Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-17
kICHMoMD, JAN ~.
VIRGINIA ANTI-JACKSoN CONVENTION
SATURDAY, DECEMBER Il.
Inc President took the C,,air al one o,cIncl

an address, stated the readiness of that COMMITTEES
20 report within one hour-and on motion OF Mr.. T.
Coiston, the Chair was vacated for that space OF
umc-at the expiration Of which, the President re-
! sumed the Chair.
Mr. Johnson from the Committee to frame an
address, then reported the following Address and
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.
Haying been delegated, by those who oppose
| the election of Andrew Jackson as President of
the u States and having assembled in the city of
| Richmond, pursuant to our appointment and form
ed an Electoral Ticket, we feel it due to ourselves
10 those who deputed US, and 10 our country TO
| submit brief exposition Of our views on the very
| interesting subject which has brought us together
! 1T Is no ordinary occasion, which at this inclem-
ent season OF the year, has brought so many of us
/ IRON our business and our homes. We believed
mat the dearest interests of our country were at
stake, that her character, her peace and happiness
alu even the Perinanence OF her free institutions,
were in peril We feared the most pernicious
| consequences from the election of Gen. Jackson
| ana we have come to consult about the means of
avertinS this calamity from our country. We be-
neve tnat the only means of effecting this great
ooJect, Is the reelection of the present Chief Ma
giStrate, and have formed Electoral Ticket for
mat purpose, which we earnestly recommend to
the support of the people of Virginia.
we know that many of sou strongly disapprove
! some OF the leading measures of the present Ad-
ininistraIon,-haye not confidence in il, and would
be exceedingly unwilling TO sanction the prnci-
pies oil construction applied by the present Chief
Magistrate TO the constitution of the United States
Dut we do not perceive in these circumstances
any sufficient reason for withholding YOUR support
from the Ticket we have recommended Weour-
serves are not agreed upon these subjects While
some uisapprove these measures, went confidence
| III the Administration and are unwilling to sane
uon the principles of construction adopted by the
Presldent,--Inost of approve the general course
oil the Administration, have confidence in its viz
tue It's patriotism, its wisdom, and see nothing to
condemn IN the Presidents INTERPRETATION of the
| Y Of VIZ IN nOt
ourselves, and we will not discuss before YOU the
grounds of this difference. We waive such dis
cusSions' as wholly inapproprate and postpone it
TO the time, when there NAV be some choice offer
! ed us, that might be influenced by it. Now there
| Is none such. We left to the alternative of
choosing between Jackson and Adams; and how
ever we may differ in opinion as to the merits of
ule latter, we heartily concur in giving him de-
cioed preference over his competitor. The mea-
sures which some disapprove in the present Ad-
\ inlnistrauon, none would hope TO see amended
under that OF General Jackson the distrust in
the present Chief Magistrate, entertained by some
Is iost IN the comparison with that which oil feel
| IN his competitor; and the constitution which we
would preserve from the too liberal Interpretation
| oil MIR. AdamE we would yet more zealously de-
lend against the destroying hand of his rival
Whiie however, we decline discussion of those
subjects, on which we differ in opinion and pre-
ternlt any general yindicaton of the Chief Ma
| gistrate, his cabinet or his measures, we cannot
pass unnouced some topics connected with the last
election, and some acts of the Administration in
relation to which, we think the public mind has
been greatly abused.
The friends Of Gen. jackson have confidently
iieid INN up, as the iavorite of the peopIe,-have
insisted, that IN the last election his plurality of
votes proved him to be the choice of the nation
| and have bitterly complained, that that choice
was improperly disappointed, by the representa-
1Fes in Congress.
Never was there a more direct appeal to those
preJudices and passions, which ON all occasions
the good should disdain, and the wise should re-
presS,-never was complaint more utterly un-
lounded,Cand never one more characteristic of
mat disregard Tor the constitution which has been
! manifested, on more occasions than one when its
provisions stood in the way of General Jackson's
! march.
[ Whether Gen. jackson is the peoples favorite,
IS TO be tested by the event. not assumed as the ba-
, SIS, OF the pending election That his plurality of
votes proved him to be the choice of the nation at
! the last election, we confidently deny. 1t NAV
perhaps be found upon examinations that while
Cen jackson had plurality of electoral votes Mr.
Adams had plurality OF votes at the polls; and we
are confident, that ii Mr.. Crawford and Mr. CLAW
had been withdrawn from the canvass and the,
contest had been single handed, between Gen
jackson and Mr.. Adams, the election would have
resulted as II has done, in the choice of Mr. Adams
But this is not the light in which this question
deserves consideration. The minds of the peope
ought not to be influenced by such extraneous
coilsderauons-and above all, the principles of our
constitution ought not TO be abused, by admjttiDo
for moment that the plurality of votes given to
Ten Jackson, should have governed the choice of
the House OF Representatives We do not mean
10 say that proper respect, for the wishes of the
nation fairly ascertaned, ought not always to be
observed by its representatives. But we do saw |
that the present chief magistrate holds his seat by
the viii OF the people OF the United States reeu-
lariy expressed, in the only way in which an ex-
preston OF that will has any authority. They have
wilied, IN the most solemn form,-in the form of a
constitution, which they declare shall be the STU
preme law OF the land,--that plurality Of votes
shall not constitute election-tl1at when there
Is such plurality, the representatives shall elect
voting by stateS--thu5 withdrawing from the peo-
pie, that equality Of influence which is given them.
IN the iirst vote, and transferring il 70 the States
IN the second. This provision Of our constitution
Is III the true spirit which peTvades the whole of it,
and which marks il the result of conference be-
tween States, surrendering in part and retaining /
IN part their political equality Shall this spirit be
appealed from, on every occasion in which IL was
Intended TO soothe and conciliate and the spirit of
faction be invoked, to expose our magistrates to I'M
Just prejudice, and bring institutions into dis
credit! These things are revolutionary, in their |
tendency, and ought 70 be discouraged.
o Ike character is the complaint against the |
Kentucky delegation for dsregarding the instruc-
ions oil their Legislature. We have too much /
respect for the Legislature Of Kentucky to suppose
that they meant to bind the delegation by an in |
structon. We can only suppose, that they meant |
to furnish the best information, in their power of
the opinions OF the people, a question, which |
mad never been submitted to them Such infor- /
nation was entitled to the respect due 10 intelligent
opinion, and no more. II was not the constitution |
al organ, through which the will Of the people was /
to be conveyed to the representative. The repre-
sentatiyes IN Congress were directly responsible TO
tneif constituents, not 70 IL Legislature. And an
attempt Of the Legislature TO control the imrnedi-
ate representatives, OF tic people, would be usur-