The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-12-28
RESs
OF TIE NATIONAL REPu sN'
rONxrFNTION,
To tie People ef tke u - - II,

rI-Io" you viii be called upo
,s mg ,xssich, of all the indie
10 exefsiss .ions OF consldefasseia "ower o
pehu ,',ss,e. YOU alone possess-ths' OF eject
tn the Inv vonr own free choice, and from
.,norg ycurseives. the person who is 70 oe
sntrns,ed wish the high functions OF yoHr
Chief Ey.rutivs Magistrate. 1t Is some
time. said that il is of little Importance
what ;n,l;v;dgal is clothed with that charac-
tor. .hat President of the United States
has No urea, personal influence either for
good or evil, and that, in the present pros
ne rous condition Of the country, the puhllc
rtFs;rs would be transacted just about as
well under one President rs another. Such
opjnions can only be entertained by per-
son. who have rejected very little on the
theory or she practical operation Of our
Government. The whole course of the
public affairs depends, in very consldera-
BILE degree, upon the direction which is Civ
en- to the influence belonging to the Office
of President It is 20 doubt true that the
political machine may continue to move on
while with apparent success under very
Unskilful direction by the effect of a favora
BILE impulse received at other times /; but it
is obvious, that If such state of things con-
tinue long, the favorable impulse will be lost,
and the principle of prosperity destroyed
perhaps for ever. 1t is generally acknowl-
edged that the pure and lofty character of
Washington contributed mole than anyother
cause to carry our institutions into success
ful operation, and that the eminent virtues
and exalted talents of bis successors in the
Presidency, have aided very powerfully in
sustaining and perfecting the work which
he began. 1t 10 equally apparent, that if
the Chief Magistracy should ever be COM
mitted for any great length Of time to per-
sons of an opposite character, the coalition
of the country must undergo, in one way or
another, disastrous, perhaps fatal revo-
luton.
Such being the importance Of the right
which you will soon be called upon to ex-
ercise, you owe it to yourselves, to your
children, to your country, to the cause of
humanity, which is so deeply involved in
the issue of the political experiment that is
now making among us, 10 exercise it with
full and mature characterization any
bias from party feeling or mere personal
advantage, and with a single view to the
public good. You owe this, not only to the
interest, hut to the honor Of the nation, 1t
IS important to the preservation of the fair
fame which we have already acquired
throughout the world, that the seat of
washington, and his successors, should be
worthily filed: that persons should he cho-
sen to succeed these illustrious men, who
shall be able, like them, TO do honor, by
their manner of discharging its duties, even
TO the high office of President of the Unit
ed States: that the personal conduct of the
rf RAn ~
be marked, as it always was in former days,
with dignity, judgment, good temper, dis
erection, and moderation; that the youth of
our Government should not be sullied by
the foul stains of immortality that disfgure |
the Anticipated and corrupt institutions of
other countries, and that our citizens and
the world at large should be able to look
up to the high places Of this Union for ex-
amples of public and private virtue.
Under these impressions of the imper-
lance of the crisis, a numerous portion OF
our fellow citizens. residing in all parts of
the country, and who have acted together
In political affairs for some years past, un-
der the name of NATIONAL REPUBLICANS,
have directed US to meet together and de-
liberate upon the course which they ought
to pursue, and the persons whom they ought
to support for the great Offices of the Gov
eminent at the approaching election. In
TO exercise this delicate trust,
we have been naturally led to take care
full and deliberate survey of the political
condition of the country. and Of the manner
in which the public affairs have been con-
Quoted 10y the present Administration. This
survey has resulted in full conviction that
the public good iOperiously requires a
change; and in proposing to yeu as Candi-
dates for the Presidency and Vice Presi-
dency the distinguished citizens whose
names accompany this address, we have
deemed it our duty to lay before you con-
else statement of the principal circumstan-
ces which have led us to this conclusion.
No President ever entered on the duties
of his Office under circumstances more ia
vorable to q successful discharge of them
than the present incumbent. The country,
thanks to Providence and to the ability and
good fortune with which the public affairs
had been carried on by the preceding Ad-
was in a high state of pros
perity. All the public establishments, and
all the great branches of private industry
were in most 1ourishing condition. Ag-
ricuture was rapidly extending itself in all
directions, and particularly through the
wide and fertile regions of the West-man-
nfactures were advancing with unprece-
iented rapidity-commerce, internal and
foreign, was animated with corresponding
vigor--our relations with foreign powers
were of the most amcable character-at
home, tranquility and general contentment
peryaded every corner OF the Union-the
parties that formerly divided the citizens
and distracted the country, had in a great
measure become extinct under the opera
tion of time-:he growing prosperity OF the
nation, and the iudicious and liberal con-
duct Of the Government. In the pride and
pleasure which we all felt in claiming the
character Of citizens of the United States,
we were ready to forget that our fathers
had been classed as Republicans and Fed
eralists The name Of AnERIcAN had, by
a sort Of common consent, taken the place
of all other political distinctions. AMERI-
CAN PRINciPLEs had become the common
creed of the high-minded, honorable and
patriotic adherents Of all the former parties.
In word, the best friends Of the country
had little more 10 wish, or hope, IN regard
to our political situation than that we might
proceed in the course which we were then
pursuing, and remain, in every thing belong
ing to character and principles Of Govern
ment, Substantially az we were.
This state of things afforded, Of course,
the best evidence that could possibly be
had IN favor Of the administration under
(which 1t had grown up. Much of it could
be raced directly to the character and opn-
ions Of the leading members of that admin