly concur with YOU, Gentlemen, in The oniD,
lODS Won cEuTCEg. TpSDpCIIDn thn laurnr,, -.
ces winch would attend the consolidation of the states of
tiis union INTO one governments; and the inevitable ten.
denotes OF some of the powers claimed and exercised bv
The general government, TO produce The worst of those
consequences: Yet | also deem it nv dufv tn inf,rtn Coz,
That / am not prepared TO pledge myself TO an upoIaIi.
fed opposition, or support of. tie present, or any other
Administrations. II ever should be called upon TO serve
III congress, must bo left perfectly free in the choice of
measures 10 be judged of, according TO my unbiased
views OF their beneficial or inlurious bearings upon the
interests OF the country, always subject 10 the control
arising from the relation of Representative aud Consti-
tueDt, altogether regardless Of their bearinrs upno ro
administration IN any respect whatever. But this re
mark will apply 10 measures hereafter to be disclosed TO
'he Pnohc.-S0 TAR as some Of the most prominent inca
suTes OF The administration have been laid before the
public, pledge myself not only 10 oppose them. but TO
MAKE open, an DISCRIMINATING war, upon the principles
which have been suggested, as the pretexts for those
unWaTTantabIe measures, as ] conceive them to be:
'flncIPIes, founded, as ] conceive, upon direct usurpa-
lions, and not only uDysrrantcd bv The constitution. but
opposed TO every orthodox republican priuciple-while
oeSPouc claims and capacities are set up for the govern
mcnt Of the United States beyond those Of any other
government under the sun; at least, as far as bayc come
within my knowledge.
In regard TO the dangerous consequences arising from
a consolidation Of the states, il seems most obvious to
me. tbat there are certain Peculiarities in the natural
ana political relations Of the states towards each other.
which would necessarily render a consolidation Of the
whole, The most fightful, deplorab!e, and destructive
system Of d~csPotism, the world ever witnessed. The
most material Of these peculiaritfes arise, from the OK
tent, and population, ofthc U. States. From The differ.
cnce in The principle Of labor established in the several
statos-hc difference in the pursuits and occupations of
fthe inhabitants Of the several states-thc difference IN
ihc productions Of their different soils. and climates. Sc.
ihcmost important aud delicate Of these differences,
J consists IL the difference 0. tie rrincirlcs # lsbor