Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-12-26
The Richmond yVRsEga
ADDR ESS
FRA
National Republican Conpention,

cut W SIAIES.
FsLLow -CIrIzHss:
Tho period will soon arriys when yoa viu BE
eallod upon to exercise right, which, of all tho
independent nations of considerable power en- tho
globe, you slons Possoss-that of essrins, by your
own free choice, and from among ycursolvss, the
person who is 10 BIO entrusted with tho high funs-
tons of your Chef Executive Ma gistrats. ia is
sometimes said that IT is OF little Importance what
indivIduai is clothed with that character: that
President of tho United States has no great per
sonnl influence either fer good or OWL, and that.
in the present prosperous condition of country
the public affairs would be transacted lust about az
well under ono President as another. Such opiu-
Ions can only be entertained By persons who have
reflected very litte "a the theory or tho practical
operation of cur Government. Tho whole coarse
CT the public affairs depends, in very conSidsra-
bic degree, upon the direction which IL given to
the influence belonging to tbs o9iee of President.
IL IS no doubt true that tho political machine ~
ssatnue to move on q while with apparent sue
eess under worry unskilful direction by tho OF
favorable impulse received at other tImes bat il
obvious that if such state things continu cs long
the favorable impulse will be lost and the princi.
plo of prosperity destroyed perhaps forever. II il
generally acknowledged that the pure and LOFTY
character of Washington contributed than
any other cause to carry Institutions into
successful operation, and that tho onnont viz
tues and acknowledged talents of his SUCCESSORS
In the Presidency, have aidod very powerfully in
sustaining and perfacting the work which he began
IL is equally apparent, that if the Chief Magistrac7
should ever bs committed for any great lei 9Th
OF time to persons OF Opposite character ths
condition of the country must undergo, in ono
way or another, disastrous, perhaps'a fatal revo
luton.
Such being Tho Importance of tho right which
you Will soon be called upon TO exercise, you owe
II to yourselves, to your children, TO your country
Ne Inc cause OF humanity, which 10 dsoply in
vowed In the issue Of tho political experiment tina,
lie now making among TIE, to exercise it with full
and mature ,:1bcration-without any bias from
Pe4ly feeling or mere personal advantage, aad
with single view to the public good. You owe
n hN Infor a.
tho nation. 1t is important to tho preservation Of
tho fair fame which we have already acquired
throughout tho world, that the scat OF Washing
ton and his SUCCESSORS, should he wortbily filed.
that persona should be chosen to succeed these H.
lustrious men, who shall DO able, like them TO do
honor, by their manner of discharging its duties
even to the high ohico of President of the United
SKATES: that the personal conduct of tho head of
the Executive department should be marked as il
always was in former days, with dignity Judgment
good temper, discretion, and moderation that the
youth of our Government should not be sulled by
the fou stains OF immortality that dsEgure the an
tiquaed and corrupt institutions of ether countrios
and that eitizons and the world largo should
DO able to look up to tho high places Of this Union
for examples OF public and private virtue.
Under these Impressions of tho Importance of
the Crisis, humorous portion of our foliow-citi-
seas residing IN oil parts OF the country, and who
have acted together in political affairs for somo
years past, under tho name OF NATIONAL RaYuBrI-
CANS, have directed 20 meet together and delibo
Fate upon the course which they ou ght pursue
and the persons whom they ought to support for
the great Offices of tho Government at ths an
Proachlng election In preparing to exercise this
delicate trust, we have been naturally led TO TAXA
careful and deliberate sarvcy of Tho political con
dtlon OF the country, ard of the manner in which
the public arairs have boon conducted by tho pre-
sent Administration. This sarvoy has raful:sd in
a full conviction that tho publis good imperousy
requires a change; and in proposing TO yen as
Candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency
mo distinguished citizens whose nanes aceomga-
ny this address, have doomed it our dutv 10 law
before You concise statement Of tho principal
circumstances which havo lod TO this conclu |
sion.
No President ever entered on the duties Of his
oftlne under circumstances moro favorable To- 6 |
successful disoharso OF them than tho present in
cumbent. The country, thanks TO providence and |
public affairs had been carried ON by preceding |
AdmInlstrations, was In high state Of pros pori-
~. All the public establis:n ants, and all tho !
great branches Of private industry ware In the most
hourIshng condition. Agriculture was rapidly OK
tending itself in all objections, and particularly
through the wide and fertile regions Of tia West
--manufaotnrSs were advancing with unprscs
asnted raPidity-eommercs, informal and foresn
was animated with corresponding viror-Aour ra
iations with foreign powers of the most a
nncable sharacter-at homo, tranquility aaa GONE
raj eonlentment Fervaded every cornsr Of lhe q.
nion-the parties that formerly divided the eitj.
gems and distracted ths country, had ia great
measure become extinct under the operation Of
Sime-tho growing prosperity or tho Ratien, and
hHO Juulototlb eho HeeTdl eonduet or tho Goyafn.
mont In the Prido and pleasure which We all felt
In claiming the character Of eitizcns of the Unsd
States, We ready to forget that our Hatherv
had been classsd as Republicans and PedsraIists
Ehs DSmo of AMERICAN had by sort OF common
ent, taken the place Of all othor political dis
ainctlons. AMERICAN PRISCIPLgs had become the
Sominon creed of the high-minded and patriotic
of all the former parties. In n word,
Tie o' ct friends of the country had little moro to
w"h, or hopo, in raEard to political situation
thtn that might proceed in the course which
I'VE were than pursuing, cod remain, in every
thing belonging to character and principles OF
government, substantially were
bis state Of things afforded, Of course the bsat
evidence that could possibly he Ind in favor Of the
hdministratien nndor which it had grown ar. Maob
9 1T could he traced directly to tho ehaTac ter and
opinions ofthe leading members Of that asmioTstra
ton. II Tvas however, R-sScGt ci-cuSsstaac
that vigorous, and, as has been sbewn by the TO-
sue, successful effort uaNde TO cfaGl q change
q TO place in the Chair oftho Chief MsEisi5scy Ihe
present incumbent. Of the com Pc fatvc suai;5ca
lions Of the President and his prcdccvssor fer tho
high station which they have successfully fisd
We will not here speak. We cheorfail7 resign
task so ungrttcfu in of It's divisions ,r the
impartial ond unshrinkiDg hand Of Hi-lory. 7Sor
will we here enlarge on the rnears By which The
ehange IN question was aeconp!shed--;hc reck-
less and persevorIng culunny, which war ece
5tantIy poured forth from hundreds Of presses, on
Ito best and purcst men in the nation,-tlo falss
professions to exclusive ropuJcanism-the lee
NouS clamor which was kept up ia ConErcss-the
ariiul combination Of conflicting personal and
party interests for object, and the veri-
bus other unworthy urts, which were brought into
'cton on this occasion. Suffice il 10 remark that
nc Change eiIected-in form, at laaft-in = !