Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-10-26
For rHR WnIo.
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA

I
Richmond Enquirer, which has been ushercd nm
der the imposing sanction of Secen individuals. to
vote at the approaching Presidential election for
ticket OF Electors who have refused to obey yoyr
will in this election, however clearly it may he do
cared at the polls. Had these individuals been con
tent TO lavish fulsomo pansgyricks their favori,e
candidate for tho Vice Presidency, had they on
| ly commended the sound democracy Of their favo
rite Electors to your confidence we should not ha va
questioned their privilege TO do But when they
undertake To arraign all those, who cannot, like
! themselves, discern the peculiar claims of Mr.. Van
! Buren, at this time, to the confidence of Virginia
and who will not yield implied as sent TO the
dangerous doctrines OF these Electors, or submit
tamey TO the systematic ntrigues, by which it has
| been attempted to foist Vice President on re.
luctant pcople-we would ask to be heard, not for
our humble selves but in vindicaton oil those rights
and principles which, we trust, still appreciated
by our countrymen.
We will not plead to the jurisdiction of tho ss
zen, who have thus erected themselves into po.
litical bench of Oyer and Terminer nor will we
stop to inquire whence they derive their authority
t" saPerm,end your affairs. In times of high party
excitement the mask Of patriotism often covers the
selfish designs of ambitions; and they who venture
| to acquit and to condemn the motives of others,
shonld stand far above tho reach of Suspicion
While these nquisitors affect proclaim the truth
&c cdthedrd, in relation 10 public affairs, may they
not themselves be the victims of prejudice and er-
ror, or the Instruments of superior quo in prac
Using delusion on others? 1t were we'll, then that
these screen wise men of Richmond, had shpwn their
own warrant for the high pierogatve they have as
sumed, before they demanded that of tho Charlotte s.
villo Convention. Though that Convention was
composed of only thin y-oHe ndividuais they
came from the ranks Of the people-from portion
lhowevcr smNlD of the Republicans of Virginia
and they did presume to speak freely both OF pub.
lie measures and public men, without once dread
ing, least by SO doing, they might incur the dis.
pleasure OF the renowned seren offend "lhe feel
| ings ofan aniablc gentleman" When they had
the temerIty to differ with ';he convention of three
| hundred and forty-sevcn members" who came from
all the corners and all the parties of the u States
into the political ark at Baltimore they were en-
couraged to do by the old fashioned iah of their
fathers, which was not wont to be stitched to the
sleeves of the Fedcraists of New England or of
| the ultra Tariff men of New York, or of Uhoncst
! George Kroner" of Pennsylvania. When thew
vcntured to speak of "Ar.erican Patriotism !"
Virginia Republicanism," and s'Writtcn Con
slitutions'-tIey knew that these were unwel-
come sounds in the ears of many, WHICH had
already been filed with the harmony of '.Amcrcan
| Systems" .'New York Republicanistn" and "yio
lated Constitutions" That the Charlottesville
convention IN all inns, wore very prcsumptuous, is
manifest from the Indignation OF the serea
Ii is strange, however, that the false doc rincs
heresies and schisms" Of the Charlottesville Con
vention, were not exposedhy the seven, until four
months had elapsed, and you about to assem-
bic at the polls. II the ''detecton of their abcr
/ raions lay 80 immediately at hand" why has the
| task been 50 long postponed, or bungngly per-
formed?
You have hitherto been accustomed to hear no.
thing but excuses from tho Republicans in our
| latitude, who have felt constrained by hard neces
sity to vote for Mr.. Van Buren, as Vice President
Indeed the ink has not been long dry with which
one OF these same SeUen, recorded the declarations
That he would not support him. But you are told
ny these guardians of Virginia pr ncpcs that il is
no longer accident or necessity which recommends
| MI Van Buren to your confidence, over your own
| gifted and faithful fellow citizen Judge Barbour
They assure you that he is ''fully worthy of your
contidence"-that she is the child of the Democracy
OF the country, whose tenets ho has adhered to,
with untaultering fidelity"
We might here pause, and in our turn demand
some proof of these reckless assertions. We
might ask If that proof has been furnished by the
, late reply of Mr. Van Buren, to the Shocco Meeting
in North Cardinal Does it exist i'm his assertion
| Of the constItutionality Of Protecting Tariff by
which he thus reduces that fearful question to one
OF mere expectancy? Fatal and dear bought expe.
rienre has already shown how such questions re
solved by ruthless and irrcs sonsible maiorities
Mr. Van Burens votes i'm 1927 and 1928, have
furnished his solution. Is the proof of these as
| sertions found in Mr.. Van Buren's opinion that
Congress have power to appropriate money in aid
oil Objects OF Internal Improvement Will the
semen sponsors OF Mr.. Van Burcns orthodoxy "put
theli finger on tho clause of the Constitution"
which warrants such appropriations Will they
shew you his warrant from the letter or the spirit
OF the Constitution, for his erect toll gates
on the Cumberland Road, within the Jurisdiction of
a State?
| Does Mr.. Van Buren, complain of the Injustice
which the Charlottesville Convention have done
him on these subjects! If he does let him CON.
plain 10 the people of Ohio, Pennsylvania and
New York. and they will underwrite his orthodoxy
But the Charlottesville Convention charged Mr.
Van buren, with having opposed the adminislra ration
oil MIR. MADISON ano with voting against his re-
election In 1917 How has the charge been repelled
| by the Richmond Junta7 They confess that hc did
vcte for Dewitt Clinton, and extenuae tho act nv de-
clirng that Mr.. Clinton was oman of distinguish
Cd ablty, aud lat that time the pillar of the Re-
| publican Party i'll New York" WHY did these
Republicans oppose the collection of Mr.. Madison
just at the commencement of the warl-And why
did Mr.. Van Buren, vote with thcm7-Ue did moi
then oct with the Republicans of virginia We
have his own testimony, that he does rot nom
agree with them, on the two most essentially vital
measures OF federal policy, viz: the cvying and
disoursing OF Imposts,--or the TdriG and Internal
Improvements. These es are the twin off.
spring of federal usurpation-yet he who advo-
cotos both, is commended to you by those who pre-
tend TO dcnonneo both, as an orthodog and uifauL
tering Republican.
The Charlottesville Convention did not chargo
hr' van Buren, with persistng in his opposition to
the administration of Mr.. Madison or i'm his sup
port OF Mr. Clinton; for like his seven spqusnrs Is o
was never suspected of resting long in a minority
ii lnSlcid OF harshly impugning the motives ~
tp"Se VINO coud not see the orthodoxy of Mr..
Van Buren, as they see it, these seven individuals
had shewn that any injustice had been done bv Tho
Charlottesville Convention, to him or to others
u would have been promptly atoncd for. II was
never the design of Judge Barbour's friends
TO recommend his orthodory to the people
Of bis native State, by prefcrrinr ground.
less accusations against his compst;tors, ri.
cliins to your confidence need no artifice TO
sustain them. They are acknowledged eyon NV
those who are constrained by strange nocessi v
to vote Tor Mr.. Van Burcn. For it IL fact which
the future historian of our times NAV not
" IrJ,r n,-t