Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-01-05

:
to exercise right, which, of all the in
dependent nations of considerable pow
er on the globe, you alone possess that
of elccting, by your own free choice, and
from among yourselves, the person who
is to be entrusted with the high functions
of your Chief Executive Magistrate. 1t
is sometimes said that it is of little impor-
tance what individual is clothed with that
character; that President ofthc United
States has no great personal influence
either for good or evil, and that, in the
present prosperous condition lthe coun-
try, the public affairs wo,al be transac-
ted about as well under one President as
another. Such opinions can only be en-
tertained by persons who have reflected
very little on the theory or the practical
operation of our Government. The
whole course of the public affairs, de-
pends, in very considerable degree, up
on the direction which is given to the in
fiuence belonging to the Office Of Presl-
dent. Ii is no doubt true that the poiti-
cal machine may continue to move on a
while with apparent success under very
unski'iul direction by the effect of ia
vorable impulse received at other times;
but it is obvious, that if such state OF
things continues long, the favorable i'm
pulse will be lost, and the principle OF
prosperity destroyed, perhaps forever
1t is generally acknowledged that the
pure and lofty character of Washington
contributed more than any other cause to
carry our institutions into successful ope-
ration, and that the eminent virtues and
acknowledged talents of his successors
to the Presidency, have aided very pow
erfully in sustaining and periecGng the
work which he began. 1t is equally ap-
parent, that if the Chief Magistracy
should ever be committed for any grea
length of time to persons of an opposite
character, the condition of the country
must undergo, in one way or another, a
disastrous, perhaps fatal revolution.
Such being the Importance ofthe right
which you will soon be called upon to
exercise 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 eX-
pertinent that is now making among us,
to exercise it with full and mature delib-
cration--w without any bias from party feel
ing or mere personal advantage, & with
single view to the public good. You
owe this, not only to the interest, but 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 filled
that persons should be chosento 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 United States
that the personal conduct of the head OF
the Executive department should be
marked, as it always was in former days,
with dignity judgment, good temper ,
discretion and moderation that the
youth of our government should not be
sullied by the foul stains of immortality
that disfgure the antiquated 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 examples ofpublic and Prl-
vate virtue.
Under these impressions Of the impor-
tance Of the crisis, numerous portion oI
our fellow-citzcns residing in all parts OF
the country, and who have acted togeth-
or in political affairs for some years past,
under the name of national REPUBLr
1..a..,l to n IN ~
and deliberate upon the course which
they ought to pursue, and the persons
whom they ought to support for the grca
Offices of the Government at the mp.
preaching election. In preparing to cx
ercise this delicate trust, we have beer
naturally led to take careful and dclib
crate survey Of the political condition o.
the country, & OF the manner in which the
public affairs have been conducted by
the present Administration. This sur
vey has resulted in full conviction tha
the public good impcriously requires I
change; and in proposing to You as Can
didatcs for the Presidency s. Vice Tres
idency the distinguished citizens whose
names accompany this address, we have
deemed il our duty to lay before you {
! concise statement of the principal circum
stances which have led us to this conclu
sion.
/ No President ever entered on the du
( ties of his office under circumstance
! more favorable to n successful discharg
/ of them than the present incumbent
Tho country, thanks to Providence an
TO the ability and good fortune with whicl