Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-04-16

SctoaS Slence on this subject, which mani
rests disresPect to the call of the people,
VINO have undoubtedysa right to demand
rom every candidate for the Presidency,
VINO mas not by his public acts, demonstrated
MS opinions and consistently maintained
thcn,) Il public expression Of his views on
'heSe great questions OF constitutional law
ana national policy. These Subjects have
been discussed in both houses OF Congress. in
me state legislatures and by the people,
lof more than twenty years; aud certainly
no man can, at this day, have any lust
Pre'ensions even to seat III Congress-
much less to the Office Of Chief Executive
Magistrate, who has formed no decided opin-
ION upon these questions, or, having formed
one, conceais it from the people whose SUI
lragcs he seeks Gen. Jackson has not mani
ieSteo DIS opinions so unequivocally as emit
Ties ma 10 clam an exemption from public
avoWal Q! them. lie knows that large por-
tons OF his 1cilow-citizcns ilnputc to INN
opposite principles and views ia relation to
! these very questions: that il some OF the
states his ciaiins are supported Oh the ground
that he maintains the power and approves
The po'lcy OF imposing duties with 4 Jew to
ihc protection Of agriculture and manutuc-
lures and OF promoting Internal Improve
Incisls. by the General Government; in others.
his election IS adyocaictt soiclg Tor die reason.
that he be!ievcs such measures both uncon-
ststutional and impoliii>. Such a state of
things would not exist il his principles had
been manifested by his public acts, or by a
ttank ayow2l o. his sentiments. Ills silence
can Le Imputed to 10 diSinC!ination to appear
before the public. he was nos backward in
/ attempting to sustain his claims, by repre-
senting hlnset to be Z revolutionary here,
2r IN presenting his views in Justification of
w. ,l;,l,-
bis rival o. corruption. Why, thon, has he
withheld information infinitely more iln9or-
tant to Q correct decision OK the question
before the nation? The conclusion is una
voIdahe, that be declines public decIara-
ton O. his principles IN the hope Of receiving
!. support irem d respectable portion OF the
fPeople, which would be given 10 his connie
tltt-r ii he made d frank a,owal. 81
In a letter to Il gentleman IA North Caro-
ina, written before the last Presidential
election, Gen. Jackson declared himself in
tavor then OF II j;,aic;en& examination and
revision Of the tariff This cquirocuI s,:rr,
/ JVIicicG&," Is by no means explained by Ills
! subsequent votes On the tariff ofl824 when
TINS bill was before the Senate, lie voted to
reduce the duties proposed by the House Of
| Representatives, on wool, and on WoolIcD
and woratcd stuff goods which ere chiefly the
growth and manufacture OF New York, and
the states cast Of it, where he then had no
expectation OF support. Re voted for the
/ duty proposed on ZION. which is the product
OF Pennsy IyaDia and Tennessee, III both of
which states he Wa; then q fayortc. Hemp
! is the staple, and cotton bugging the manu-
lacturc Of Kentucky, in which he WAS no fa-
vov!tc. lie voted agains; duty Of IS dol
lars ten on foreign hemp. The cotton
bnggng Hnanutac:orics Of Kentucky, promis-
cd, with very little cncoura cement, soon 10
i supply fhe entire dcnapd OF the countrv.
| The British government. III order TO crush
these manufactures in their infancy, and
sustain their own, gave bounty on all cot
ton bagginS exported 10 the L nitod States
/ The House OF Representatives, for the: pnY-
pose of couutcryaling this bounty, and af
tordlng a small protection to the home
manufactures, proposed a duty OF ID cc,its
per square yard, on the foreign article This
was vchcmcntly opposed by the southern
tatcs. and motion was made TO strike out
the item altogether, which was ncgatyed by
one OF a ma jOritv, JachSon voijng to tie ne
gnti2c. Mr.. Macon afterwards renewed the
j motion, and tpreyailcd, J0ctson rofiag in the
4 G9irD'ItirC, directly opposite to his former
vote. The duty OF cotton barging was
finally, after much resistance by the Senate.
= rClnstated, OH a compromise between the
two houses, at } 81 cents per square yard,
(about equal TO the bounty given by the Bfi-
r. fish government to their own manufacturers
for this compromise, and the bill, (aficr the
duties on many items were much rceluccd)
= Gen. Jackson was yrcr0iicd on to vote. By
a reference to The votes on the thrill bills of
: 1915 and 1924, and the woolIons bill Of last
session, it will be seen, that all the reprcsen-
'Itativcs Of southern states voted against their
passage, Except three on the first, and ono
on each OF the other two biIIs,) that not q
r single vote Of the Tennessee delegation was
in favor of either of the three, and both the
Senators voted against the bill of last session.
In the same states the opposition to Internal
Improvements is almost, if not quite, as
! unanimous. 1t cannot be expected that q
candidate who depends for his election chief